Chicken wings are a family favorite, perfect for game day, a casual Tuesday, or even Super Bowl Sunday. You don't need an excuse to gather around a platter piled high with this finger-friendly snack. If you're looking to elevate your chicken wing game, look no further than this Moroccan-inspired recipe. It delivers bold, flavorful wings with a unique blend of warm seasonings and spices.
This recipe provides options for both air frying and baking, ensuring crispy and delicious results every time. Get ready to transport your taste buds to Morocco with these easy-to-make and incredibly satisfying wings!
The Magic of Moroccan Spices
The heart of this recipe lies in the Moroccan spice blend, often referred to as Ras el Hanout. This blend is shrouded in mystery, with no set ingredients list. Individual blends are closely held family and trade secrets of Moroccan spice merchants. Ras el Hanout translates to "head of the shop," with each shop owner creating their own unique mix, the best spice mix their shop can provide.
This recipe uses a combination of spices to mimic the complex flavors of Ras el Hanout, creating a warm and aromatic coating for the chicken wings.
Air Fryer Moroccan Chicken Wings
These Moroccan spice wings are extremely flavorful and perfectly crispy when cooked in the air fryer. Plus, they're keto, low-carb, and Whole30 compliant. Here's how to make them:
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Ingredients:
- Chicken Wings (frozen wings are okay)
- Avocado Oil Spray (high heat oil is essential)
- Avocado Oil
- Lime (juice of one lime)
Moroccan Spice Blend:
You’re going to have to dig deep into your spice cabinet for this one. That’s a good thing though! These wings are game day ready! Move over buffalo wings. Okay, I actually adore buffalo wings, but sometimes you just need something a little different to shake things up.
Instructions:
- Place the wings into the air fryer, ensuring that you do not overcrowd the air frying basket. Cook in batches, if necessary.
- Spray the wings with a bit of avocado oil spray.
- Set the air fryer to 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Allow the wings to cook, stopping halfway through (15-minute mark) to flip them and give them another spray of avocado oil. This will ensure even cooking, crisping, and browning. The wings are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
- As the wings are cooking, use a small bowl and whisk to mix the Moroccan spice blend.
- Gently toast the seasonings in avocado oil. Pour half a cup of avocado oil into a small saucepan.
- Gently heat the oil over medium heat and stir in the Moroccan spiced blend you just created. Whisk the spice blend in the oil as it heats, about 3-4 minutes. You don’t want the oil to get too hot, which will cause the seasonings to start to burn. The taste is very unpleasant.
- Remove the oil and seasoning blend from the heat and allow it to cool. Once it has cooled, add the juice of one lime to the blend and whisk well.
- When the wings are done, remove them from the air fryer and place them into a mixing bowl.
- Pour the Moroccan spice oil and seasoning blend over the wings and use tongs to toss and coat the wings.
That’s it! As usual, try it out and let me know what you think! When you make these wings, be sure to tag me on Instagram so that I can show off your creation. While you’re there, join the family! Can’t make this recipe right now?
Oven-Baked Moroccan Chicken Wings
If you prefer baking, this method ensures golden brown and crispy wings. Follow these steps for oven-baked perfection:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Chicken Wings
- 2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
Moroccan Spice Blend:
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ginger
- ¼ tsp Cayenne
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbs Honey
- 2 Tbs Mint, chopped
- 2 Tbs Cilantro, chopped
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Aluminum Foil.
- Place the chicken wings in a large bowl, drizzle them with the vegetable oil, and then toss them until the wings are thoroughly combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Sprinkle the wings with the spice mixture and toss them until they are evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake the wings for 40 to 45 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the wings to a serving platter.
- In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, honey, mint, cilantro, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Taste and season the dipping sauce with additional salt and pepper.
- Serve the wings immediately paired with the dipping sauce.
For even crispier golden brown skin, cook the chicken wings on a rack set on a sheet pan.
Moroccan Chicken Wings Made Three Ways
Serving Suggestions
While the Moroccan chicken wings are the star of the show, consider adding some complementary sides to create a complete meal. Moroccan couscous is a classic pairing, or you can opt for a California fusion approach with Japanese potato salad or a three-bean salad. Don't forget a fresh green salad, like arugula, to balance the richness of the wings.
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It is Memorial Day and barbecue is the traditional way of celebrating. Son-in-law, Chris, is avoiding sugary foods, so many a barbecue sauce was out. While we were at Oxbow in Napa, I picked up some Whole Spice Ras el Hanut-the Moroccan spice blend.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Here's a breakdown of the nutritional content per serving:
Moroccan Spice wings - extremely flavorful and perfectly crispy after being cooked in the air fryer. Keto, low-carb, and Whole30 compliant.
This recipe is absolutely keto friendly and low-carb at just net grams of carbs per serving.
Here is some nutritional information for reference:
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- Calories 620
- Total Fat 44g (56% DV)
- Sat. Fat 15g (75% DV)
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholest. 185mg (62% DV)
- Sodium 260mg (11% DV)
- Total Carb. 20g (7% DV)
- Fiber 5g (18% DV)
- Total Sugars 7g (Incl. 2 Tbs. Added Sugars, 4% DV)
Note: Sodium does not include pantry salt; for reference, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt per serving averages 240mg (10% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat. Packed in a facility that handles all major food allergens* and gluten.
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tags: #Moroccan
