This time of year always feels like a sprint—shopping, hosting, remembering to feed the people who live with you…. Between holiday errands, late-night gift wrapping, and prepping for houseguests, December cooking needs to be simple but still feel special. These Salt and Pepper Wings hit that sweet spot. They’re quick to throw together, deeply savory, and perfect for nibbling with a cocktail in hand.
And because everything feels a little extra this time of year—extra plans, extra people, extra chaos—there’s something nice about having a recipe that’s pared down to the essentials. No glaze, no complicated marinade, no deep-frying. Just simple, clean flavors and the kind of crispy skin that keeps everyone circling the kitchen island. Just a quick soak in sake, a sprinkle of seasoning, and either a blast in the air fryer or a few minutes under the broiler. Suddenly you’ve got a platter of crisp, juicy wings that disappear faster (seriously, make a double batch) than you can put them down, so let’s get into it.
You can leave your chicken wings whole if you want, but I like to break mine down. I find that people tend to either prefer the drumettes OR the flats and this way everyone can grab their favorite piece.
Start by cutting off the tip with a sharp knife:
Locate the joint between the drumette and the wingette and press down with your knife to separate the two:
My super simple Salt and Pepper Wings start with a super simple marinade. So simple that there’s just one ingredient: sake! In many Japanese kitchens, sake isn’t just for sipping or for splashing into sauces — it’s also used as a gentle, effective marinade that tenderizes proteins and keeps them juicy. But don’t worry, this isn’t an hours long bath, even a short 10–15 minutes works wonders. The sake lightly seasons the wings, helps remove any raw poultry aromas, and starts breaking down the fibers so you get incredible tenderness without any long wait.
Add the wings and the sake to a large zip lock bag. Take this time to pour everyone a drink, my Ginger Saketini perhaps? By the time that is done, the wings will be done marinating.
Once they’ve had their 15 minute sake bath, it’s time to dry the wings off. This is the secret to getting that beautiful crispiness from the air fryer or broiler without dredging or deep-frying. Moisture is the enemy of browning; the drier the surface, the crispier the salt and pepper wings.
Now you get to choose your culinary adventure; do you want to air fry these beauties or use your oven’s broiler? Both methods will produce gorgeous, bronzed crispy Salt and Pepper Wings. The broiler requires a bit more oversight to ensure they don’t burn. I give you directions for both methods on the recipe card.
Spray the baking pan with oil:
Lay the wings in a single layer. If you have a small air fryer you may have to cook them in multiple batches.
Season with salt:
And pepper:
Air fry (or broil) according to the instructions on the recipe card:
When they are finished you will gave gloriously browned wings:
These Salt and Pepper Wings will already absolutely phenomenal as is, but I like to serve them with lemon wedges and shichimi togarashi to take them to another level:
I hope these wings help you find some easy bliss in the middle of the holiday chaos, I know they’ve been a lifesaver in my home! Let me know what you think, leave a comment below, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you.
Can’t get enough chicken wings? Try my Sriracha Honey Wings or these Smoked Wings!
Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 3-4 as starter 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lb. chicken wings (flats/drumettes) (about 16 pieces)
- ¾ cup sake
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For Serving:
- lemon wedges
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), sansho pepper, or any other flavored ground pepper
- A sprinkling of coarse salt
Instructions
Marinate the wings
Add the wings and sake to a gallon zip top bag, squeezing out all of the air. Marinate for 10-15 minutes.
Dry the wings
Remove and pat dry each wing with paper towels. Place the wings on a plate and lightly sprinkle with salt and ground pepper on both sides.
Airfry or Broil the wings
To Airfry:
If you do 2 trays, you should rotate the tray positions and flip the wings over to the other side half way through, for even cooking/browning. Airfry for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.
To Broil:
Spray a rimmed baking sheet with oil and place the wings skin side up.
Preheat the oven broiler on high for 3 minutes before cooking. Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven, about 8 inches away from the heating element. Cook for 9–10 minutes, until nicely browned and crispy. Then, flip the wings to cook the other side (skin side) for another 9–10 minutes. Watch the chicken carefully so it does not burn; if your oven is small or strong, lower the heat to medium (if available) or on a lower rack.
Keywords: wings, cantonese, appetizers, starters, chicken, small plates, air fryer, quick, holiday, lunar new year,
