Tamarind Chicken Wings are easy to make and finger-licking delicious. Seasoned with tamarind and garlic, they're a mouthwatering appetizer or main dish the whole family will love.
I thawed out a tray of chicken wings this afternoon, planning to prepare them Filipino-style with a marinade of lemon juice, minced garlic, and freshly ground pepper, but when I opened the fridge, I couldn't find the two pieces of lemon, I thought we had. When asked, G admitted to using them to spruce up his iced tea.
No problem. Vinegar would do. But when I opened the pantry, I couldn't find the ยผ bottle of white vinegar I thought we had. When asked, G admitted to using it with water to mop the kitchen floor. Now there's a problem.
I stood in front of the pantry for a long while and rummaged through the spices and supplies, unwilling to give up on images of crisp-fried chicken wings in my head. Viola! I found packages of tamarind base powder I keep for sinigang soups and thus bore these delectable tamarind wings.
Necessity really is the mother of invention. If you're looking for a quick appetizer that packs fantastic flavor, these wings take less than 30 minutes and a four-ingredient seasoning blend to make yet turn out so finger-licking, lip-smacking delicious!
The recipe calls for chicken wings sliced into flats and drumettes, but you can also use the rub to flavor up thighs, drumsticks, and other chicken cuts.
Seasoning mix
- Tamarind powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking tips
- After rinsing, drain the chicken well and pat dry with paper towels for the seasonings to adhere well and for the wings to crisp up nicely.
- No need to marinate! Fry the chicken as soon as they're seasoned with the tamarind mixture.
- Use oil with high-smoke points, such as peanut safflower or canola oil, for the best results. Use enough oil to cover the wings at least ยพ.
- Heat and maintain the oil at the optimal temperature range of 350 F to 375 F. Deep-fry in batches as needed to keep the temperature from plummeting.
- Use a thermometer to gauge doneness accurately. Insert it in the thickest part of the meat; it should read 165 F.
How to serve
- Enjoy these crispy tamarind chicken wings as an appetizer or main meal. Serve them on their own or with your choice of dipping sauce, such as Ranch dressing and sweet and sour sauce.
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To reheat leftovers, arrange them in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp and thoroughly heated through.
For more tamarind recipes, try this creamy baked tamarind salmon or this unique twist on adobo, and refresh with an ice-cold tamarindo drink!
More chicken recipes
Ingredients
- 2 pound chicken wings
- 2 tablespoons tamarind base powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon pepper
- canola oil
Instructions
- Trim tips from chicken wings and cut into flats and drumettes. Rinse, drain well, and pat dry.
- In a pan over medium heat, heat about 2-inch deep of oil.
- In a bowl, combine chicken, tamarind powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Massage on the wings until fully coated.
- Carefully add seasoned chicken wings into the hot oil and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and cook through.
- With a slotted spoon, remove from oil and drain on a wire rack. Serve immediately.
Notes
- After rinsing, drain the chicken well and pat dry with paper towels for the seasonings to adhere well and for the wings to crisp up nicely.
- No need to marinate! Fry the chicken as soon as they're seasoned with the tamarind mixture.
- Use oil with high-smoke points, such as peanut safflower or canola oil, for the best results. Use enough oil to cover the wings at least ยพ.
- Heat and maintain the oil at the optimal temperature range of 350 F to 375 F. Deep-fry in batches as needed to keep the temperature from plummeting.
- Use a thermometer to gauge doneness accurately. Insert it in the thickest part of the meat; it should read 165 F.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Hyde Canes says
Hi Lalaine!
Iโm wondering what tamarind powder do you use.. is it the sampaloc mix we usually use to the sinigang? Thank you for your reply
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, the packet for sinigang ๐
fely Goeckner says
Do you ever make whole chicken. Coz I have this favorite roast chicken . From Andox chicken or Banaue
Ann says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was a total hit. My daughter who loves sinigang didnโt figure it out what the rub consist of.
I also used air fryer- PERFECT!
Lalaine Manalo says
Isn't it great? It's a super-easy way to add flavor and you can't really tell it's sinigang mix ๐
Kii says
Wowee Woweee!! My family are I ate some sinigang wings at a restaurant here in Washington St. and our minds were blown away by the flavor! My husband who is a self proclaimed Sinigang lover wondered how to recreate this at home. Thank you for sharing and making these; I look forward to surprising my husband with these wings now! Btw, a long time lover of your recipes and website!
Lalaine says
If he likes the flavor of sinigang, then he'll love these wings for sure ๐ THanks, Kii!
Dennis says
I think I over did the tamarind powder. It came up tasting like Fried sinigang na chicken. My won't even touched them. But I'll try again. ๐
Lalaine Manalo says
Dennis, I'm sorry they turned out too sour for your tastes. Do try again with maybe half the amount and let me know how it went. Thank you!
Desiree says
Can I cook this another way without frying? Thanks
Lalaine says
Hello Desiree
Yes, you can bake them in the oven or cook them in a turbo broiler. They're delicious, hope you try them ๐
ali de vera says
what do you recommend for a nice dip to this chicken wings? thank you!
Lalaine says
If I am eating them with rice, I use calamansi with a little patis as a dip. If by themselves, with banana ketchup. Enjoy!