I’m not even gonna lie. The best thing about all of football season, even the Super Bowl, is the wild abandon with which sports fans embrace football food. Don’t get me wrong, I love the social aspect of watching a game with friends but I’m not a committed fan. I watch until someone starts to lose badly or the players start to fight on the field (Seriously? You’re getting paid a fortune to PLAY A GAME. Kindly simma down.) or until the dip runs out. That doesn’t keep me from randomly shouting one of the few football phrases that years of high school cheerleading have seared into my brain, just to fit in (Peer pressure is real). Hold ’em, defense! Hold that line!
Forget the gridiron. For me, it’s all about the grazing. Why, yes, I WILL have more nachos dripping in melted cheese! NO WAY I can turn down potato skins filled to capacity! First and 10, let’s do it again! Let’s Go! Fight! Win!
And no spread is complete without the wings. Buffalo wings are great if you don’t mind having your tastebuds incinerated, but if you’re up for a twist on a game day favorite and don’t mind a deafening crunch, these oven-baked Crispy Ranch Chicken Wings will get you right to the end zone or 50-yard-line or whatever place makes your taste buds happiest. They are crisp-crisp-crispy and give you the best of the quintessential buffalo wing flavors — ranch dip and blue cheese — without the burn. (More power to you spicy food folks, but I don’t like it when my food hurts me.) Offense! Offense! It’s up to you. You’ve got to score more points and pull us through! Class of ’89 is fine!
Oh, forget it. I’m taking my wings to Disney World.
- Marinade:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 – 2 pounds chicken wings
- Coating:
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
- Blue Cheese Ranch Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Stir buttermilk, hot sauce, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Add chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk or stir until evenly mixed.
- Remove chicken from marinade and shake gently to allow excess marinade to drip back into the bowl. Dredge chicken in bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Place coated chicken on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until chicken is crisp and golden brown, 30-35 minutes.
- Prepare Dipping Sauce:
- While chicken cooks, stir sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Remove chicken from oven and serve with dipping sauce.
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