Spicy Buffalo Wings

Let’s make the best ever buffalo wings. 

Real chicken, brined, steamed and deep fried, coated in a luscious buttery spicy chilli sauce, served with a blue cheese ranch. 

Some of the oven-roasted methods are really good, but if you want tender-in-the centre wings, and crisp and crunchy on the outside, you’re going to need a deep fryer! (or a big pot of fresh oil).

Buffalo Wings

Serves 2

Ingredients

Wings

• 1 kg chicken wings, cut at the joint

• Pinch of salt

• 2–3 tbsp cornflour

Buffalo Sauce

• 1 bottle Frank’s hot sauce

• 3 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp vinegar

Brine

• Water (enough to cover wings)

• 4 tbsp salt

• 4 tbsp white sugar

Blue Cheese Ranch

• 2 tbsp sour cream

• 2 tbsp yoghurt

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

• 150 g blue cheese, crumbled

• 1 spring onion stem, finely sliced

• Juice of ½ lime

• Celery salt and black pepper, to taste

To Serve

• Celery sticks

Method

1. Brine the wings
Place the wings in a bowl and cover with water. Add the salt and sugar and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.

Drain the wings well and pat dry. Then steam over the stove lightly until chicken is almost cooked through. 

2. Coat
Season lightly with salt and toss with the cornflour until lightly coated.

3. First fry
Heat oil to 170°C. Fry the wings in batches for 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and rest for a few minutes.

4. Second fry
Return the wings to the oil and fry again for 2-3 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.

5. Make the buffalo sauce
In a small saucepan, combine the Frank’s hot sauce, butter and vinegar.
Cook on medium–low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring until glossy and emulsified.

6. Make the ranch
Mix the sour cream, yoghurt and mayonnaise in a bowl. Stir through the blue cheese, spring onion and lime juice. Season with celery salt and black pepper.

7. Toss and serve
Toss the hot wings in the buffalo sauce until fully coated. Serve with blue cheese ranch and celery sticks.