Parmesan Peppered Chicken Wings

Good quality Parmesan cheese is one of those wonderful ingredients that add a lot of flavour without having to add much.   Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is just a delight!  When we were at our vacation home we discovered Parmesan chicken wings then my husband found a restaurant that serves them here on Tuesday nights.  My first attempt at  peppered Parmesan chicken was modifying homemade shake & bake coating mix.  The results were quite tasty with an extra crunch but it was not the wings my husband was after. 

At one time chicken wings were rather inexpensive but cheap wing night has driven their price up.  I bought a little over two pounds of chicken wings, tips attached for $9.78.  This was enough for two nice sized servings for two adults.  My husband and I decided to try duplicating the peppered Parmesan chicken wings at the local restaurant.  The real problem with this plan is this particular restaurant makes them different each time and that includes all of their wings so one night you might get a really nice batch and the next one not.  From a restaurant standpoint this is not good practice.  They have also switched from fresh grated Parmesan cheese to powdered which is more cost effective for a restaurant but lacks the flavour and texture of fresh grated.

Dissecting is common in science labs but if you want to duplicate a restaurant dish at home you have to play detective and do a bit of dissecting.  The chicken wings at this restaurant are coated so we decided to coat the wings.  The Parmesan cheese and pepper are added after frying.  Getting the cheese and pepper to stick to the wings was the question but we came up with a tasty one.  These wings were absolutely amazing with a wonderful flavour, just a bit of crunch and nice tender meat.  They are a real keeper!

Parmesan Peppered Chicken Wings

2 lb chicken wings, tips attached
1 c flour
1 c fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp fresh ground pepper
¼ c melted butter

Dredge the chicken wings in the flour to lightly coat.  Deep fry the wings at 375ºF until golden brown.  Drain slightly.  Place the chicken wings in a deep mixing bowl.  Drizzle the melted butter over the wings.  Toss to distribute.  Add cheese and pepper.  Toss to distribute.  Cover mixing bowl with tinfoil to lightly melt cheese.  Serve hot.