Crispy chicken wings meet the bold, sweet-and-savory flavors of Chinese five-spice in these Shanghai Chicken Wings. Fried until golden and coated in a punchy hoisin-based sauce, they make a memorable appetizer for game day, casual gatherings, or any night when you want something a little more exciting than ordinary wings.
The sauce is what gives this recipe its distinctive character. Hoisin sauce brings rich, savory sweetness, while rice wine vinegar adds tang to balance it. Finely chopped garlic deepens the flavor, crushed chili flakes provide a little heat, and Chinese five-spice powder adds its signature aromatic blend. Whisk everything together before cooking so the sauce is ready when the wings come out of the fryer.
The chicken is separated into drumettes and wingettes, then fried in batches in peanut oil heated to 360°F. Cooking the wings in batches helps maintain the oil temperature and gives the skin room to become bubbly and golden rather than crowded and soggy. Once cooked through, transfer the hot wings directly into the prepared sauce and toss until every piece is well coated. Spoon any remaining sauce over the wings just before serving.
A reliable deep-fry thermometer is especially useful for this recipe because maintaining the right oil temperature helps the wings cook evenly and develop crisp skin. Use a heavy, stable saucepan with plenty of room above the oil, and never leave hot oil unattended. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F at its thickest point.
These wings take about 25 minutes from start to finish, with approximately 15 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes two servings, so it is easy to scale up for a party or a larger appetizer platter.
Serve Shanghai Chicken Wings hot, with napkins close by and simple sides such as cucumber salad or steamed rice if you want to turn them into a more substantial meal. Their crisp texture, sticky sauce, gentle heat, and fragrant five-spice flavor make them a delicious alternative to traditional buffalo wings.
Not what you are looking for? Try these other wing variations: Gina’s Honey Mustard Kiss Wings, Plum Sauced Chicken Wings or Alton Brown’s Buffalo Wings.
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Shanghai Chicken Wings
- Total Time: :25
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1⁄3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1⁄4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. crushed chili flakes
- 1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
- Peanut oil
- 1 lb. chicken wings, drumsticks and wings separated
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, chili flakes, and five-spice powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Heat 3″ of peanut oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°. Working in batches, fry chicken in hot oil until the skin turns bubbly and golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, place the cooked chicken in the bowl with sauce; toss until it is fully coated. Transfer the chicken to 2 small plates; serve with remaining sauce spooned over top.
- Prep Time: :15
- Cook Time: :10
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stove Top