This recipe plays on my favorite combination: spicy and sweet. Don’t worry about the chicken drying out in the oven—all of the flavor and juice is sealed in by the crunchy pecan glaze. Drumettes are the part of a chicken wing that, when separated from the rest of the wing, looks like a miniature drumstick. You can carve the wings yourself, ask your butcher to do it, or purchase frozen drumettes in the freezer section of the supermarket (thaw them overnight in the refrigerator).

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　1/2 cup honey

　　1/2 cup chopped pecans

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

　　1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

　　1 tablespoon ground ancho chile

　　1 teaspoon garlic powder

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 pounds chicken drumettes

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Stir the honey, pecans, and butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, or until the mixture bubbles. Remove from the heat. Stir in the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ancho chile, and garlic powder. Season the glaze to taste with salt and black pepper.

　　

Step 3

Place the chicken drumettes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush the drumettes all over with the glaze. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.

　　Fresh Mexico