When the day finally comes and I am ordering my death row meal, I have no doubt that wings will be on the menu. I'll have them deep-fried, and covered in sauce so hot I am cooked before I even sit in the chair.
These are a few wing sauces I will regularly revert to for comfort food, or just to impress my guests. None of them are particularly tricky to make, and they can all be stored and used at a later date for a multitude of foods. It's time to switch up your chicken wings game with these unbeatable sauces.
Basic Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
Honestly, you can't go wrong with this classic. Everyone makes their buffalo sauce differently, and over time you will too, but there is a basic framework to follow. From there, you are free to build something truly unique.
For this, I use Frank's Hot Sauce. I think that it is one of the best baseline hot sauces for wings. But, if you want to mix it up, go ahead. The hotter the better. Often, just a few splashes of something crazy is enough.
- Equal Parts Frank's Hot Sauce and Salted Butter
- Garlic Powder
- Splash of something naughty (Extra firey hot sauce, or honey)
Method
And that's the whole lot. Simply put it all in a pan, and over a low flame keep stirring until combined. Once it is finished, throw it over your chicken wings in a bowl, and toss until the sauce has covered every single one.
Mango Habanero Chicken Wing Sauce
Mango and habanero are, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest food pairings out there. Habanero is already a subtly sweet but still confidently hot chili. Mango has that citrusy and tropical flavor that is unmistakable. When cooked down, the sugars of the mango create a jam that holds the heat of habanero and brings an unmatched sweet-hot sauce together.
In this recipe, I use 5 chillis but feel free to add more or less. The same goes for the mango, adjust it until you're happy with this sweet, spicy chicken wing sauce.
- 1 small onion chopped
- 5+ habanero peppers diced
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2-3 cups chopped mango
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Half a thumb-sized piece of ginger skinned and sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar
Method
Add your habanero peppers to a dry pan and cook for about five minutes. I like to burn the outsides of them slightly. This adds a smokey flavor to your sauce. Then, add a little oil and fry the onions. This process will make your eyes bleed, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Now, add the rest of the ingredients, and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. We want to thicken up the chicken wings sauce a bit before processing. Cook this for around 20 minutes, or until it starts to thicken up and all the flavors have opened up and got to know each other.
Finally, remove the whole lot from the heat and leave it to cool for a little while. Blending anything while boiling is brave but stupid. Once you are happy with the temperature, process it with a stick blender or a regular blender. Once smooth, you can either strain it to get a really smooth chicken wings sauce or leave it a little lumpy.
Personally, I like the extra texture.
Honey Mustard Wing Sauce
This chicken wings sauce is a mainstay on most menus, and for good reason. Honey mustard is delicious, and in a similar way to the previous recipe, combines sweet and spicy. However, this one certainly has its own space on the flavor spectrum, earning it a place on this list.
I find a combination of both Dijon and wholegrain mustard is a winner for this chicken wings sauce. However, if you really want to kick the heat up a bit, try out English mustard. But, use it with caution, it's a different beast altogether.
- 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup Wholegrain Mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 4 tablespoon Butter
Method
In a heated saucepan, add all the ingredients and stir. Bring it to a very gentle boil and then lower it to a simmer. Leave it for about five minutes to thicken up, and you're all ready. Now, pour it over your cooked wings in a bowl and toss them to coat.
Orange Ginger Chicken Wings
This sauce is so easy you'll end up using it on much more than just chicken wings. It can be whipped up in seconds, and then thrown over everything. I like to use it at the last stage of my stir fry to toss the veggies and protein through. It'll coat everything, and add that amazing Asian orange ginger taste to your food.
Top these sauced-up chicken wings with a few sesame seeds and chopped spring onion to really impress.
- 3?4 cup fresh orange juice (Store bought is fine)
- 1?2 tsp orange zest
- 4 -6 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Or any dry white wine)
- 1?2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 clove grated garlic
- Cornstarch
Method
In a bowl, add everything except the cornstarch. Give it all a mix-up and add it to a pan. Bring the pan to a medium heat. Now, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing it with a few tablespoons of cold water. Make sure it has no lumps and add it to the heated mixture.
Stir constantly as the cornstarch slurry mixes into the chicken wings sauce. Keep whisking until it is all blended and thick. Now, throw it over your chicken wings in a bowl, and toss to combine.
BBQ Wings
You could just buy store-bought BBQ sauce, and nobody would criticize you for it. But if, like me, you are a bit of a flavor control freak, then making your own guarantees you have it your way. I know just how sweet, spicy, and thick I like my BBQ chicken wings sauce.
This is a baseline guide for a BBQ sauce. It is a foundation on which to build your perfect, unique, version. BBQ sauce is a surprisingly versatile and personal one, so make it your own. Don't be afraid to throw something crazy in there. Things like star anise, ginger, chili, and even fruit can completely change the profile.
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 1/2 Cup Yellow mustard
- 1/4 Cup Worstechire sauce
- 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 CupWhite vinegar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbps Cayenne
- 2 Tbsp Black pepper
- 2 Tbsp Onion powder
- 2 Tbsp Garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp Coriander
- 2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- Chili Flakes and Chili powder to taste
Method
This is an easy process. Simply throw it all in a pan and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Then, lower the heat and maintain a low simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the flavors have combined and it is thicker. It is a sweet and sugary sauce, so it should be sticking to the back of a spoon.
This will make a ton of BBQ sauce, but I challenge you to name one food that isn't improved by being drowned in it. Toss your wings in this BBQ sauce, and enjoy.
The post 5 Sauces That Will Have Your Chicken Wings Flying appeared first on Wide Open Country.