Today marks the 287th birthday of America’s first president — George Washington. Little known fact about our original commander-in-chief: he loved hot sauce! Don’t believe us? That’s because we made it up. But still, it seems like it could be true. Either way, to celebrate ‘ole Georgie’s birthday we’ve got an extra special American dish for you… that’s right… chicken wings!

But in the spirit of our country’s robust diversity we’re adding a little extra flavor to this oh-so-American staple. How about a taste of Mexico and a hint of Asia in these baked wings? Oh yeah, these Mango-Habanero Chicken Wings add a worldly kick to America’s favorite snack.

Mango-Habanero Chicken Wings Recipe

• 1 teaspoon of Small Axe Peppers Habanero Mango
• 30 chicken wing sections
• 1 (12 ounce) can mango nectar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 habanero peppers, stemmed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 stick of butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions 

1. Rinse chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels. Place wings on a baking sheet and refrigerate to dry a bit more.
2. Combine mango nectar, brown sugar, habanero peppers, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and vinegar in a food processor. Mix until peppers are pureed; seeds will still be visible. Remove food processor lid carefully; the pepper fumes can be strong.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mango-habanero mixture immediately; bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; add honey. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is reduced by 75% and thickened to a glaze, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
5. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Coat wings lightly with cornstarch. Place 5 to 6 wings in the hot oil; fry until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Place wings on a paper towel to absorb excess oil; transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat until all wings have been fried and drained.
7. Place wings in a large bowl. Pour half the sauce over the wings and mix, coating the wings with the sauce. Continue adding the remaining sauce until you have coated the wings to your liking.

Small Axe Peppers Habanero Mango is made with peppers are sourced from community gardens and urban farms in cities across the United States. Made with mangoes and tamarind paste, this fruity Southeast Asian hot sauce has the consistency of a chutney and the sweetness of a delicious Thai curry — a punch of heat and soothing sweetness!