What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Dad's Kitchen - Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

If you are anything like me, you like hot wings but hate the time wasted trying to suck tiny pieces of meat off the teeny bones. The bones-to-meat ratio is such that the cost of wings is higher than it should be. I firmly believe that the whole “hot wings” fad is the chicken industry’s way of promoting the sale of a part of the chicken that would normally not be sold.

Thank heavens that the vast majority of chicken feet are shipped to markets outside of the U.S. where they are in demand, or we would be seeing recipes and a push for chicken feet marketed as “delicacies.”
Hot Wings are nice, but Hot Drumsticks provide more meat with less mess.

INGREDIENTS:
Family pack of chicken drumsticks - I prefer drumsticks from local sources that pasture-raise chickens without the use of antibiotics on non-GMO feed rather than chicken from giant producers. Locally raised chicken tends to be leaner with less fat. I have found that less fat is preferable when baking, especially if you do not want to spend hours cleaning out your oven.

Buffalo Sauce:
2 teaspoons red chili powder1
2 teaspoons cayenne powder (more makes it hotter)1
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt1
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more if you want a more garlicky flavor like me)
A healthy grind of fresh black pepper (do not underdo)
3/4 cup Cayenne Pepper Sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
2 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon of your favorite extreme hot sauce such as “Marie Sharp’s Beware Comatose Heat Level” or “Da Bomb Liquid Fire.”

NOTES: 
5 Tsp of Pico de Gallo can be substituted for red chili, cayenne powders, and salt; increase for more heat.
Warning. Notice that the directions clearly state to "reserve half of the Buffalo Sauce." Be sure to use only that reserved sauce to coat the wings after cooking. Do not use any of the sauce you marinated the raw wings in on the finished product. This could introduce unwanted bacteria without a chance to kill them through cooking. Always discard any remaining marinade.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash drumsticks (or wings if you prefer) in cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Take the chill off the chicken. Leave the chicken on the counter while you prepare the marinade; otherwise, the butter sauce will congeal when you toss them. If this happens, though, it's fine. Just continue with the recipe. 
3. Make buffalo sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, remove from heat, and whisk in the spices and hot sauce.
4. Coat the chicken with the sauce. Transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl. Pour half the buffalo sauce over them and toss to coat. Cover the remaining sauce for later use.
5. Marinate the chicken. Cover the bowl and marinate on the counter for 20 minutes to 5 hours. During this time, you can toss the chicken in the marinade to ensure an even coating.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°.
7. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with Pam Avocado spray or equivalent. Place the chicken on the sheet so the pieces are not touching.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Carefully remove from the oven and flip the chicken over. Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crisp, golden, and sizzling. The internal temperature of the chicken, not touching the bone, should be at least 165°.
10. Broil if necessary. If the chicken is not browned to your liking, put them 6 to 8 inches below the broiler, being mindful of scorching and popping grease. Watch carefully, and broil until the desired color.
11. Pour the remaining hot sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
12. Serve with Ranch, Bleu Cheese sprinkles, or Blue Cheese dressing as desired.

Enjoy! - Kelli's Dad
Earl Valentine author of “Identity – Dream Maker.”