Southern Fried Chicken Wings

Like this recipe? You'll love my online cooking class featuring the food of America's Deep South!
Southern Fried Chicken Wings - American Chicken Recipes, American Meat Recipes

The Colonel may have had 11 secret herbs and spices, but these Southern fried chicken wings taste just as good with only four! The secret to flavour is salt – and soaking these wings (or any poultry) in brine makes a world of difference. Just not too long for small pieces like wings or they become too salty. The other trick, which I learned from chicken maestro Morgan McGlone founder of Belles Hot Chicken, is to leave the chicken and flour together long enough for the moisture from the chicken to help build up a thick coating, almost like a batter; overnight is best if time permits. I serve these wings with two different dipping sauces, a smoky spicy one and a cooling herbal one; I use salad burnet for the herbal one because it’s growing in my garden and has a lovely cucumber flavour, but parsley, coriander, mint, chervil or a combination of your favourite soft herbs will work just as well. Southern fried chicken wings make a great snack anytime, or add Morgan’s Buttermilk Biscuits (see video below) and a spicy coleslaw to turn them into a meal for 4. For a delicious wine match, try Alfardon Tinto, a great Spanish red (perfect lightly chilled) from Sarah & Iwo at Si Vintners.

Serves 6 or more as a snack

Ingredients
  • 1kg chicken wings(2lb 3oz)
  • 50g cooking salt (1¾oz)
  • 2 cups plain flour (300g/10½oz)
  • Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Fried Chicken Spice Blend

  • 3 teaspoons coriander seeds (6g/⅕oz)
  • 3 teaspoons white peppercorns (12g/½oz)
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds (3½g/⅒)
  • 1½ teaspoons fennel seeds (3g/⅒)
  • 1½ teaspoons salt flakes (4.5g/⅕oz)

Hot Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup whole egg mayonnaise (300g)
  • 2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika (8g)
  • Hot sauce (such as Tabasco), to taste

Cool Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup natural yoghurt (225g/8oz)
  • 1 cup fresh soft herb leaves, finely chopped (large handful)
Method
  1. Cut wings into mini-drums and mid wings (freeze the wing tips for stock).
  2. Dissolve salt in 500ml cold water (2 cups/1 pint).
  3. Place chicken in a lidded container and cover with the water, adding more water and salt if needed to completely cover the chicken; use 10g salt for every 100ml of water (⅓oz/⅕ pint).
  4. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
  5. Make Fried Chicken Spice Blend: combine all Ingredients in a spice grinder and blitz into a fine powder.
  6. Mix Spice Blend and flour in a large bowl.
  7. Remove chicken from brine, add to bowl and toss well to coat each piece. Cover bowl and refrigerate chicken and flour for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
  8. Remove from fridge and set aside for 30 minutes or so to come to room temperature.
  9. Meanwhile make Hot Dipping Sauce and Cool Dipping Sauce by combining respective Ingredients.
  10. Heat oil for deep-frying.
  11. Toss chicken in the flour again to add a firm dry coating.
  12. Fry chicken in batches for about 7 minutes (mini-drums may need a little longer than mid-wings), stirring occasionally until just cooked through.
  13. Drain on paper towel until all chicken is cooked.
  14. Serve immediately with Hot Dipping Sauce and Cool Dipping Sauce. 
Download a Print Friendly Version

Share page on:

Morgan’s Buttermilk Biscuits

See more Recipe Videos

What Other Cooks Say

Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
We made the pot-sticker dumplings and bang bang chicken from the Chinese class the other night. Once again both exceeded our expectations. My husband keeps saying it’s better than going out to restaurants as the recipes and quality are amazing.
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
The whole Be Inspired experience has helped me love cooking again. I was sick of cooking the same old things - meal time is a lot brighter thanks to you Roberta.
Pam (Cammeray, NSW)
Pam (Cammeray, NSW)
Your recipes are something I always feel confident offering guests and also reasonable in the time to prepare. We often try your recommended wines and suppliers and enjoy your travel tales too!
Darcy, Austin TX (USA)
Darcy, Austin TX (USA)
I find your weekly check-in to my kitchen an inspiration with chatty, warm, inspiring dishes to experience. Recently I was looking for a recipe for Persian spice blend advieh and yours was the first to catch my attention, even before I knew it was written by you. What a fun surprise to see your happy, calming face with a new friend sharing the benefits of Persian cooking.
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
I am absolutely loving Be Inspired! There are ingredients I have never worked with before so having the confidence to try something new is so much fun! The recipes are just amazing and the notes on what can be prep’d beforehand are a great help too. Thank you so much.
Deb (Belconnen, ACT)
Deb (Belconnen, ACT)
Awesome fun traveling through Emilia-Romagna experiencing first hand some of the produce I've worked with over the last couple of years cooking with Roberta's classes – the family are reaping the benefits now.
Judith (Woronora, NSW)
Judith (Woronora, NSW)
Food, wine and travel! Three of my favourite things! Be Inspired with Roberta has been a wonderful experience and given me more confidence in the kitchen. I have learnt so much, cooked things I never would have attempted without Roberta’s excellent videos, and used ingredients I have never tried before.
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
I'm a competent cook whose learned so much from Roberta's online cooking classes. The recipes are yummy and Roberta’s video guidance offers so many little tips to improve flavour and organise the flow of preparation. I enjoy her warmth, sense of humour, and ability to giggle at herself when she occasionally messes up.
Subscribe To My Newsletter & Get A Free Online Italian Cooking Class (RRP $39)