Sticky Oven-Crisped Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

⏱ 70 min · Serves 4

All the shatter-crisp skin and glossy hot-butter sauce of a bar-counter classic, but done in the oven with a baking powder trick that gets the skin properly crackly. Serve with a cold blue cheese dip and celery sticks for the full effect.

Per serving: 790 kcal · 48.0g protein · 7.0g carbs · 63.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats, tips removed
• 1 tbsp baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 120 ml Frank's RedHot or similar cayenne pepper sauce
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
• 80 g blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp milk, to loosen
• 4 celery sticks, cut into batons

Method

1. Pat the wings very dry with kitchen paper - this matters more than anything else for crisp skin.
2. Toss the wings in a large bowl with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper until evenly coated.
3. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Line a large baking tray with foil and sit a wire rack on top; lightly oil the rack.
4. Arrange the wings skin-side up in a single layer with space between them. Bake for 25 minutes, then flip each wing and bake another 20-25 minutes until deep golden and blistered.
5. Meanwhile make the dip: mash half the blue cheese with the sour cream and mayonnaise until fairly smooth, stir in the milk and the remaining crumbled cheese. Season with pepper and chill.
6. In a small pan, melt the butter with the hot sauce, honey, Worcestershire and vinegar over low heat, whisking until glossy. Don't boil it.
7. Tip the hot wings into a big bowl, pour over the sauce and toss for 30 seconds so every wing is lacquered.
8. Pile onto a platter and serve straight away with the blue cheese dip and celery batons.