20 Minutes Chinese Fried Chicken Wings

Chinese Fried Chicken Wings are the ultimate crowd-pleasing snack—crispy on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside, and packed with garlicky, savory flavor. I’ve been making these since my college days, and to this day, they remain one of the most requested dishes by friends and family. Best of all, you can whip them up in just 20 minutes. Whether it’s game night, a party appetizer, or an easy weeknight dinner, these wings never disappoint.

Recipe

Serves: 2 to 4
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

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken wings:

• Use bamboo skewers or a fork to poke holes all over the chicken wing flats. This helps the marinade penetrate and speeds up cooking.
• In a mixing bowl, add the chicken, soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper, and garlic. Mix well and marinate for at least 5 minutes. (You can marinate longer for deeper flavor.)

2. Coat the chicken wings:

• On a plate, add the rice flour. Dredge each wing flat in the flour until fully coated. Rice flour gives a light, crispy texture and is gluten-free.

3. Fry the wings:

• In a pot over high heat, heat the oil to 325°F (163°C).
• Carefully place the wings into the oil, one at a time. Fry for 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove and drain.
• Increase the oil temperature to 350°F (177°C). Return the wings and deep fry for another 2 minutes until extra crispy. (Double-frying makes them crispier and less greasy.)
• Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Tips & notes

• Double frying is key to ultra-crispy wings. It also reduces greasiness.
• Use rice flour for a gluten-free, extra light coating. It’s crispier than wheat flour.
• Customize the flavor by adding chili flakes, five-spice, or even a touch of ginger to the marinade.
• Reheating leftovers? Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes or re-fry briefly until hot and crispy.