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Spicy Tamarind-Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings

4.6

(15)

Photo of Spicy Tamarind Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings on a platter.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow

Marinating chicken wings in a base of tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and cumin, with more brushed on as they grill, gives optimal flavor and just enough char. Topped with crunchy onion, these wings offer an explosion of flavors, perfect for backyard summer entertaining.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour 10 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup fish sauce
2 Tbsp. light or dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
4 lb. chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated if desired
¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced, preferably on a mandoline
Cilantro leaves with tender stems and lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, cumin, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until combined and a loose paste forms. Set tamarind glaze aside.

    Step 2

    Pat wings dry with paper towels, then season all over with remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Place in a large bowl; add half of tamarind glaze and toss to coat. Chill 15 minutes. Set remaining glaze aside.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, place onion in a bowl of ice water and set aside.

    Step 4

    Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Arrange wings on grate over indirect heat, making sure not to overcrowd. Brush top of each wing with some reserved glaze. Cover and grill 15 minutes. Uncover, turn wings over, and brush other side with glaze. Re-cover and grill until wings are golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a wing registers 165°F, about 15 minutes.

    Step 5

    Brush wings with more glaze, then move over direct heat and grill until charred in spots, 1–2 minutes per side.

    Step 6

    Transfer wings to a platter. Drain onion and place on paper towels; pat dry. Scatter onion over wings and top with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

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