Part 2/8:
The journey to crispy perfection begins with preparing the chicken wings properly. Nick starts by creating a dry mixture that will ensure maximum crispiness. He combines baking soda, potato starch, and salt in a bowl, whisking swiftly to fully blend these ingredients.
Key Point: The wings are tossed in this mixture—preferably with gloves—to coat thoroughly. The goal here is to dry out the skin as much as possible, as this will produce a paper-thin, shatteringly crisp crust when fried.
After coating, the wings are laid on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet, giving them space for air circulation. They then rest in the fridge for 6 to 24 hours to further dry and develop skin-tight dryness, essential for ultimate crunch.