Ainsley Harriott Carnival Rum Punch Chicken Wings Recipe
Ainsley Harriott's Carnival Rum Punch Chicken Wings are crispy, sticky, and packed with tropical Caribbean flavour — featuring a rum-spiked chilli sauce loaded with fresh mango, grenadine, and warming spices. Inspired by his time in Nassau, Bahamas, and as seen on Ainsley's Taste of the Bahamas on ITV.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Small Saucepan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Kitchen Paper
- Tongs
Ingredients
For the Wings
- 1 kg whole chicken wings patted completely dry with kitchen paper
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika unsmoked
- 3 tbsp cornflour seasoned with ½ tsp sea salt and ½ tsp black pepper
For the Rum Punch Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- grenadine a generous dash
- 2-3 tbsp dark rum Jamaican dark rum recommended
- 1 red chilli finely sliced
- 1 lime juice only
- 1 small fresh mango diced — or crushed tinned pineapple as substitute
To Serve
- zesty corn on the cob
- fresh lime wedges
- fresh coriander roughly chopped, to garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings completely dry with kitchen paper. This is essential for crispiness — any moisture will prevent the cornflour from crisping properly.
- In a large bowl, toss the wings with allspice, garlic powder, sweet paprika, and the seasoned cornflour until every wing is evenly and thoroughly coated.
- Air fry at 200°C for 22–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crispy. Alternatively, bake in the oven at 220°C (200°C fan / Gas 7) for 35–40 minutes on a wire rack over a baking tray.
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and chilli and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the brown sugar, ground coriander, nutmeg, and black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the dark rum carefully — it may sizzle. Add a generous dash of grenadine, the lime juice, and the diced fresh mango. Stir well and simmer for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze.
- Transfer the crispy cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour the hot rum punch sauce over them and toss thoroughly until every wing is generously coated in the sticky glaze.
- Pile onto a serving platter, scatter freshly chopped coriander over the top, and serve immediately with zesty corn on the cob and fresh lime wedges on the side.
Video
@ainsleyfoods Coming up on this weekend’s Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours - spicy Korean Chicken Wings 😋🌶️ 11.40am Saturday morning ITV or catch up on @ITVX #ainsleysfantasticflavours #cooking #ainsleyharriott #recipes ♬ Give it to me like - Official Sound Studio
Notes
Patting the wings bone-dry before coating is the single most important step — wet wings steam instead of crisp. Dark Jamaican rum gives the deepest Caribbean flavour; avoid white rum as it lacks the caramel depth the sauce needs. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Alcohol-free version: Replace the dark rum with 3 tbsp pineapple juice plus 1 tsp vanilla extract.