Whole chicken wings are deboned, stuffed with a juicy pork and spring roll-style filling, gently steamed, then double-dredged and deep-fried in a heavily seasoned KFC-inspired coating. The result is a plump stuffed wing with a deeply cragged, crisp crust and savoury filling.

Stuffed KFC-Style Wings

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Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 30

Course Appetiser, Snack

Cuisine Fusion

Ingredients

Chicken wings

12 large whole chicken wings skin intact
1 tsp fine salt

Spring roll filling

450 g pork mince approximately 20% fat
9 g dried wood ear mushrooms
60 g carrot finely diced
30 g dried mung bean vermicelli
3 spring onions finely sliced
2 tsp garlic finely grated
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
35 ml cold water
3 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp MSG

KFC-style seasoned coating

400 g plain flour
120 g cornflour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp fine salt
6 tsp ground white pepper
3 tsp ground black pepper
6 tsp sweet paprika
3 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme finely crushed
2 tsp dried oregano finely crushed
1 1/2 tsp dried basil finely crushed
2 tsp MSG

Wet dredge

450 ml full-cream milk cold
2 large eggs cold

Finishing seasoning

1 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp MSG
1/4 tsp mustard powder

For frying

2 L neutral oil for deep-frying

Instructions

Soak the filling ingredients

Cover the wood ear mushrooms with warm water and soak for 20 minutes, until fully rehydrated. Drain thoroughly, squeeze out excess water and finely chop.
Cover the vermicelli with warm water and soak for 5-10 minutes, until pliable but not mushy. Drain thoroughly and cut into 5-10mm pieces.

Prepare the wings

Working from the thick drumette end, cut around the end of the drumette bone. Scrape the meat away from the bone towards the joint, keeping the skin intact. Dislocate the joint and remove the drumette bone.
Continue through the same opening into the flat. Scrape around both flat bones, dislocate them where they meet the wing tip and remove them. Leave the wing-tip bones intact.
Turn any displaced meat back inside the skin to form an even pocket.

Make the filling

Combine the pork, fish sauce, cold water, cornflour, salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and MSG. Mix firmly for 45-60 seconds, until the liquid is absorbed and the pork becomes slightly tacky.
Add the wood ear, carrot, vermicelli, spring onion and garlic. Mix only until evenly distributed.
Fry a teaspoon of filling in a small pan and taste. It should be juicy, peppery and well seasoned without tasting salty.

Stuff the wings

Transfer the filling to a large piping bag and cut an 18-20mm opening.
Insert the bag deep into the flat section. Pipe filling towards the wing tip while gently massaging it through the skin to remove empty pockets.
Continue piping into the drumette until the whole wing is evenly plump and the skin is smooth with no obvious loose folds. Stop before the skin becomes taut. The stuffed wing should still yield slightly when gently pressed.
Tuck the open skin over the filling. Secure with a wooden toothpick.

Prepare the seasoning

Combine all KFC-style seasoned coating ingredients thoroughly in a wide bowl.
Combine all finishing seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Remove approximately 1/2 cup of the seasoned coating and reserve for the wet dredge.

Steam the wings

Bring a steamer to a steady gentle steam. Arrange the wings in a single layer with space between them and the open ends facing upwards. Steam similarly sized wings together where possible.
Cover and steam undisturbed for 12 minutes. Do not open the steamer during this initial period.
Probe two of the largest wings through the drumette end into the centre of the pork filling. Aim for approximately 65°C.
If the largest wings are below 63°C, cover and steam for another 2 minutes. If they are 63-64°C, steam for another 1 minute. Remove once the largest wings are around 65°C.
Transfer to a rack and rest for 5-10 minutes, until visible steam has stopped and the skin is no longer wet. Pat dry gently if needed. Proceed directly to coating and frying.

Finish the dredge

While the wings are steaming, whisk the reserved 1/2 cup seasoned coating with the milk and eggs until smooth.
Drizzle approximately 1/3 cup of the wet dredge over the remaining dry coating in several thin streams. Toss lightly with your fingertips to create shaggy flakes and irregular 5-10mm clumps while leaving most of the coating dry.

Coat the wings

Dip one surface-dry wing completely into the wet dredge. Lift and allow the excess to drain for about 5 seconds.
Place into the seasoned coating. Cover completely, then press and squeeze the coating firmly onto the surface so the flakes and clumps adhere.
Dip briefly back into the wet dredge, drain again, then return to the coating. Press on a second irregular layer, concentrating on smooth or exposed areas without creating an excessively thick shell.
Place on a rack and repeat with the remaining wings. Rest for 5 minutes while bringing the frying oil to temperature.

Fry the wings

Heat the oil to 175°C. Use enough oil for the wings to float freely without filling the pot more than halfway.
Fry 3 similarly sized wings at a time for 4 minutes, turning occasionally and maintaining the oil between 170-175°C.
Probe the largest wing in the batch through the drumette end into the centre of the pork filling. The centre must reach at least 75°C.
If the centre is 72-74°C, fry for another 30 seconds and check again. If below 72°C, reduce the oil to 165-170°C and continue frying in 30-60 second intervals until the centre reaches 75°C.
Transfer immediately to a rack. While still hot, dust lightly with the finishing seasoning, using approximately 1/2 tsp for every 3 wings and adding more only if needed.
Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Keyword Deep-frying, KFC, Steaming

Stuffed KFC-Style Wings