Grilled Chicken Wings with Feta Cheese Dressing

Whether you’re tailgating with friends or fixing a casual dinner for two, grilled chicken wings are easy, flavorful, and satisfying. Typical Buffalo-style wings are deep-fried and served with a side of blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. I lightened up the chicken a little by grilling the wings on a cast-iron griddle, and, for this recipe, I made the creamy dressing a bit milder with feta cheese instead of blue. The celery sticks are a keeper.

Tip: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing to use with salads the next day. Simply whisk in one to two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and you’ve got a creamy, rich dressing for greens and fresh vegetables.

Serves 2-3 (easily increased to feed a crowd)

Ingredients

For the Wings

• 1 1/2 tsp chile powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• sea salt
• 12 large chicken wing pieces (drums and flappers)
• olive oil, for brushing
• homemade barbecue sauce, or your favorite bottled
• celery sticks, for serving

For the Dressing

• 2 scallions, white and green parts chopped separately
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

For the Wings

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl. Place the wings in a large bowl and add the spice rub. Combine well to coat all the wings. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (May be refrigerated overnight.)

Spice Rub for Wings

Spice-Rubbed Wings

1. Prepare a grill for high heat. Place a cast-iron griddle over the flame and heat 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil and place the wings on it close to the center.
2. Grill 10 minutes, then turn and grill another 10 minutes. Continue grilling, turning every 5 minutes, for a total of 30-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the wings.
3. Remove to a large bowl and toss with barbecue sauce.

Wings Beginning to Grill

Grilled Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Wings with Barbecue Sauce

Serve the wings with the dressing (recipe follows) and celery sticks alongside.   

For the Dressing

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients (through lemon juice) in a small food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to break up the feta but not enough to emulsify the dressing. Pour into a bowl (or individual serving bowls) and season with salt and pepper.

Feta-and-Sour-Cream Dressing