Crispy Za’atar Chicken Wings

Our Thyme Roasted Za’atar Potatoes were such a big hit that we thought we would try dousing organic chicken wings with this winning secret sauce. OMG, were they ever amazing and healthy? Zingy, lemony, crispy, tangy. Shall I go on?

 

 

Za’atar is a generic name for a family of related Middle Eastern herbs from the genera Origanum (oregano), Calamintha (basil thyme), Thymus (typically Thymus vulgaris, i.e., thyme), and Satureja (savory). Za’atar is generally prepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac might also be added. Wikipedia

 

You can buy Za’atar from any high-end spice merchant, gourmet grocer or from any of several online spice merchants, or click on the link for some recommendations.

 

Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.

 

 

Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

 

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through, and the skin is golden brown.

 

 

 

 

Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

 

 

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time:1 hour 40 minutes

This simple technique of steaming and roasting the wings dry renders a dryer crispier wing, that when tossed hot from the oven in a sauce; delivers a flavorful crispy wing. Try this method with your favorite flavor profile.

 

• 12 whole organic chicken wings

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon minced or picked whole fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon of Za'atar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2–3 tablespoons of good olive oil

1. Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through, and the skin is golden brown.
5. While the chicken is roasting, mix sauce ingredients in a small lidded jar, shake to incorporate well and then transfer to a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken.
6. Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

These wings can be made using an air fryer, with the same results. Simply skip steps 1-4, follow air-fryer instructions, and toss hot wings in the sauce. The air-fryer will render the fat in the same way the steaming and air drying will.

 

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