20 Minutes Chinese Fried Chicken Wings

I’ve been making these Chinese Fried Chicken Wings since my college days, and all these years later, they’re still one of the most requested dishes among my friends and family. These wings are everything you want in a bite — crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and full of garlicky, savory goodness.

They’re perfect as a quick snack, a crowd-pleasing party appetizer, or a satisfying weeknight dinner. And the best part? You can whip them up in just 20 minutes from start to finish. Trust me, once you try them, you’ll be making these on repeat. Let’s get cooking!

Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the chicken:
1 pound chicken wing flats
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine, or replace it with water
¼ teaspoon white pepper
8 cloves garlic, grated
4 tablespoons rice flour

For frying:
4 cups oil, for frying
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken wings:

• Use bamboo skewers or a fork to poke holes all over the chicken wing flats. (It helps the marinade to penetrate faster. It also speeds up the cooking process.)
• In a mixing bowl, place the chicken wing flats inside. Marinate it with soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper, and garlic.
• Mix well and marinate them for 5 minutes. (You could also marinate them for longer.)

2. Coat the chicken wings:

• On a plate, add the rice flour, and coat the chicken wing flats with it. (Rice flour will give a lighter and crispier coating. It’s also gluten-free. )

3. Fry the wings:

• In a pot over high heat, add the oil and heat it until 325°F or 163°C. Sprinkle a pinch of salt in the oil. (Salt absorbs moisture in the chicken wings and reduces splattering.)
• Carefully place the chicken wing flats inside, one at a time. Deep fry for 5 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove.
• Heat the oil to 350°F or 177 °C. Return the chicken and deep fry for another 2 minutes until super crispy. (Double frying makes the chicken wings super crispy and not greasy. At this point, the internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165 °F or 74 °C.)
• Remove and drain.