Chef notes
Consider yourself warned: These sticky jerk chicken wings won’t last long, so you might want to make a double batch. They’re tossed in a sweetened Jamaican jerk sauce and drizzled with a sweet and spicy pineapple-habanero sauce, so keep a stack of napkins close by. And since these wings cook in handy aluminum foil packets on the grill or in the oven, clean up is a breeze.
You might think making two separate sauces for these wings is overkill. Luckily, one of the two sauces leans on store-bought Jamaican jerk marinade so you only need to make one completely from scratch. The two-ingredient jerk sauce is made with a bottle of marinade and with honey for added sweetness. The chicken wings are tossed in the sticky sauce, then tucked inside aluminum foil packets with sliced lime and red onion for added flavor.
While they cook, you’ll make the homemade pineapple-habanero sauce by blending chopped fresh pineapple, cilantro, tomato, garlic, habanero peppers and lime juice in a blender until smooth. This fiery yet sweet and tangy sauce is what puts these wings over the top. Drizzle it generously on the sticky wings after opening the foil packets and serve more on the side for dunking.
These chicken wings make a winning appetizer or snack, but we also adore them as the main event. Serve them with a side of rice along with your favorite grilled vegetable or even a simple green salad or coleslaw for a satisfying dinner that requires minimal cleanup. We guarantee it will be a hit with the whole family.
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small tomato
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- kosher salt, to taste
- 3 habanero peppers
- 1 lime, juiced (about 1 tablespoon lime juice)
- 4 pounds (about 24) air-chilled chicken wings, split at the joint, wingtips removed and discarded
- 1/2 cup store-bought Jamaican jerk marinade
- 1 cup honey
- 2 limes, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
For the pineapple-habanero sauce:
Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside until ready for use, place into an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 7 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
For the sticky jerk chicken wings:
1.Preheat the oven or grill to 425 F.
2.In a medium-sized bowl, mix the chicken, jerk marinade and honey.
3.Place four 18- by 12-inch pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil on the counter. Divide the chicken wings and place them in the middle of each piece of foil. Top the chicken with sliced limes and red onions.
4.Bring the two opposite ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal, then fold in the other sides, creating leak-proof packets. Place the foil packets onto a baking tray and place them into the oven or directly onto the grill, close the grill and cook for 40 minutes.
5.During the last 10 minutes, carefully open the packets (hot steam will escape) and cook under the broiler or increase the grill temperature, to get the wings crispy.
6.Top each pack with pineapple-habanero sauce and chopped chives.
