Buffalo chicken wings are on menus everywhere, and for good reason. They are so good that they even have entire restaurants devoted just to them. From the juicy, tender little bites of chicken meat and the crispy bits of skin to the practically unlimited flavor options, there isn’t a single reason we’d say no to these delectable treats. And the best part is, even though you can stop at your favorite wing place or get them delivered with your pizza (the combo of pizza and chicken wings is classic for a reason!), you can make these little guys at home. Making classic Buffalo chicken wings with just the right amount of heat is easy, but to get to that burst-in-your-mouth explosion of flavor that a true foodie craves, you’ll have to dig a bit deeper and pull out some special tricks.
You can play with the seasonings or go crazy with the dipping sauce. But for a true burst of meaty flavor, toss your wings in a frying pan or on a griddle before you bake them to get a nice sear on those delicate little wings. While some people believe that searing keeps the natural juices inside the meat, the truth is that the process of cooking pulls moisture out of meat, no matter which way you do it, and searing is no different. But while searing doesn’t seal in any juices, it does create a crisp surface on the meat, which in turn gives the wings a wonderfully complex and savory flavor profile. This happens due to something known as the Maillard reaction, a chemical process that creates new flavor compounds as the food browns.
Nailing down this technique will make your flavor soar
Now that you know why searing is such a game changer, it’s time to nail down your technique so you get flavor-packed wings every time. Start off with plain wings, patted nice and dry to keep extra moisture from blocking your sear. Season them with salt and pepper to start building flavor and toss those wings in a hot pan. You don’t need long to achieve a beautiful sear, and you definitely don’t need to worry about keeping them on the heat long enough to cook the meat, since you’ll be baking them after you’re done. However, you definitely want to give them enough uninterrupted meat-to-pan surface contact to for the skin to develop a golden-brown coloring.
Once you’ve got the beautiful golden sear, work on that Buffalo sauce and coat the chicken wings to your heart’s content. Toss them in the oven and bake until the chicken is done, then prepare to feast with your favorite dipping sauce. You can use any sauce you prefer, but these guys go best with something creamy, like ranch or blue cheese which will help balance the heat of the Buffalo sauce. And while there is no shame in using a store-bought dip, you can perfectly complement your home-cooked wings with a homemade dipping sauce. If you are a fan of the blue cheese option but are intimidated by it, don’t let it worry you, either — that stinky cheese with mold is perfectly safe to eat. The beauty of making your own creamy sauce and spicy wings is that you can play with the flavors so they suit your tastes perfectly.
