Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings

 

10 Facts about crispy food:

Fried chicken, when cooked properly, is one of the most delicious foods on earth. We tracked down ten interesting facts about this staple’s origins and history, as well as a few handy tips on how to make the perfect batch in your very own kitchen.

Fried chicken comes in plenty of shapes and sizes, but when it’s good, it’s good. Biting into a shatteringly crisp and super-flavorful shell that gives way to tender and juicy chicken inside is one of life’s great culinary pleasures; and even when it’s not so good – maybe a little soggy on the outside and overcooked on the inside – it’s still perfectly passable.

Fried chicken has experienced a renaissance of sorts in the past decade or so; what used to primarily be the domain of humble shacks and Sunday suppers has now found its way onto the menus of some of America’s best restaurants. Like the burger, it’s a simple food that can range in quality from just okay to life-changing, and more and more chefs are trying their hand at turning out their idea of perfection. It’s also a dish that, with a little practice, can be mastered in your very own kitchen using inexpensive ingredients.

So whether your experience with fried chicken starts and ends with KFC, or if you’re a seasoned expert who not only makes it at home but seeks out the best fried chicken in America, we bet that there’s a lot you didn’t know about this renowned dish. Read on to learn 10 things you didn’t know about fried chicken.

INGREDIENTS

2.2 lbs (1 kg) chicken wings

2 level tbsp aluminum-free baking powder (It has to be baking powder – NOT baking soda – see further notes on baking powder below

½ tsp salt – make sure it’s regular table salt

½ tsp pepper

Buffalo Wings Sauce:

⅔ cup (150ml) Frank’s hot sauce

½ cup (120g) unsalted butter

1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic – peeled and minced

1 tbsp honey

¼ tsp salt

Blue cheese sauce

½ cup (120g) sour cream

3 tbsp mayo

⅓ cup (75g) soft blue cheese (use Roquefort, or you can use Saint Agur blue crème for a milder taste)

½ tbsp cider vinegar

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

a pinch of dried parsley

To Serve:

2 medium carrots – peeled and cut into 2-inch (5cpieces

2 sticks celery – cut into 2-inch (5cpieces

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat the oven to 120C/250F and place a rack on a large baking tray.

Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette. Dry the wings with paper towels, then place them in a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Note – it’s important to dry the wings first so they only get a light coating. Discard any remaining coating once tossed together.

Place in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It’s fine for them to be touching. Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F and rotate the tray for even cooking. Cook for a further 45-50 minutes until the wings are lightly golden and crispy. Take out of the oven to cool slightly.

To make the Buffalo sauce, place the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, honey, and salt in a pan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer whilst stirring. Turn off the heat.

Mix the blue cheese sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.

Toss the Buffalo sauce with the wings and serve with the blue cheese sauce, carrots, and celery.

ENJOY!