Baked Asian-Style Chicken Wings

The kids have become obsessed with wings. Sticky, sweet and spicy. All of them are wanting to try things spicier, riskier, and more adult which makes sense as they all get older... However, we are not big fans of frying. While the occasional fried chicken fest is a must, weeknight dinners can not include that kind of clean up. We tinkered with some recipes and found our way to this one. This recipe has worked its way into heavy rotation in our house. We love it, the kids love it, and it is super simple to put together. We have experimented with all sorts of sauces, so feel free to wing it once you get the basic preparation down. While we don't preach health and wellness on this blog, we do love to try and make some of our favorites, a little healthier, and by baking the wings and drumsticks, we accomplish that goal. And, the clean up is way easier. Yes, there is a place and time for that wonderful spicy, fried, buffalo wing, and that time is at some awesome sports bar, watching a basketball game. For the rest of the times we want wings, this dish will do! 

Baked Asian-Style Chicken Wings
serves about 6

15-18 pieces of mixed chicken pieces, wings and drumsticks
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 9oz jar of hoisin sauce (you can use plum sauce or sweet chili sauce as well)
2 tablespoons of miring
1 garlic clove, zested or minced very fine
1 inch piece of ginger, zested or minced very fine
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (add more if you like them spicier)

Preheat oven to 425

In a bowl add all ingredients but chicken and stir. Adjust for sweetness and heat. Place chicken in a bowl and pour half the sauce over the chicken, stirring to insure all chicken gets coated. Reserve the other half. Let rest in fridge for about an hour, tossing occasionally.

Arrange a baking wire rack on top of a baking sheet and place the chicken in rows. You will need two trays. If you don't have a wire rack, place chicken directly on parchment lined baking tray. Baste with sauce and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pull chicken from oven, flip over the pieces with tongs, baste again with sauce from marinade and bake for another 20 minutes, or until juices run clear. Be sure to switch the 2 trays position as well. After this baste, throw away the marinade.

While chicken is baking, take your reserved sauce and reduce by about half in a small saucepan over medium heat. You want the sauce to thicken.

When chicken in done, take chicken and toss them in a  bowl with your thicken sauce and serve! You can garnish with diced scallions or sesame seeds.