Sichuan Peppercorn Chili Marinated Chicken Wings
Chicken wings marinated for 4 hours in a bold paste of doubanjiang, toasted Sichuan peppercorns, Shaoxing rice wine and fresh ginger, then roasted until deeply red, sticky and tingling with málà flavor.
- Prep
- 26 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Wait
- 4 hr 7 min
- Total
- 5 hr 18 min
- Makes
- About 16 wing pieces (flats and drumettes), serves 4 as a main or 6–8 as an appetizer
Steps
Before you start
- Plan ahead: the wings need a full 4 hours in the fridge (up to 8 is fine). Start about 5½ hours before you want to eat.
- Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean chili paste) is already very salty, so this recipe uses no added salt. Pixian brand is the classic choice.
- Pat the wings very dry before marinating; surface moisture dilutes the paste and keeps the skin from crisping.
- Use a non-metallic bowl or a zip-top bag for marinating, and wash your hands well after handling raw chicken.
Toast the peppercorns
- Place the Sichuan peppercorns in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir or shake constantly for about 2 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate and let them cool for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Peppercorns smell citrusy and floral and are a shade darker; they should not smoke or turn black.
Tip: Burnt peppercorns turn bitter. Pull them off the heat as soon as they smell strongly aromatic.
Grind the peppercorns
- Grind the cooled peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar until powdery.
- Sift out and discard any large husk fragments or black seeds for a smoother tingle.
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Ready when: Fine, uniform powder with no large pieces of husk.
Prep the aromatics
- Peel and finely grate the ginger to get 2 tablespoons.
- Mince the garlic.
- Finely chop any large pieces of broad bean in the doubanjiang.
- Slice the scallions thinly on the diagonal, put them in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for the garnish.
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Ready when: Ginger and garlic are a fine, wet pulp; doubanjiang has no large chunks.
Mix the marinade
- In a large non-reactive bowl, stir together the ground peppercorns, doubanjiang, rice wine, ginger, garlic, light soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, oil and chili flakes if using.
- Stir for about 1 minute until the paste is smooth, glossy and no cornstarch lumps remain.
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Ready when: A thick, brick-red paste that clings to the spoon.
Tip: Don't add salt. The doubanjiang and soy sauce already season the chicken.
Dry the wings
- If your wings are whole, cut through the joints to separate flats from drumettes and discard the tips (or save for stock).
- Pat every piece completely dry with paper towels.
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Ready when: Skin feels tacky, with no visible wet patches.
Tip: Dry skin helps the paste cling and the skin brown instead of steaming.
Coat and marinate
- Add the wings to the marinade and toss with your hands or tongs for about 1 minute, working the paste under the skin flaps and into the crevices.
- Cover the bowl (or seal the bag, pressing out the air) and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning the wings once or twice halfway through.
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Ready when: Every wing is evenly coated in red paste with no bare patches.
Tip: Marinate no longer than 8 hours; the salt and wine will make the meat texture mushy.
Preheat and set upOven 425°F / 220°C
- About 20 minutes before the 4 hours are up, remove the wings from the fridge and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the upper third.
- Line the baking sheet with foil, set the wire rack on top and arrange the wings on the rack in a single layer, skin side up, with space between them.
- Scrape any marinade left in the bowl over the wings.
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Ready when: Oven has reached 425°F (220°C) and the wings sit in one uncrowded layer.
Tip: Crowded wings steam rather than roast, so use a second sheet if needed.
Roast first sideOven 425°F / 220°C
- Roast the wings at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes without opening the oven door.
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Ready when: Paste is bubbling and the skin has begun to take on color.
Flip and finishOven 425°F / 220°C
- Turn the wings over with tongs and roast for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the skin is deep mahogany and crisp at the edges.
- Check the thickest drumette with an instant-read thermometer without touching bone.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads at least 165°F (74°C); for the most tender wings, cook to 175°F (79°C). Juices run clear.
Tip: The paste can darken quickly near the end. If the edges look nearly black before the wings are done, tent loosely with foil.
Rest and garnish
- Let the wings rest on the rack for 5 minutes so the glaze sets.
- Transfer to a platter and scatter the sliced scallions over the top.
- Serve hot.
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Ready when: Glaze is tacky and clings to the wings rather than dripping.
Good to know
Tips
- Toast and grind the peppercorns yourself; pre-ground powder loses its numbing citrus aroma quickly.
- Use a wire rack so hot air circulates and the undersides crisp rather than sitting in rendered fat.
- For extra gloss, brush the hot wings with a spoonful of the pan drippings, never the leftover raw marinade.
- Serve with steamed rice and a cool cucumber salad to balance the heat and tingle.
Make ahead
"The marinade paste keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Raw wings can marinate up to 8 hours total. Cooked wings can be roasted a day ahead and reheated (see storage)."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer bag, thawed overnight in the fridge. Reheat on a rack at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes until hot (165°F / 74°C) and crisp. Raw wings in marinade can be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed in the fridge before roasting."
Substitutions
- Shaoxing rice wine → Dry sherry. Closest widely available swap; use the same amount.
- doubanjiang (Pixian broad bean chili paste) → Gochujang plus 1 tsp extra soy sauce. Sweeter and less funky; the flavor will be less authentic but still good. Use 3 tbsp.
- chicken wings → Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Use 4 thighs (about 900 g) and roast 40–45 minutes total, until 175°F (79°C).
- neutral oil such as canola or avocado → Toasted sesame oil. Use 1 tsp instead of 1 tbsp for a nuttier flavor.