When people speak about American cuisine, more often than not they think of Hostess Twinkies, TV dinners, Detroit Style Coney Dogs, and Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Although true on one hand (in a baby boomer sort of way), there are many legitimate American food classics including: Manhattan Clam Chowder, Caesar Salad (invented in a Mexico restaurant by a San Diego chef), Martinis, Shrimp Gumbo, Barbecued Ribs, Red Velvet Cake, and Key Lime Pie. A new all-American entry into that tradition came when Buffalo Chicken Wings were invented! Although I have strived to come up with “from scratch” complicated dishes to make and master, I do realize that some of the best recipes can be made of two grocery store staples like this one! My version of Buffalo Chicken Wings has only three ingredients: chicken wings, a bottle of Italian salad dressing, and a bottle of cayenne hot pepper sauce. Cooked together for two hours, these fall-off-the-bone, yummy and spicy chicken wings are my homage to a classic. Once you try this ultra-easy but complexly flavored recipe, you will be addicted to these wings, I guarantee it!
Ingredients:
—4 pounds [approximately 16 - 18] three sectioned raw Chicken Wings
—1 16 fluid ounce bottle of vinegar and oil based Italian Salad Dressing
—1 12 fluid ounce bottle of Cayenne Red Pepper Hot Sauce
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a 10 inch by 13 inch tempered glass baking dish, place the four pounds of chicken wings. Position them skin side down to start out, with the wing tip segments pointing upward.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup combine the contents of an entire 16 ounce bottle of Italian salad dressing, and a whole 12 ounce bottle of cayenne hot pepper sauce, and stir or whisk together. Pour the vinegary and peppery sauce on top of the wings, coating every section of them.
NOTE: Often grocery stores feature both regular Italian salad dressing and “spicy” or “zesty” Italian salad dressing. Either will do, but if given a choice I say: “Go for the spicy / zesty one!” And as far as the cayenne pepper hot sauce goes: there are several brands on the market under headings like Red Hot, Hot Sauce, and Cayenne Hot Sauce. Obviously you can regulate the amount of heat these wings have by limiting the amount of hot sauce you add to the Italian salad dressing. I say, “Add the whole bottle!”
When the oven reaches 350 degrees, put the baking dish of sauce-covered wings in the oven for one hour. (I find that a rack in the center of the oven provides the most even heat for this recipe.)
After the first hour is finished, remove the pan from the oven. Using tongs, carefully turn over each of the wing sections, to expose the dense chicken skin on the meatiest side of the wings for “above the sauce” browning.
Return the wings to the oven for one more hour. After the second hour of baking is over, remove the wings from the oven, and serve them.
NOTE: OK…I know you are thinking: “Two hours? Is he serious?” Yes, I am TOTALLY serious! The chicken skin is going to get crunchy, the sauce is going to thicken up, and keep the chicken wings moist. The meat is going to be super-tender, and I guarantee you are going to love wings this way. It is 100% worth putting the full two hours of cooking time into these! That is one of the things that makes this a great recipe for a party, they can be in the oven two hours before the party begins!
It is traditional that Buffalo Chicken Wings are served with celery sticks, and either ranch or bleu cheese dressing to dip them into, as a “cool off” course. I agree whole heartedly with this tradition. I also like to serve these wings with cole slaw as well. Either or both ways: it works!
NOTE: In addition to using this recipe with chicken wings, this sauce, this method, and this cooking time also works on chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks too. Whatever parts you use, I recommend that you cook the chicken with the skin on it, to keep the meat moist. Like the wings, the meat will be very seasoned and just falling-off-the-bone done! If you do breasts in this sauce, I recommend slicing the cooked breast meat when serving and putting more of the sauce on them. Delicious: in a Buffalo sort of a way!
The great thing about cooking chicken in this vinegary and spicy sauce, is that the wings remain moist, the sauce marinated the meat, and the cooked meat literally falls off the bones. These spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings ala Bego are my homage to the culinary creation that made Buffalo, New York famous for its wings!
(P.S. Special thanks to Susan Maggiora and her son Max Weisel, for introducing me to this sure-fire formula for making chicken wings!)
Ingredients:
—4 pounds [approximately 16 - 18] three sectioned raw Chicken Wings
—1 16 fluid ounce bottle of vinegar and oil based Italian Salad Dressing
—1 12 fluid ounce bottle of Cayenne Red Pepper Hot Sauce
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a 10 inch by 13 inch tempered glass baking dish, place the four pounds of chicken wings. Position them skin side down to start out, with the wing tip segments pointing upward.
In a mixing bowl or large measuring cup combine the contents of an entire 16 ounce bottle of Italian salad dressing, and a whole 12 ounce bottle of cayenne hot pepper sauce, and stir or whisk together. Pour the vinegary and peppery sauce on top of the wings, coating every section of them.
NOTE: Often grocery stores feature both regular Italian salad dressing and “spicy” or “zesty” Italian salad dressing. Either will do, but if given a choice I say: “Go for the spicy / zesty one!” And as far as the cayenne pepper hot sauce goes: there are several brands on the market under headings like Red Hot, Hot Sauce, and Cayenne Hot Sauce. Obviously you can regulate the amount of heat these wings have by limiting the amount of hot sauce you add to the Italian salad dressing. I say, “Add the whole bottle!”
When the oven reaches 350 degrees, put the baking dish of sauce-covered wings in the oven for one hour. (I find that a rack in the center of the oven provides the most even heat for this recipe.)
After the first hour is finished, remove the pan from the oven. Using tongs, carefully turn over each of the wing sections, to expose the dense chicken skin on the meatiest side of the wings for “above the sauce” browning.
Return the wings to the oven for one more hour. After the second hour of baking is over, remove the wings from the oven, and serve them.
NOTE: OK…I know you are thinking: “Two hours? Is he serious?” Yes, I am TOTALLY serious! The chicken skin is going to get crunchy, the sauce is going to thicken up, and keep the chicken wings moist. The meat is going to be super-tender, and I guarantee you are going to love wings this way. It is 100% worth putting the full two hours of cooking time into these! That is one of the things that makes this a great recipe for a party, they can be in the oven two hours before the party begins!
It is traditional that Buffalo Chicken Wings are served with celery sticks, and either ranch or bleu cheese dressing to dip them into, as a “cool off” course. I agree whole heartedly with this tradition. I also like to serve these wings with cole slaw as well. Either or both ways: it works!
NOTE: In addition to using this recipe with chicken wings, this sauce, this method, and this cooking time also works on chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks too. Whatever parts you use, I recommend that you cook the chicken with the skin on it, to keep the meat moist. Like the wings, the meat will be very seasoned and just falling-off-the-bone done! If you do breasts in this sauce, I recommend slicing the cooked breast meat when serving and putting more of the sauce on them. Delicious: in a Buffalo sort of a way!
The great thing about cooking chicken in this vinegary and spicy sauce, is that the wings remain moist, the sauce marinated the meat, and the cooked meat literally falls off the bones. These spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings ala Bego are my homage to the culinary creation that made Buffalo, New York famous for its wings!
(P.S. Special thanks to Susan Maggiora and her son Max Weisel, for introducing me to this sure-fire formula for making chicken wings!)