While they’re great for any sports game or occasion, buffalo wings are an essential football appetizer. Legend even has it that without football, this delicious snack may have forever remained a regional delicacy.
It was in Buffalo, New York that chicken wings, at the time considered an undesirable cut of meat, were first slathered in buffalo sauce and became a popular local dish. When the Buffalo Bills made the NFL championship game four years in a row, Buffalo received significant national attention and the secret of buffalo wings was let out! Now, buffalo wings are a game-night staple in bars and restaurants across the country.
Our Buffalo Wings deliver restaurant-quality taste that’s easy to make at home. The not-so-secret ingredient is the oat flour, which gives the wings a deliciously crispy kick.
As we all know, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Sometimes too much breading can overwhelm the meat, but oat flour is a true team player. It’s like oat flour knows when to step forward as the star in a recipe, and when to fall into a supporting role. After making a grand entrance at kickoff time, the oat flour steps back and lets the taste of the chicken shine through.
Our technique for dredging wings is simple, mess-free and virtually fool-proof. Oat flour and spices are combined, then added to a large zip-top bag along with the raw chicken wings. After a good shake, the wings rest in the fridge for an hour and then, after one more shake, are ready to fry. This “double-shake” method will ensure that your chicken has a nice, protective layer of oat flour – enough to keep the meat juicy while it cooks in the hot oil.
Another advantage of using oat flour is that it won’t over-brown in the time that it takes to cook the chicken and provides the perfect surface for the sauce to cling to. More sauce = more yum.
And, speaking of that sauce, as soon as the wings are out of the fryer, toss them with our irresistibly-spicy buffalo sauce. We may be unconventional with our use of oat flour, but we stick to a classic Buffalo-style recipe and make our sauce with melted butter, hot sauce and garlic powder.
Bleu cheese dip, celery sticks, plenty of napkins and a pitcher of something cold are all you need to round-out the experience. Now you can enjoy the game as it was meant to be enjoyed; with friends, family and deliciously crispy Buffalo Wings.
Buffalo Chicken Wings (with Bleu Cheese Dip)
Ingredients
For the wings:
- 1 cup oat flour (250 ml)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 1 tsp salt (5 ml)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 1/2 to 2 lbs chicken wings (wing and drumette) (750g – 1 kg)
- canola oil for deep frying
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup butter melted (75 ml)
- 1/3 cup hot sauce (75 ml)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (1 ml)
For the dip:
- 1 cup sour cream (250 ml)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (60 ml)
- 1 lemon juice
- 1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbled (125 ml)
- 1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
To make dip:
- Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, bleu cheese, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To make sauce:
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine wing sauce ingredients and keep warm.
To make wings:
- In bowl, combine oat flour, cayenne, paprika, salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Place chicken wings in a large zip-top freezer bag. Add seasoned oat flour, seal bag and shake to coat each wing completely. Refrigerate for one hour. (There will be some flour left in the bag.)
- Remove bag of wings from refrigerator and shake again. Remove wings from bag, tapping off excess flour. Discard any flour left in bag.
- Heat oil to 375° F (190° C) in deep fryer, according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Fry wings in batches for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through and crisp. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while you fry remaining batches.
- Transfer wings to a large bowl and toss with warm sauce.
- Serve immediately with Bleu Cheese Dip and celery sticks.