Baked Honey Hot Wings or Cauliflower with Yogurt Ranch Sauce
A fun twist on a classic, our baked honey hot wings offer the perfect balance of sweet and heat, swapping frying for baking to create a more contemporary, slightly lighter take on classic buffalo wings. Or try this baked hot wing recipe with roasted cauliflower, glazed in the same sauce. A delicious surprise!
Crispy, sweet, and spicy, these wings pack a flavorful punch, complemented by the cool, tangy richness of a yogurt-based ranch dressing. The crisp acidity and lively bubbles of Iron Horse Sparkling Wine cut through the heat and spice, making each bite even more irresistible.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings and/or Cauliflower
10 chicken wings, cleaned and patted dry
1 medium head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed and cut into medium florets (not too small), patted dry
Batter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Honey Hot Sauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce
Yogurt Ranch Dressing
3 Tbs very finely minced red onion
1 Tbs very finely minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
freshly ground black pepper
How To Make
1
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
2
Line 2 baking sheet pans with baking powder. Drizzle each pan with about 1 Tbs of good vegetable oil. Scatter the wings in one of the pans and toss with the oil. Do the same with the cauliflower in the other pan (if using). Set aside.
3
Whisk together the rice flour, flour, salt, several turns of freshly ground black pepper, chili powder and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Add 1-2 Tbs olive oil. Start to stir in, little by little, about 3/4 cup warm water. Mix well.
4
If batter is too thick, add more water, little by little, until you have the consistency of pancake batter.
5
Add the chicken wings to the batter, gently toss to coat. Scatter pieces back on the baking sheet. Repeat above method for the cauliflower, if using.
6
Bake for about 25 minutes, checking ad turning midway through. Bake until crispy and golden. The chicken and cauliflower take about the same amount of baking time.
7
In the meantime, make the honey hot sauce and yogurt ranch dressing. Whisk the ingredients for the honey hot sauce together in a small pot and warm on the stove top, on very low heat. For the yogurt ranch dressing, mix the ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix together well and set aside.
8
To serve, remove the wings and/or cauliflower from the oven and liberally baste (brush) with the honey hot sauce. Arrange on a platter along with carrots and celery for garnish. Serve with the ranch and honey sauces for dipping. Pop a bottle of Iron Horse bubbly and enjoy.