Angel Wings

Upgrade your appetizer game with these aromatic stuffed chicken wings. These are a popular Southeast Asian appetizer, with many different variations. This is my take on the stuffed chicken wings, sometimes called Angel Wings. These can be baked or fried. But there’s something about those herbaceous and aromatic crispy fried ones dipped in a spicy, vinegary, sweet chili sauce that make them feel like a guilty pleasure. They hit every note on the taste buds. Not to mention the sweet chili sauce is made from scratch!

Full disclaimer, deboning the chicken wings does take a bit of effort, but with a little bit of practice, you can get into a groove, and it takes no time at all. The first time I made these, it took me quite a while to debone the chicken wings. The second time around took less than half that time and something clicked…literally (it may have been chicken bone), and I got faster with each subsequent time.

Notes:

Meat – Ground pork or chicken works well in this recipe but use any meat you prefer.

Onion – use white or yellow onion to add a nice sweetness to the appetizer. Shallots or red onions would also work well. If using shallots you may need a couple, depending on the size.

Deboning the wing – this is probably the most difficult part of this recipe. It takes practice and really getting into the wings. I found the best way to debone the wings is to first remove the drumette. Cut the tendons and ligaments at the top of the wing flat. With the blade of a knife, peel back the skin and meat from the bones within the wing flat until you get to the next joint. Cut at the next joints, remove the bones. Then roll the skin back up. You’ll essentially want the skin to be like casing for the filling.

Extra filling – depending on the size of the chicken wings, you may end up with extra filling. Break out with the spring roll wrappers and use the filling for spring rolls!

Angel Wings

Yields: 14-16 wings
Time: 1.5 hours

14-16 chicken wings (4 lbs. before deboning)
1 lb. (450g) ground pork or ground chicken
1 small onion or 2 shallots (90g), roughly chopped
1-2 green onions (20g), chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic (15g), whole or roughly chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, divided (affiliate link)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) seasoning sauce, divided (like Golden Mountain brand – affiliate link)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) oyster sauce, divided (affiliate link)
2 small bundles (70g) bean thread noodles

If Frying:
½ cup (~60g) cornstarch or potato starch + more if needed
Neutral oil

Sweet Chili Sauce:
½ cup (120 ml) water
¼ cup (60 ml) white vinegar
4 tablespoons (50g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce (affiliate link)
3-4 red chilies, thinly sliced
Slurry – 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water

1. Make the sweet chili sauce by heating water and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil. Add the sugar until it dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the mixture simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Then add fish sauce and chilies, followed by the slurry. Cook until the slurry is translucent and the mixture has thickened slightly. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool. Set aside until ready to serve.
2. Prepare the chicken wings by removing the drumettes at the first joint. Then use a knife to peel the skin and meat from the bones in the wing flat. Cut at the joints between the wing flat and the wing tips and remove the bones, leaving the wing tip intact. The filling will be stuffed into the wing flat portion.
3. Soak the bean thread noodles in warm water for 5-10 minutes until it is soft and pliable. Drain and cut the noodles. Set aside.
4. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, crush the onion, garlic, and salt. Take 1 tablespoon of this mixture and add it to the prepared chicken wings along with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of seasoning sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce. Mix well and coat the chicken wings in the marinade. Let that marinate while you prepare the filling.
5. Take the remaining onion and garlic mixture and combine with ground pork, green onions, ground white/black pepper, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of seasoning sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and bean thread noodles. Mix well.
6. Take spoonfuls of the filling mixture and stuff it into the wing flats using the skin like casing.
7. To bake: Preheat the oven to 400℉. Grease the baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken wings 2 inches apart. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning at least once during the baking process. Then broil on low for another 3-4 minutes per side. The outside of the chicken wings should be brown, and internal temperature should be 165℉.
8. To fry: Heat oil in a fryer to 350℉. Coat the chicken wings with cornstarch or potato starch, shake off any excess starch. Fry for 6-8 minutes, making sure to turn the wings for even cooking. Don’t overcrowd the fryer. The wings should be golden brown and crispy on the outside; internal temperature should be 165℉. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate.
9. Serve warm with sweet chili sauce. Enjoy!