Every Sunday evening, my S.O. and I have “splurge night”, where we allow ourselves to have something a bit (OK, maybe a lot) more decadent than our usual weekday fare.
So why Sunday, you may ask? Well, we have tried putting splurge night on Friday or Saturday, but that has a tendency to catapult us off-track for the rest of the weekend. So by splurging on Sunday, there’s less damage that can be accomplished before Monday morning, ha!
Anyhoo, my S.O. almost always chooses pizza and I almost always choose wings. Our favorite wing place in town has a huge selection of sauces, including Suicide Sauce. The big incentive in choosing that sauce is that if a person can eat 16 suicide wings, they can get their picture on the Wall of Flame. I have observed that people in the pictures are usually sweating, have big red rings around their mouths, and look generally miserable. Being the huge wimp that I am, I rarely go beyond the medium heat categories. Maybe they should build a Wimps Wall of Shame so that I can get my picture hung as well. In my picture though, I would be fresh as a daisy, smackin’ my lips and looking pretty darned happy .
So back to splurge night. Sometimes, I get really ambitious and make our wings here at home, while coming up with unique sauce flavors of my own. The latest of these inventions is Choco-Chili Chicken Wings–crispy fried wings that have been marinated in fresh citrus and served with a chocolate/chili/orange dipping sauce. We’re talkin’ lip smackin’ good. And perfect for game day, parties and celebrations or your own “splurge night”!
- 1½ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 3½ pounds chicken wings, separated at joints and wing tips removed
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 2 quarts vegetable oil
- 1 cup flour
- To make the marinade, combine 1 cup orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Place chicken in a 1-gallon re-sealable plastic food storage bag. Pour marinade over chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning the bag occasionally to ensure even marinating.
- To make the Choco-Chili sauce, heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until onion is tender. Add tomato sauce, ½ cup orange juice, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder, pumpkin pie spice, cumin, cardamom, cloves, honey, chocolate and orange zest. Combine well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool to room temperature until ready to use.
- Set a large, 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat with 2 quarts of vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350˚F., using a frying thermometer to gauge the temperature of the oil. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and drain through a colander.
- Mix flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon Ancho chili powder in a 1-gallon re-sealable plastic food storage bag. Add the chicken, 8 pieces at a time in the flour mixture and shake to coat. Lay the coated chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan to rest for 10 minutes before frying. Continue with the remaining chicken pieces until all of the chicken has been coated. Fry the chicken in batches of 12 pieces. The temperature of the oil should drop to around 300˚F. Fry chicken wings until they are golden brown and begin to float, 8-11 minutes (depending on the size of that flapper!). Place chicken on a sheet pan that is lined with paper towels. Be sure to allow the oil to return to 350˚ F. before adding more chicken to the hot oil. Serve hot with Choco-Chili dipping sauce.
Watch video here:
Can’t see video? Watch it here: Choco-Chili Chicken Wings
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When I saw this on Weekend Potluck, I knew I wanted to pin and make. As I was writing a message to one of the WP ladies, your email popped up! Since I follow you, I just clicked on my email. I cannot wait to make these. They sound and look so delicious!!
Kelli, you totally made my day with your kind remarks–thanks SO much!
These look delicious!! Pinned 😉 Thanks for sharing!!
Such a SMART idea to splurge on Sunday!! I have had the same thing happen when I splurge on Friday or Saturday … it’s so easy to just keep on splurging ALL weekend long!! haha … great idea to do it at the end of the weekend! What a yummy splurge this was I’m sure!!
Happy Friday!
Brenda
ChattingOverChocolate.blogspot.com
I know Brenda, isn’t it hard to get back on track after we’ve splurged? Oh but how we need a good splurge every once in a while, ha!
WOW! This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing this at my Pin Me Linky Party.
Thanks for a great party, Diana!
The chocolate and orange additions really make these wings sound interesting. Thanks so much for sharing them on foodie friday.
Thanks for hosting a great party, Diane!
These look so good. I love chicken wings. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday. Please stop back by today to vote.
Thanks for a great party, Michelle!
We love wings, and my boys love anything with lime. Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Have a blessed week, Happy Valentine’s Day and come back soon.
Thanks for a great party, Krista!
Anything with chocolate has to be good. My son-in-law is going to be very happy when I make these for him.
Great Linda, let me know how they turn out!
That is a totally unique combination! But I bet it works well. Thanks for linking at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
Thanks for your kindness Chandra!
yummy! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays at Nap-Time Creations. I have a new button that I would LOVE for you to put somewhere on your blog if you get a chance… oh and I am hosting a week of giveaways in honor of my blog birthday. A new one up every day. http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2013/02/blog-birthday-week-custom-fabric-abc.html
Thanks for a great party, Emily!
Oh my word! I have to make these asap! Thank you for sharing at our Pinteresting Party!
Thanks for hosting, Lauren!
These look so delicious! Wow, I can’t wait to try these! Thank you so much for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent! So thrilled to have you share with us. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Hugs
Kathy
Thanks for hosting, Kathy!
Semi-sweet chocolate and orange juice,wow! I will have to try this recipe this weekend.
Thanks for sharing it.
They are mighty tasty. Thanks for stopping by Crystal!
I told you on Facebook already how much I love these wings and they are on my dinner list for next week! I so can’t wait!
Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza – see you there again tonight with more of your deliciousness 🙂
Thanks so much Jutta, and thanks for holding a great party each week!
Love the chocolate and ancho. Great flavors. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures.
Thanks for hosting a great party Christie!
Sherry K., these look so delicious! Thank you for sharing on Crafty Thursday Obsessions!
Thanks for hosting a great party Kendra!
This is such an inventive recipe and it looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Thanks for hosting a great party, Trish!
Thank you for sharing at our Ladies Night Cocktail Link Party!
Thanks Donna. Your cocktails always look so superb!
Looks delicious, Sherry. Thanks for linking up to Tasty Thursdays. The next party is live!! http://www.mandatorymooch.blogspot.com/2013/02/tasty-thursdays-29.html
Thanks, Nichi
Thanks Nichi. I just linked up!
Sounds wonderful!
Thanks Terry!