I wasn’t always a big fan of buffalo wings. However, in the last few years I’ve become an absolute addict.

My in-laws actually make some of the best buffalo wings in the world. They make them very spicy and they’re just incredibly juicy too. Also – it’s the whole chicken wing, not just a small segment!

I managed to get the recipe for how my wonderful in-laws make their buffalo wings, but I’ve tweaked it slightly – they use measurements by sight, and I’ve increased the quantities of lemon juice and garlic, and dialled back a little on the heat. Feel free to make it hotter or milder to your own taste.

INGREDIENTS

16-24 Chicken wings (I always try to buy the Riversmead Farm ones)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 x heaped tbsp crushed garlic

2 x heaped tsp chilli powder

1 x heaped tsp dried thyme

3 x heaped tbsp Simple Truth Sweet & Spicy BBQ Rub

1 x heaped tbsp Simple Truth Italian Rub

METHOD

Firstly, prepare your chicken wings. You need to stretch them out as sort of one long wing, and to do this, you need to cut the tissue on the joints and then bend the wing there in the opposite direction. I did a bit of a tutorial in the images below: –

BUFFALO WINGS — Using a sharp knife, cut these sections to loosen the joint. Don’t cut all the way through. Then, pull it backwards against the natural direction, to straighten the wing out.

Once you’ve prepared all the wings, get started on the wet and dry mixes.

For the wet mix, I put the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in my NutriBullet and blend until the mixture goes creamy. This takes seconds.

Put the wet mix to one side, and prepare the dry spice mix next. All the dry spices go in a small bowl and just mix with a fork.

Choose a big container (tupperware, glass casserole dish, metal baking dish – whichever works for the amount of wings you’re using), and place a layer of wings in it. Pour the wet mix over, sprinkle the dry spice mix generously over, and then do another layer – if you haven’t used all the wings. Repeat.

Once all your wings, wet and dry mixes are in the bowl, it’s time to get your hands dirty. Turn the wings over and over in the dish, making sure they’re all coated nicely in the mixture. If you feel the need for additional spices, feel free to add more.

If the container you’ve used has no lid, clingwrap it, and leave it in the fridge for at least a good few hours before you cook them. This allows the flavours to fully sink in, and the lemon juice to tenderise the chicken. For best results, do this the night before!

When it’s time to cook – we usually braai ours – give them another turning over in the mixture, and place on the grill. This is my Hubby’s part of the deal, as he’s in charge of braaing. He’ll slide them through the dish with the marinade a few times as he cooks them, making sure they’re as packed with flavour as possible.