Indian spiced chicken wings with tamarind dipping sauce pack tons of flavour into what is already the world’s most perfect food. I mean seriously – what’s better than chicken wings? Crispy chicken goodness with the maximum skin to meat ratio. Add a bit of smoky grilled goodness. Eat them with your hands. So tasty. So fun.
OK – maybe I like chicken wings more than most people but how can you not love them? Especially buffalo chicken wings. That’s just artery clogging genius. Take a piece of chicken that is mostly fat anyway. Deep fry it. Toss in a sauce that is nothing more than Frank’s Red Hot sauce and butter. How can you go wrong? Other than maybe slapping on a few pounds I guess.
I actually think grilling wings is the way to go. You get the crispy skin. You get the kiss of smoke. And you don’t have to heat up a vat of oil. I can still remember how surprised I was the first time I tried it. Might even be better than buffalo wings.
Indian spiced chicken wings take the flavour into a new direction. Think tandoori but with the skin. It just works. The tamarind dipping sauce is a simplified version of the classic Indian tamarind chutney. That alone is work learning how to do.
Next time you have a party mix it up and serve Indian spiced chicken wings with tamarind dipping sauce. Even if you don’t, at least try grilling your wings. That alone is a revelation.
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp mild kashmiri chili powder or ¼ tsp cayenne
- 1 Tbsp cumin powder
- 1 Tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp granulated garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 3 lbs split chicken wings, tips saved for stock
- Enough vegetable oil to coat the wings
- Fresh lime to drizzle over the wings
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 Tbsp concentrated tamarind (available at any Asian grocery store)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp cumin powder
- up to ¼ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- Combine the turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, granulated garlic powder, ginger powder and paprika in a small bowl. This is your spice mix.
- Toss the wings in enough oil to coat. You don't need to drown them but you do need enough to coat.
- Sprinkle the wings with the spice mix and toss.
- Prepare your grill for medium-high indirect heat. As always, I prefer charcoal for the flavour.
- Grill the wings for 10 minutes then flip the wings. Cook the wings for about another 10 minutes. They should be crispy but not dry so be careful not to overcook them.
- If you want some grill marks or char, cook them quickly over direct heat to finish. Don't try to cook them over direct heat all at once. That's a good way to end up with burned wings. 5-6 at a time is a good pace.
- Drizzle them with fresh squeezed lime juice (this is key for everything to come together) and serve with tamarind dipping sauce if you want.
- Combine all the ingredients in a small, non-reactive saucepan.
- Simmer until reduced by about half. This takes around 15-20 minutes. You can do this while the wings are grilling.
- Let cool slightly and serve.
Ai! Look at that rub!!! These chicken wings look fantastic. And I am SO happy you suggested grilling them. For some reason, baked wings almost never turn out for me. I am cursed. 🙁 But grilled chicken wings sounds like much easier clean-up and a super easy recipe!
Baked wings are not my favourite either. You might have a chance if you put them on a rack over a baking sheet but otherwise you you risk soggy or greasy or, if you push it – dry.
If you nail grilled wings, they are every bit as good as deep fried – plus you get the benefit of the spices getting cooked along the way. It’s a win-win. Of course, deep fried can be pretty awesome too. Have I mentioned how much I love chicken wings…