Papaya Reaper Garlic Butter Wings

Papaya is the whole point of this one. Three quarters of a cup goes into a pan with melted butter, a head of garlic and a spoon of honey, and it reduces for about five minutes until it turns glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. That is the toss sauce. It is not a dip on the side and it is not a drizzle at the end.

Papaya Carolina Reaper is the bottle. The fruit is what you taste when the wing hits, sweet and a little tropical against the garlic butter. The reaper arrives a couple of bites later, at the back of the throat, and it keeps building while you reach for the next one.

The wings themselves are baked dry and hot on a rack, which gets you shatter-crisp skin without a fryer. Dry skin is the only thing standing between you and a sauce that slides off.

Time 55 min · Serves 4 · Sauce Papaya Carolina Reaper · How it is used 3/4 cup reduced with butter, garlic and honey into the toss sauce

Ingredients

For The Wings

• 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drums
• 1 tbsp baking powder, not baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

For The Toss Sauce

• 3/4 cup Papaya Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• A pinch of salt

To Finish

• Chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• Lime wedges

Method

1. Pat the wings bone dry with paper towels, then leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge for an hour if you have the time. Dry skin is what crisps.
2. Toss the wings with the baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika until every piece is dusted evenly and nothing is clumped.
3. Heat the oven to 425F. Arrange the wings in one layer on a rack set over a foil-lined sheet pan, with space between them.
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, turning once at the halfway mark, until the skin is deep gold and tight.
5. While they bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook 60 to 90 seconds, until it smells sweet. Do not let it brown.
6. Pour in the hot sauce and the honey. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly and pulls together into one glossy sauce rather than butter floating on top.
7. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and a pinch of salt. It should coat a spoon and fall in a ribbon.
8. Tip the hot wings straight into a big bowl, pour the sauce over and toss hard for a full 30 seconds. Hot wings and warm sauce is what makes it stick.
9. Scatter with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

One more thing

Whatever sauce is left in the bowl is better than it has any right to be on rice, or on a fried egg the next morning. Make the full three quarters of a cup even if you are cooking for two.