The humble chicken wing has so many opportunities to delight but often they are discarded as part of the scraps to make stocks and soups. Chicken wings have long been a bar snack of choice for many Americans across the United States but only recently have they gained popularity east of the pond, in the United Kingdom, outgrowing the typical Fried Chicken restaurants to become a ‘gourmet’ bar snack with hundreds of different styles available.

What is a Buffalo Wing?

A typical Buffalo Wing is the jointed parts of the chicken wing (drumette and flat) deep fried and then tossed in a vinegar and cayenne pepper based spiced sauce made with melted butter. Typical accompaniments to the wings include sticks of celery and blue cheese dip. The distinctive orange colour of the sauce is derived from the natural combination of melted butter and cayenne pepper and deeper darker wings often signify a higher level on heat intensity and spice.

The taste of Buffalo sauce is something quite unique, there is a hit of spice from the inclusion of the cayenne pepper and then a creamier mellowing from the butter. Many wingerys claim to make their own Buffalo sauce and while they can be distincive and varied they should all have a similar base of vinegar and cayenne pepper (albeit in varying and secretly guarded proportions).

My Buffalo Wing Recipe

Not every home cook has access to a deep fat fryer and therefore my Buffalo Wings recipe uses the oven to bake the wings. The result is still a delicious and crispy Buffalo wing.