This weekend it's time to pull up a couch and root for your favorite commercial, armed with salty snacks and tipple of choice. I'm not going to pretend this is a low-cal version, but I think it's a nice alternative to buffalo chicken wings. It's got a touch of heat, nice crunch from the almonds and a sweet tang from the aioli dip. Added bonus: It's super fast to fix and the pan is easier to clean up than your fingers.
Almond-crusted chicken wings
Adapted from Food & Wine, December 2005, from chef Andy Nusser at Casa Mono
Ingredients
2¼ pounds chicken
drumettes, wings or thighs
1/3 cup plus ¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne powder
3 garlic cloves
2½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
¾ cup coarsely chopped almonds
¼ cup mayonnaise
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with
parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together 1/3 cup olive oil, paprika, cumin,
cayenne, garlic and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and
almonds and toss to coat. Spread chicken on prepared baking sheet. Bake for
about 25 minutes (for drumettes or wings) or 30 minutes (for chicken thighs).
Combine mayonnaise and lemon zest and juice. Whisk in ¼ cup olive
oil in a stream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sauce with
chicken.
Just like the more predictable buffalo wings, it makes a fine mess of your fingers. If you want a less messy version, try it with the chicken thighs for a main dish that needs no side of football. I, of course, will switch over to Downton Abbey part-way through.
Oh, and if you want a variation on another traditional football game snack, try the puff pastry version of pigs in a blanket.
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