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)
Oat flour is our secret ingredient for crispy, flavorful chicken wings. The addictively spicy buffalo sauce marries perfectly with the creamy, cooling 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.