Zesty Buffalo Wings - Wings & Things

Zesty Buffalo Wings with Orange Dipping Sauce

Hi everybody :)

I winging out today. Buffalo wings, hot wings, chicken wings... while the name may change, these spicy tidbits remain a traditional favorite. They are often served with celery stalks and a cool, creamy blue-cheese dressing, but I decided to mix things up a little. When I saw this recipe for zesty wings with a orange glaze in my Creative Cook's Kitchen cookbook, I knew I had to give it a try.

You Will Need:

FOR THE GLAZE
3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2  cup orange marmalade

FOR THE BUFFALO WINGS
24 buffalo wings (about 4 pounds)

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2  tablespoons honey mustard
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
SERVES 8

MAKING THE GLAZE

In a medium bowl, combine orange juice concentrate, vinegar, mustard, oil, hot sauce and pepper. Measure 1/2 cup of this orange mixture and combine with orange marmalade; set aside.

The Marinade

1/4 cup of Marinade + Orange Marmalade =

The Pasting Sauce

MAKING THE BUFFALO WINGS
Pour remaining glaze into a large resealable plastic bag. Add buffalo wings; shake to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Wings + Marinade

Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove buffalo wings from glaze and place in a shallow roasting pan; discard glaze.

Brushing with Marmalade Mixture

Bake until chicken is almost cooked, 20-25 minutes. Brush with marmalade mixture; return to oven and bake until chicken is browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes longer.

Wings after cooking 7 minutes longer

Dipping  Sauce

MAKING THE DIPPING SAUCE
In a small serving bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, honey mustard and orange juice concentrate. Serve with hot buffalo wings.

If your a stickler for tradition here a great blue cheese dressing you can try :)
CLASSIC BLUE-CHEESE DRESSING
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3  cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/3 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese

In a small serving bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and hot pepper sauce. Add crumbled blue cheese and stir just to combine.

Tip: For easier cleanup, bake buffalo wings or other sticky finger foods on a wire rack inside the roasting pan.

Variations
Grilling 
This citrus-flavored glaze is great for dressing up chicken. For a simple summer dinner, use as a baste on skinless breasts while grilling.
 Other Meats
Try this recipe with a different type of meat. The glaze gives grilled braised pork ribs an incredible burst of flavor.

From:  CREATIVE COOK'S KITCHENS

What I Think:
If you like wings with a milder flavor, this recipe is for you. I think it needed a little more pop. The next time I make these, I would add some lemon zest to the mix (about 1 tablespoon), use lemon pepper in the place of plain, and up the hot sauce to 2 teaspoons. I had to admit, I was kind of skeptical about the dipping sauce after reading the ingredients, mayonnaise, sour cream, ....what??? But to my surprise, it turned out GREAT! It had a nice sweet creamy tangy flavor and added an extra boost to the wings. So, with the minor changes, I' d definitely make this again.

ENJOY! Come again...

Linking to:  
Showcase Your Talents Thursday # 20