I’m not a big tailgater. I don’t care about football, and since I have two daughters, my favorite team will continue to play on Friday Night Lights reruns. However, I am a fan of tailgate food. Sausages with onions and peppers, charred burgers, hot cheese dips, nachos and wings … oh, wings. I love them sweet or spicy, fried or baked. I love the absolute Neanderthal feeling as I fight the bits of flesh from the bone. There’s always just a little shame after one decimates a plate of wings. It’s a good shame.
These wings sprung from an innocent Facebook post from my friend Elli: “Sriracha honey wings!” That’s all. Three simple words. In her version, it’s just those three ingredients; I love when I get to play with two extra ingredients!
I mixed Sriracha and honey and decided the lime would add a little needed acid. The fish sauce is the umami I felt it was lacking. I tried it with both fish sauce and tamari and both work wonderfully. (BTW, Fish sauce is a great ingredient to add a little oomph to lots of dishes.)
These are spicy; your lips will sing for the first quarter of the game. But chase that heat with a cold brew and get in there to cheer on your team. Ready – break!
Honey Sriracha Wings Inspired by a recipe from Elli Snyder
2 to 4 Servings
8 chicken wings
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup Sriracha hot sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. fish sauce or tamari
Juice of ½ lime
½ lime, cut into wedges, for garnish
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Toss the wings in the butter to coat, then place on a foil-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for 45 minutes and remove from oven to rest.
• Place the remaining butter, Sriracha, honey, fish sauce and the lime juice in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 45 seconds, until the butter is mostly melted and whisk to combine.
• Toss the cooked wings in the sauce until thoroughly coated. Serve with lime wedges.
This article appears in October 2013.