Chili Lime Chicken Wings

These chili lime chicken wings are sweet, savory, and not the traditional buffalo wings we're used to. They are in a category of their own. They are seriously that good. The unexpected twist? Pepsi. I won't explain why, just try it and see for yourself!

For wings:

• 1- 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• Kosher Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon ground red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
• Frying oil

For sauce:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 green chillies, minced
• 2 stalks scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/4 ketchup
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• Zest from one lime
• Juice from half of one lime
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Pepsi
• Pinch of salt

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, ground red pepper flakes, garlic powder and ground coriander in a large bowl or large Ziploc bag. Toss the chicken wings to coat them really well and allow to sit in the fridge for up to 2 hours. The longer you let chicken wings sit in flour mixture to better it will adhere to the chicken, resulting in a crispier coating.

Thirty minutes before frying in oil, remove the chicken wings from the fridge to bring them to room temperature. Dropping in cold wings into the hot oil will reduce the oil temperature too quickly and then they won't become crispy, which is the main goal for the best chicken wings.

On medium high heat using a large skillet with frying oil, drop the chicken wings one by one into the oil. Fry on each side for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oil and set aside.

{To check to see if your oil is ready, either take a pinch of flour and drop it into the oil. If it disappears fairly quickly your oil is ready. Or you can take a wooden spoon, stick the handle in the oil and if you see bubbles beginning to form around the spoon handle, then your oil is ready.}

It is best to fry the wings in two batches so that the temperature of the oil doesn't drop too much.

While the wings are frying, in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of oil on medium heat, add in the onions, garlic and chillies. Saute for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Then add, scallions, hot sauce, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Stir and bring to boil. Add in lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, stir well. Add in Pepsi and allow it boil and reduce. The sauce will thicken a bit. Remove from heat.

You can either toss the wings to coat in a sauce in a large bowl, or lay them out on a platter and top it with the sauce. Garnish with scallions and sliced limes.

Enjoy!