Spicy Chicken Wings & Blue Cheese Dressing

I love chicken wings and I know I am not alone in this.  They are always the first thing to disappear on buffet tables, and I know that at the Chinese All You Can Eat Buffet back home, they are really hard to get your hands on.  People just inhale them!

Chicken wings are a relatively inexpensive cut of chicken to buy. You can usually but big packs of them for not a lot in comparison to other cuts.  Mind you they are mostly bone, but that's okay.  The meat on them is succulent and delicious. 

I used to buy lots of large packs of chicken wings when my children were growing up.  It was one way of feeding my hungry lot for not a lot of dosh!  I used to just season them all over and bake them long and slow and they were delectable.

 

This recipe here today is a simple one, and so tasty.  It makes a great starter for those summer get togethers with your friends and family.  The chicken has a lovely zippy flavour that goes wonderfully with that creamy blue cheese dressing.

 

You do need to start them the wings marinating the night before you make them to impregnate them with the most flavour that you can.  They are spicy but not overly so.  I would say they are just right. 

 

 I am not a fan of food that bites back.  Your food should never be so hot or spicy that you can't tastte what you are actually eating.

 

These are just right. You get a nice amount of heat and spice without it being over the top. Of course if you want yours even hotter, you can add more spice if you like.

 

*Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing*

A starter for 4

Printable Recipe 

These lovely little bites are spicy and the dressing sumptuous. Pass plenty of napkins.  You will want to marinate the chicken the night before you want to serve them. 

For the Chicken:

12 to 16 chicken wings

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 heaped TBS black treacle or blackstrap molasses

1 heaped TBS golden syrup

(Alternately you can use 2 heaped TBS molasses, which will replace both the treacle and golden syrups)

2 TBs ketchup

the juice of 1 lime

1 thumb freshy grated ginger root

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste 

For the dressing:

3 TBS sour cream

6 TBS good quality mayonnaise

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

85g good quality blue cheese, crumbled (3 ounces)

 

Put the chicken into a large zip lock bag.  Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken in the bag.  Zip the bag closed and squelch the chicken around in the bag to coat.  Place on a plate and leave in the refrigerator to marinate overnight, giving them a squelch around every now and then. 

Whick all of the ingredients together for the dressing.  Be judicious with the salt as the cheese is salty.  Taste and adjust as required. Place into a covered dish and chill until needed. 

When you are ready to cook, bring the chicken to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 140*C/300*F/ gas mark 1. LIne a large baking tray with a double layer of foil.  Tip the wings out onto the tray in a single layer and poru over the marinade.  Cook for 2 hours, turning them every now and again to make sure they don't stick and dry out. 

Serve heaped on a platter with the bowl of dressing so everyone can help themselves.

 

You can also use minced a minced fresh red chili pepper if you want, just discard the ribs and seeds, prior to mincing (and wear gloves!), or you can use crushed chili pepper flakes.  All work well.   Bon Appetit!