I would describe this recipe as one of my more difficult ones, and that’s only because the base of the dipping sauce is homemade mayonnaise.  Store-bought mayo is full of preservatives, stabilizers and of course, sugar.  The homemade stuff is as paleo as it gets, but it’s a little messy and involves some patience.  Don’t let that discourage you.  The sauce is totally worth it!  (P.S. if you see sesame soy wings on a menu that look delicious, just remember that soy sauce is not gluten free, nor is it even close to paleo.)

Sesame Chicken Wings

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

You’ll need:

2 pounds of chicken wings

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons black sesame seeds (find this in the Asian section of the grocery store or in the spice section)

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1. Put everything in a large bowl and mix together to make sure the wings are well coated in oil and spices.

2. Line a sheet pan with foil and, if you have it, set a baking rack on top.  If you don’t have a baking rack, just set the chicken wings on the pan, making sure to leave some space in between.

3. Put in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.

While the wings are cooking, start the sauce.  You’ll need:

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)

1 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon mustard

1/2 cup sesame oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (find this in the Asian section of the grocery store.  It’s super spicy, really cheap and will last you forever.)

1.  In a blender on low speed, blend the egg yolks, water, vinegar and mustard for about 30 seconds.

2.  Keep the blender on low speed and take the little plastic middle cap off.  Slowly start pouring the sesame oil in in a thin little stream.  If you pour it too fast, the mayonnaise will separate.  As the mayonnaise becomes thicker, it may start to splatter out of the top.  Just keep a dish towel draped over your hand as you pour in the sesame oil.  This process should take about 3-4 minutes.

3.  After you’ve added all of the sesame oil, the mayonnaise should look pale yellow and thick.  Scrape it out of the blender using a rubber spatula and put it in a bowl. 

4.  Add the salt, red pepper flakes, garlic and chili garlic sauce.  Stir together well.

5.  When the wings are finished cooking, take them out to cool for a few minutes.  You can toss the wings in the bowl of sauce to coat them, or keep it in a small bowl on the side for dipping.