MEALS BY MAXINE

By Mikki Hardwick-Lett

Lemon Peppered Wing Dings

It  doesn’t matter where you’re from, most people love, love, love the taste of a well prepared piece of chicken.

To spice up this king of the yard, add in your favorite seasonings to create a mouthwatering  masterpiece.  This month, I’m giving you the recipe of  all recipes to try and it’s guaranteed to have them coming back for more. Lemons have a very distinct, refreshing taste to them and they also add a zesty taste to this very desirable blend of seasonings~ Mikki

Ingredients:

For the Wings Dings

4 tsp. seasoned salt

½ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp. lemon pepper

½ tsp. paprika

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 tsp. hot sauce

2.5 lbs. party wings

Vegetable Oil for frying

For the Lemon Peppered Glaze

¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)

A pinch of black pepper

¾ tsp. lemon pepper

4 tbsp. honey

2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

Sprinkle a little pepper on top for a garnish!

Instructions

1. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon pepper, garlic, paprika and cornstarch to flour in a storage bag or paper bag and shake to mix thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Whisk together eggs and hot sauce in a medium sized bowl.

3. Working with one chicken wing piece at a time, use tongs and add to egg mixture thoroughly coating and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Next, dredge the chicken wing into the flour mixture then transfer to a plate or wire rack to set.

4. Repeat with all chicken pieces then let set for 15-20 minutes while you heat the oil.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 350 degrees F.

6. When the oil is hot enough that it bubbles around the chicken when the edge of a piece is dripped into it, use tongs to gently and carefully place a few pieces in the oil. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan.

7. Cook the chicken, turning the wing pieces every few minutes and adjusting the heat as needed, until the skin is golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165 using a meat thermometer in the thickest part. This should take 7-10 minutes.

8. As chicken fries, prepare the glaze.  Whisk together butter, pepper, lemon pepper, honey and lemon juice until smooth.

9. Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined serving platter or a wire rack with a paper towel lined baking sheet beneath to drain while continuing to fry the rest, adding more oil to the pot if necessary.

10. As chicken wings are removed and placed on paper towels, dip them in lemon pepper glaze, sprinkle top with just a little lemon pepper and serve immediately.

Bon Appetit !!