How to make Smokey Chicken Wings

I love charcoal roast Smokey Chicken Wings but sometimes the trouble of lighting the grill puts me off so I fall back to my oven. The secret here is to place the chicken on the oven rack so the oil can drips onto the oven tray and  infuses the chicken with the smokey flavour. But wait a minutes you can do this if you dont have a smoke detector in the house :). Well most homes in Nigeria do not have though. Even if you have make sure that ones the chicken goes into the oven you dont open the oven doors until smoke subsides.

Janet my trusted and diligent house keeper is on vacation for 2 weeks and I am already dreading the house keeping chores that await me. But again I look at the positive side which is more house work , more weight control, certainly every energy expenditure counts . Gladly enough Janet is returning to work before the Christmas Holiday. So I will have some help over the holiday. What about those of you living in Lagos how are you going to cope with most house helps deserting you during the holiday period? I know it’s not funny at all to manage the home front particularly when you have young kids.

To help you manage the Christmas Day and ensure you entertain with a smile and also enjoy your day,here is one food item you can prepare in advance of Christmas Day ….Smokey Chicken Wings. So in addition to the fried rice Jollof rice and Ukang Ukom( one of my favorites),here is something else that will excit your guests.
For the Sweet Potatoes, I simply wash the potatoes with the skin on and place it in the oven tray so the chicken oil drips on it whilst it bakes. These baked potatoes are so yummy with the  Smokey Chicken Wings..

 

Recipe for Smokey Chicken Wings

8 Chicken Wings
4 Cloves Garlic
1 tablespoon Dry Pepper( less quantity if you like mild hot)
Handful Parsley ( about the size of 1/2 a computer mouse)
1 finger Fresh Ginger( size of your middle finger)
2 Seasoning Cubes
Salt to taste
1-2 cooking spoons Vegetable oil

Method
1, Rinse the chicken wings , sprinkle on about 1/2 teaspoon salt,and put in a strainer to drain out the  water
2, Blend the garlic, ginger,pepper,parsley, oil seasoning into a smooth paste. Your may wish to drop a little water to help grind the seasoning mix into a smooth paste.
3,Pour paste over chicken and rub in thoroughly  and leave to marinade for about 1 hour.
4, Heat oven  about 10 minutes before chicken is ready to go into oven
5, Place Chicken on oven racks and roast for about 40 – 45 minutes or until brown and cooked through.

Cooking Tips:
1, Sprinkle  the rest of the seasoning mix left in the bowl on top of the chicken as it roasts.
2, Turn the chicken half way through roasting so it browns well on all sides
3, As this cooking is a smokey affair, keep doors from the kitchen to the rest of the house closed so the whole house is not smelling smokey
4,To prevent your hair taking up the smoke also, tie a scarf to cover your hair whilst checking the chicken in the oven.