The Best-Ever Buffalo Wings Recipe
Americans consume millions of pounds of Buffalo wings each year. Besides being messy, those wings all share one thing: an extended stay in the deep fryer. This method takes an already fatty cut of chicken and doubles the calories. Grilling or oven-roasting your wings, on the other hand, cuts fat significantly; it's also easier, cheaper (no quart of oil for frying), and (especially on the grill) tastier.
Nutrition: 310 calories, 21 g fat (6 g saturated), 680 mg sodium
Serves 8
You'll Need
2 lb chicken wings (preferably a mix of wing segments and drummettes)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp hot sauce (Frank's RedHot is best. Want to try Asian-style wings? Simply sub in 1⁄4 cup teriyaki sauce for the hot sauce and follow the rest of the recipe.)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt (we like Fage 2%)
2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Celery sticks (optional)
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, and chili powder, and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Roast until the skin is lightly blistered and the meat is cooked all the way through, about 15 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan, and add the hot sauce and half of the lemon juice.
- Remove the wings from the oven and add directly to the hot pan, tossing to thoroughly coat every piece in the sauce.
- Mix the yogurt, blue cheese, and remaining lemon juice.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the wings and the celery (if using) with the blue cheese sauce on the side for dipping.
Eat This! Tip
Calorie Cutting
Chicken wings have a high fat-to-meat ratio, and although much of that fat is of the same heart-healthy variety you find in olive oil, the calories still add up quickly. To make this dish extra lean, apply the exact same treatment to boneless, skinless chicken tenders, or even peeled and deveined shrimp. Cook them in the oven or on a grill until firm, then toss briefly in the pan with the same hot sauce–spiked butter. You'll cut the calories in half and the fat by about 75%.
