Air fryer wings, stuffed mushrooms, and fried okra

Pat the chicken wings completely dry using paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the dry wings with baking powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until every piece is evenly coated. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).

Place the wings in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. Air fry at high heat (400°F / 200°C) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through at the 10-minute mark, until the skin is deeply golden and crackling.

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped mushroom stems and minced garlic for 4 minutes until soft. Transfer to a bowl and mix with cream cheese, Panko, Parmesan, and fresh parsley. Stuff the mixture generously into reserved mushroom caps, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–20 minutes until golden brown.

Place sliced okra in a bowl with buttermilk to coat. In a shallow dish, whisk together cornmeal, flour, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drain excess buttermilk from okra, toss in cornmeal mixture until well-coated, and shallow-fry in ½ inch of hot oil (375°F) for 4–5 minutes until crunchy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Toss the crisp wings in warm Buffalo or BBQ sauce. Arrange wings, warm stuffed mushrooms, and crispy fried okra on a large platter served alongside ranch or remoulade sauce.

• Baking Powder Secret: Aluminum-free baking powder draws out moisture from the chicken skin and alters its pH level, creating thousands of tiny bubbles that expand and crisp up in high heat.

• Managing Okra Slime: Soaking sliced okra in cold buttermilk for 10 minutes prior to dredging coats the natural mucilage and binds the cornmeal tightly to the vegetable, producing a super crisp exterior.

• Make-Ahead Prep: You can stuff the mushroom caps up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Bake them right before serving for zero stress.

Nutritional Information

Servings: 8 | Portion Size: 3 Wings, 2 Mushrooms, ½ cup Fried Okra (approx. 220g total)