Guerrini Chicken Wings

These chicken wings get an overnight soak in a sweet soy sauce and garlic marinade that does double duty: it seasons the meat through to the bone and forms a sticky coating that fries up shatteringly crisp. The marinade includes egg, cornstarch, and flour, so there’s no separate breading step. Everything goes right in the bowl.

The cornstarch is the real crunch factor. It creates a lighter, crispier shell than flour alone, with that glass-like shatter you get at the best Asian wing spots. Sugar in the marinade caramelizes during frying, adding golden color and a sweet glaze that clings to each piece.

A scatter of toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions on top finishes things off with crunch and freshness.

Kitchen Tips

• Turn the wings in the marinade a few times overnight. The coating is thick and doesn’t evenly cover without occasional flipping.
• Fry in batches to keep the oil temperature steady. Overcrowding drops the heat and you get soggy, greasy wings.
• Let excess marinade drip off before lowering wings into the oil. Too much batter creates uneven, blobby coating.

Variations

• Add a splash of rice vinegar and red pepper flakes to the marinade for a spicy, tangy Korean-style twist.
• Bake at 425°F (220°C) on a wire rack for 35 to 40 minutes as a lighter alternative to deep frying.
• Toss the fried wings in a honey-garlic glaze right after frying for a sticky, lacquered finish.