May 20, 2019

Baked Fiery Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
These wings are baked rather than fried and are all about the marinade. They are marinated in a mixture of cumin, coriander, red pepper and toasted are ground Sichuan peppercorns and then combined with a mix of brown sugar and soy sauce.
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This post is sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.

These wings are baked rather than fried and are all about the marinade. They are marinated in a mixture of cumin, coriander, red pepper and toasted ground Sichuan peppercorns. They are then combined with a mix of brown sugar and soy sauce.

The results are sticky, fiery yet sweet, tender chicken wings that you won’t be able to stop eating. These wings make for a perfect appetizer or entrée for summer entertaining since they can be marinated ahead of time then baked and broiled just before the party gets started. I know I will be eating them all summer long!

Baked Fiery Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch

sichuan peppercorn spice mixture

About California Avocados

The wings are cooled down by the creamy avocado ranch dip they are served with. A California Haas Avocado is blended with a combination of ranch dressing, buttermilk and spices for a rich and smooth dipping sauce.

Heading into the height of California Avocado season I am looking for ways to sneak avocados into just about anything and everything! Adding avocado to dips, dressings and sauces makes them extra creamy, allowing them to be used in place of mayonnaise or sour cream. Look out for avocados with the California label – and don’t forget to check in the organic section!

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Sichuan peppercorns

Sichuan peppercorns are common in Chinese cuisines and can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores. They aren’t actually a part of the pepper or peppercorn family but rather are in the citrus family. The aromatic spice numbs the mouth, which creates a tingling feeling. The spice itself is not spicy, that comes from the blending with crushed red pepper flakes but it creates an interesting effect. Check out other Sichuan peppercorn recipes here.

Chicken wings

You can serve a lot of people cheaply with chicken wings. They are such an inexpensive cut of meat. While there isn’t much meat on chicken wings, the flavor of the skin more than makes up for the small amount of meat! I recommend planning about 4 wings per person as an appetizer.

Avocado

When shopping for avocados, look for ones that are firm but “give” slightly when gently squeezed in your hand. You can also remove the top stem, though I prefer to call it a nub, at the top of the avocado – if you remove it and it is green, it’s most likely ready to eat. If it’s brown then it’s probably overripe.

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How to Make Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch

  1. Make the avocado ranch. Add all ingredients to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until fully combined and smooth. Remove to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Can me made up to 2 days ahead of time.
  2. Toast the spices. Heat a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, add the Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and toast, swirling pan frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and process until a coarse blend remains. Toss together with the wings.
  3. Make the marinade. In a small bowl stir together the the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and oil.
  4. Marinate the wings. Toss with the chicken wings and let marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight.
  5. Bake the wings. Let come to room temperature then heat oven to 425ºF. Arrange in an even single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the wings are cooked through, about 35 minutes, turning once. Heat oven to broil on high and broil until the wings are browned and crisp, about 6 minutes, turning halfway through once more.
  6. Assemble and serve. Serve immediately with a side of the avocado ranch.
Baked Fiery Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch recipe from Cooking with Cocktail Rings

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

  • Everyone will be sure to eat every last bit off each one. I love the aesthetic of serving chicken wings whole with the drumettes and wing tips still attached.
  • If you want to serve them cut, they can easily be separated with a quick cut in between the joint with a sharp knife, discarding the wing tips.
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Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

Baked Fiery Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch-30.jpg

Baked Fiery Sichuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with Avocado Ranch

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the avocado ranch:

  • ½ medium California Haas Avocado, peeled and pitted
  • ½ cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • teaspoons dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Sichuan chicken wings:

  • 1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns, seeds removed
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 pounds whole chicken wings

Instructions:

For the avocado ranch:

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until fully combined and smooth. Remove to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. Can me made up to 2 days ahead of time.

For the Sichuan chicken wings:

  • Heat a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, add the Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and toast, swirling pan frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  • Remove to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and process until a coarse blend remains. Toss together with the wings.
  • In a small bowl stir together the the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and oil.
  • Toss with the chicken wings and let marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight. Let come to room temperature then heat oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
  • Arrange in an even single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the wings are cooked through, about 35 minutes, turning once. Heat oven to broil on high and broil until the wings are browned and crisp, about 6 minutes, turning halfway through once more.
  • Serve immediately with a side of the avocado ranch.

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