Lemon Pepper Wings with a Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

This recipe comes too late for you to use it for this year’s Super Bowl. Just make them next weekend!

Servings:  2 dozen wings

Hardware:  Kitchen scissors, measuring spoons and cups, a microplane or knife, food prep gloves, a wooden spoon, a large plastic storage bag, tongs, a large heavy skillet, a baking sheet, a cooling rack (optional), foil, a saucepan, a large mixing bowl, an oil thermometer, a meat thermometer

Time: Active time: 10 minutes- Cook time: varies-Wings in an hour

Ingredients:

• 2 dozen wings
• 4 tablespoons Lemon & pepper Seasoning (I like McCormick Culinary Lemon & pepper)
• 1cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼  cup water
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• Oil to fill your skillet halfway
• Cooking spray

1. Use the kitchen scissors to separate the flaps from the drumettes. Also, snip the points from the flaps. Place the wings and the lemon pepper in the plastic bag. Shake like crazy. Make sure that all the wings are covered in seasoning. Set aside. Do this about thirty minutes early. You want the chicken to be room temp all the way through so that they will cook evenly. You do not want them to sit out very long at room temperature and you wan to make sure all the chicken is cooked through. GET A THERMOMETER.
2. Line the baking sheet with foil. If you have a cooling rack place it over the foil-lined sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Place the pan in the oven on the lowest setting.
3. Use the microplane or the knife to mince the garlic. Place the vinegar, water, garlic and sugar into the saucepan. Bring it to a rolling bowl. Turn the heat down to a low boil. Stir often enough to keep the garlic from settling. The vinegar will reduce and thicken as it cooks.
4. Put enough oil into the pan to fill it halfway. Heat the oil over medium until it reaches a temperature of 375˚ F. Try to keep the oil between 350˚ F and 375˚ F. When the oil is hot, fry the wings for 4-5 minutes per side. Do not over crowd them. You may need to cook in batches. The chicken is done when the thickest part measures 165˚. The flats cook faster than the drums. As they finish, place them on the prepared baking sheet. Putting them onto a cooling rack instead of directly onto the foil will keep them crispy.
5. When you have finished all the wings, remove them from the oven and pour all the juices from the sheet into the balsamic vinegar. Toss the wings in the sauce and make sure they are completely coated. Serve warm.