Super Bowl Party Recipes: Chicken Wings

Super Bowl weekend is almost here and as the Steelers and Packers battle it out on the field, there’s no doubt there will be some screaming fans building up an appetite. No matter which team you’re rooting for (or if you’re sitting in the corner loathing the fact that the Chargers aren’t playing), you’ll want a snack.

Chicken Wings are a great addition to any Super Bowl party; they’re finger food, easy to prep, and almost everyone (minus the vegetarians) love ’em!

(Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Schmitt at Liz the Chef Blog)

Yields 20 pieces

* 2 1/2 cups organic ketchup
* 1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste
* 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons dry sherry
* 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1/4 cup dark brown organic cane sugar
* 1/4 cup organic wildflower honey
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 pinch cayenne
* 3 tablespoons organic Dijon mustard
* 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
* 1 one inch piece of ginger root, peeled
* zest and juice of one Meyer lemon or any organic lemon
* 2 1/2 pounds organic chicken wings

Sauce:
1. In a large non-reactive bowl combine ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, honey, chili powder, cayenne and mustard. Mix well. Add the garlic and zest both the ginger and lemon into sauce. Add the lemon juice and stir again to thoroughly combine ingredients. Store in fridge until ready to bake the chicken wings.

Tip: make the sauce a day ahead, allowing its complex flavors to develop.

Chicken:
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Cut each wing into three pieces and freeze the tips for stock later.

3. Pour one cup of sauce into a small bowl to brush on wings during baking. Pour another cup of sauce into a small bowl for serving, warmed, with the baked wings. Pour the rest of the sauce in a large, flat-bottomed bowl and toss the chicken with clean hands, really coating those wings. Place wings on sheet pan. Discard any remaining sauce that has touched the raw chicken!

4. Bake for 50 minutes, turning once and brushing on additional sauce. Serve piping hot, along with warmed sauce.