Spicy Asian Chicken Lollipops

by Charlie McCarthy, Sr.

Ingredients

• water
• 3/4 cups rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cups honey
• 1/4 cups salt
• 1/4 cups soy sauce
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 pinch pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch ginger
• ice
• 24 chicken wings/drums
• 1 tbsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp dry mustard
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 cups sweet soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• peanut oil
• 2 red pepper
• 2 tbsp scallions
• 1/4 cups cilantro
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Recipe

1. With a knife or kitchen shears, cut the skin and tendons around the bottom (the narrow end) of each drummette. Use a paring knife to scrape the meat from to bottom toward the top of the bone to form a lollipop shape; make sure the bone is scraped completely clean.
2. Make the brine: To a saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar, honey, salt, soy sauce, peppercorns, pepper flakes, 3 cloves garlic, star anise, bay leaf and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Pour the brine into a large bowl and add 1 1/2 cups ice to cool it down quickly. Add the chicken lollipops to the brine, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. Remove the chicken wings/drums and pat dry.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. Prepare the dry rub: In a large bowl, combine the five-spice powder, granulated garlic, ground ginger, dry mustard, paprika, salt and cayenne. Mix well to blend. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the rub for later use in sauce, then add the chicken and coat thoroughly with the rub.
5. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the skin begins to turn golden. (This helps render some of the fat, so the drummettes fry up nice and crispy.) Remove from oven and set aside.
6. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce: To a medium saute pan, add the sweet soy sauce, remaining vinegar, fish sauce, honey, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until the sauce has reduced by a third or so, about 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved tablespoon of the dry rub and keep warm while you fry the wings.
7. Fill a large, heavy pot with 2 to 3 inches of peanut oil, and heat to 350 F over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken wings in the oil until brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. With a spider or slotted spoon, remove the fried chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add the sauce to the chicken and toss to coat.
8. Transfer the chicken lollipops to a serving platter and garnish with the sliced red pepper, sliced scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!