Pairing beer and food is an underappreciated art. Let's change that! The Pillars and Plates series is a collaboration with our talented trade partners to bring you a selection of carefully crafted recipes that combine excellent lager and exsquisite food. We've teamed up with Arabica London to bring you a standout recipe from their new cookbook, perfectly paired with a crisp, refreshing glass of Pillars Pilsner.
7-SPICE CHICKEN WINGS WITH HERBS
A zesty yogurt marinade bursting with citrus, garlic, aromatic spices and Mediterranean herbs – perfect for chicken. My favourite cuts for this marinade?
Wings or bone-in, skin-on thighs – or even a whole chicken with its crowd-pleasing mix of white and brown meat. You’ll need some flat, wide, metal skewers if you want to barbecue the chicken.
Prepare the chicken: Start by trimming off the wing tips at the joint and discarding them. Cut through the joint between the drumette and wingette to separate each wing into two pieces.
Make the marinade: In a dish large enough to hold all the chicken, combine the lemon and red onion, squeezing them between your hands for 1–2 minutes to break them down and extract the pungent water from the onion, as well as the oils and juices from the lemon. Add all the remaining marinade ingredients and whisk to blend.
Add the chicken to the bowl and rub all over to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the wings to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Cook the chicken: Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Fire up the barbecue, then wait for the flames to die down and the glowing coals to be covered in white ash. Or, preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/425°F.
Thread the drumettes and wingettes onto separate metal skewers, if barbecuing, or place all the chicken in a roasting tin, if cooking in the oven.
Cook the wings on the barbecue for about 15–20 minutes (the wingettes will cook faster than the drumettes), checking and turning regularly until the skin crisps and develops some charred edges. Place the lemon half on the grill, cut side down, and grill for 5 minutes. If cooking indoors, place the chicken in the preheated oven and cook for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway. Cooking times will vary depending on the cut of chicken and your chosen cooking method – the key indicator is achieving an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) with a probe thermometer, or the juices running clear when you cut into the thickest part of the chicken.
Plating up: Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, squeeze the grilled lemon over the top, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pul biber. Scatter over the fresh herbs and serve with some Garlic Sauce.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4–6)
7-spice marinade
Finishing touches
GARLIC SAUCE
Makes about 350g (12oz) | Vegetarian
If you prefer solace in a crowded room, then this sauce is for you! It packs a powerful punch that should be savoured with prudence. Also known as toum, it is traditionally enjoyed with grilled meats and chicken shawarma, but its versatility knows no bounds. It’s a true multitasker, adding a bold garlic kick to marinades, and I love it with 7-Spice Chicken Wings, or chargrilled rabbit or quail. It also pairs perfectly with a side of roasted new potatoes and a crisp green salad.
Make the garlic sauce: Place all the ingredients in a tall beaker. Place the stick blender in the beaker, ensuring that all the garlic cloves are submerged and trapped beneath the blades. Push the blender as far down into the beaker as possible, while still ensuring all the cloves are beneath the blades. Blend the ingredients without moving the blender until a smooth purée is formed and the bottom of the mixture changes to a whitish colour with some residual vegetable oil on the surface. Gradually raise the blender, allowing the remaining mixture to emulsify without separating. Once you reach the top, you’ll have a creamy mayonnaise-like consistency.
For a lighter and fluffier version, you can enhance the emulsion by adding 40g (1½oz) ice-cold water gradually at the end, one tablespoon at a time while blending, until it is fully incorporated.
Storage: The sauce will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Buy The Arabica Cookbook here.