Pub-Style Chicken Wings

Wing night used to be a sacred ritual for my husband and I. Many years ago, when we lived even further up in the frosty north, we used to get together with friends every week and head down to a local pub for all the wings we could eat. Even after we moved away, we sought out local establishments for our regular wing fix. As we learned when I became pregnant with our first child, though, most places that have cheap wing nights are pubs or bars, and they are not exactly on the list of child-friendly dining locations. As a result, we rarely went out - cheap wing night isn't so cheap when you have to hire a babysitter, and neither of us really wanted to go without the other. And so, this recipe came about after several attempts to replicate that crispy, deep-fried pub wing experience that we missed so much. The best part about these wings is that the flavour is determined after they're cooked, so you can make several different flavours with no more inconvenience than a few extra dirty bowls.

And for those out there who are on a gluten-free diet and want to give these a try, substitute rice flour for regular flour, and the results are just as crispy and delicious. We have used this substitution for a friend with a wheat allergy, and couldn't tell the difference between the gluten-free version and our usual ones.

Pub-Style Chicken Wings

4 lbs chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1 cup flour (or rice flour)
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop in chicken wings (still frozen is fine), bring back to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine flour and seasonings in a large bowl. In small batches, dredge the cooked chicken wings in seasoned flour.

To bake the wings, place the dredged wings on a greased baking sheet. Spray all over with a cooking oil spray (like Pam) and bake at 425F until crispy and golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.

To fry the wings, heat a couple inches of a light oil (such as canola) to 375F in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, or use a deep-fryer set to 375F (or the closest setting). Fry the wings in small batches for 8-10 minutes, then skim them out and place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a 200F oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining wings.

For dry-seasoned wings (salt & pepper, lemon pepper, etc) - sprinkle the wings with a generous amount of your seasoning of choice. For saucy wings (hot, teriyaki, etc), place the wings in a bowl with a lid, add some sauce, cover and toss gently to coat.

Serve with ranch and/or blue cheese dressing for dipping!