Chicken Wing Gyōza

Method31 steps · about 1 hr 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Lay out all eight raw wingettes with their tips still attached and drumettes removed. Working on the first wingette, use kitchen scissors to cut the tissue joining its thin radius bone and thicker ulna bone at the open end. Keep the remaining seven wings cold while you work.

   Uses 8 raw chicken wings with wingette and tip attached, drumettes removed

2. 2

   Step 2: On that first wingette, cut the flesh away from the outside of both bones little by little, keeping the skin intact.

   Uses The first wingette being deboned

3. 3

   Step 3: Carefully cut away the flesh between the two bones as well.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

4. 4

   Step 4: Move the scissors gradually deeper, freeing the flesh more than halfway along both bones without piercing the skin.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

5. 5

   Step 5: Push the loosened meat down gently with your fingertips to expose the ends of both bones.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

6. 6

   Step 6: Hold the exposed thin radius bone with one hand and the wingette-to-tip joint with the other. Twist and tilt the radius beyond ninety degrees against the joint’s normal bend to dislocate it, taking care not to tear the skin.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

7. 7

   Step 7: Push the exposed end of the radius upwards, then pull that bone out, freeing any attached tendon and flesh as needed.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

8. 8

   Step 8: Dislocate and remove the thicker ulna in the same way. Cut stubborn ligaments with the scissors if necessary, keeping the skin whole. The wingette should now form an empty skin-and-meat pocket with its tip attached.

   Uses The same partly deboned wingette

9. 9

   Step 9: Repeat steps 1–8 on each of the other seven wingettes. Keep all eight deboned pockets together in a clean bowl and discard the removed bones. Clean the board, scissors and hands after raw-chicken handling.

   Uses The first completed pocket · The seven wings still awaiting deboning

10. 10

    Step 10: Put all eight deboned wingettes in a resealable bag with the tablespoon each of cooking sake (1 tbsp) and soy sauce (1 tbsp). Massage gently so the marinade coats the pockets.

    Uses All eight deboned wingettes · 1 tbsp cooking sake · 1 tbsp soy sauce

11. 11

    Step 11: Press out excess air, seal the bag and refrigerate for thirty minutes to marinate. Prepare the filling during this wait.

    Marinate deboned wings in the refrigerator · 30 minUses The complete bag of wings and marinade

12. 12

    Step 12: Remove all eight wing pockets from the bag and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Discard the spent raw-chicken marinade; keep the dried pockets cold until filling them.

    Uses All marinated wings

13. 13

    Step 13: Dice all 100 g peeled raw prawns into about 1 cm cubes. Set aside one quarter, 25 g, of the diced prawns; keep the other 75 g beside them for making paste.

    Uses 100 g raw peeled prawns

14. 14

    Step 14: Press the selected 75 g of prawn cubes flat with the side of a cooking knife to make a paste. Leave the reserved 25 g cubes separate.

    Uses The 75 g portion selected for paste

15. 15

    Step 15: Put all 70 g pork mince and both pinches of salt in a bowl. Mix and knead firmly several times until the pork becomes sticky.

    Uses 70 g raw pork mince · 2 pinches of salt

16. 16

    Step 16: Mix the prawn paste into the sticky pork with the two tablespoons finely chopped green onion, separate half-tablespoon filling cornstarch (½ tbsp), quarter-teaspoon ginger juice and a little sesame oil.

    Uses All prepared pork · All prawn paste · 2 tbsp finely chopped white and light-green scallion parts · ½ tbsp cornstarch for the filling · ¼ tsp ginger juice from grated ginger · A little sesame oil for the filling

17. 17

    Step 17: Fold all the reserved 25 g diced prawns into the filling until evenly distributed.

    Uses All mixed filling · The reserved 25 g prawn cubes

18. 18

    Step 18: Divide the complete filling into eight equal portions and keep cold while stuffing the wings.

    Uses All completed filling

19. 19

    Step 19: Take one of the dried marinated wing pockets and hold it with the opening facing upwards. Keep the other seven pockets cold.

    Uses One wing pocket selected for stuffing

20. 20

    Step 20: Use a small spoon or pâté knife to add one filling portion to the pocket a little at a time. Fill the cavity only about eighty percent full, leaving room for the chicken to shrink; keep any excess filling cold for separate thorough cooking.

    Uses The selected first pocket · One of the eight filling portions

21. 21

    Step 21: Press the filling down gently so its surface remains about 5 mm below the opening, leaving enough skin to close the pocket. Remove a little filling if needed.

    Uses The first filled wing

22. 22

    Step 22: Close the opening with a toothpick: pierce from the thicker outer skin to the thinner side, then back from the thinner side to the outside, bringing the skin edges together.

    Uses The first stuffed wing

23. 23

    Step 23: Push the toothpick far enough through the flesh to secure the seal without crushing the filling.

    Uses The first closed wing

24. 24

    Step 24: Repeat steps 19–23 with the other seven wing pockets and filling portions. Keep all eight sealed stuffed wings cold while the frying oil heats. Clean utensils and hands after handling the raw filling.

    Uses The first completed stuffed wing · The remaining seven wing pockets · The remaining seven filling portions

25. 25

    Step 25: Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 160°C / 320°F, with at least 4 cm depth. Keep a clean kitchen-paper-lined tray ready for the cooked wings.

    Uses Oil for deep-frying, enough for at least 4 cm depth

26. 26

    Step 26: Lightly dust all eight stuffed wings with the separate tablespoon of coating cornstarch (1 tbsp), shaking off excess. Discard any leftover coating starch that contacted raw chicken.

    Uses All eight stuffed wings · 1 tbsp cornstarch for dusting stuffed wings

27. 27

    Step 27: Place the first four coated wings in the 160°C oil without overcrowding. Deep-fry for six minutes on the first side, keeping the remaining wings cold.

    First batch: fry first side at 160°C · 6 minUses First batch: four of the eight wings · The same hot frying oil

28. 28

    Step 28: Turn the first four wings over and fry for another two minutes. Continue as needed until the chicken and centre of the pork-prawn filling reach 74°C / 165°F. Lift these cooked wings onto the clean lined tray, keeping the frying oil in the pan.

    First batch: fry second side · 2 minUses The first frying batch

29. 29

    Step 29: Return the same oil to 160°C. Fry the remaining four wings for six minutes on one side, then two minutes on the other, extending cooking until the chicken and filling centres reach 74°C / 165°F. Drain beside the first batch so all eight wings have completed their first fry.

    Second batch: six minutes then two minutes · 8 minUses Second batch: remaining four coated wings · The first cooked batch held aside and same frying oil

30. 30

    Step 30: Raise the same oil to 180°C / 356°F. Fry the cooked wings again in uncrowded batches for about two minutes per batch until crisp and golden. Transfer each batch back to the clean lined tray to drain.

    Second fry: two minutes per batch at 180°C · 2 minUses All first-fried wings and same frying oil

31. 31

    Step 31: Wash and dry the cabbage pieces. Remove every toothpick from the cooked wings before serving. Serve the eight stuffed wings immediately with the cabbage and separate prepared chilli mayonnaise (2 tbsp).

    Uses All eight finished wings · 2 tbsp prepared chilli mayonnaise made with Kewpie mayonnaise and several dashes of Tabasco · Washed cabbage pieces for serving, as desired