Hot Habanero Chicken Wings

Baked hot chicken wings in a homemade habanero-strawberry sauce and a side of blue cheese dip with veggies.

Who’s starving for some hot chicken wings? Those chicken wings are medium-hot wings with a fruity touch, the strawberry and honey glazed helps to calm down all that habanero heat. Plus, on the side another tongue soothing element is the creamy blue cheese dip. Those chicken wings are baked making them healthier. Great on any occasion, whether it’s the “game” of the century or simply a gathering with friends. Don’t forget to bring along the extra habanero sauce for the folks that likes the heat!

Let’s talk habanero

The homemade habanero sauce is a indispensable new comer for the fridge, this version contains a few strawberries, to make it extra fruity and bring out the fruity side of the habanero also. I saw many recipes with mango or papaya, but since it the middle of winter, well I’ve used strawberries. My husband is growing some habanero peppers at home, I personally think, they are the best hot peppers out there! They are obviously really hot but also sweet, which I love. They are rated 100 000 out of 350 000 on the Scoville scale, not too bad, but don’t underestimate them… With this attribute, it is also used as a natural insecticide for organic gardens. You can keep the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 month and it’s useful in many dishes, for example, if you want a grounded meat with a bit of kick to it, a spicier tomatoes sauce, a wok dish, etc.

The blue cheese dip

The blue cheese dip is a creamy touch to sooth your tongue when the habanero is burning to much… that sauce is a great remedy to all that heat. Also handmade and terribly easy to make. I’ve used my favorite blue cheese; Roquefort and a touch of cream and that’s pretty much all there is to it. If you are brave enough for the habanero heat, well just use the blue cheese sauce to dip in some veggies.

Let’s make those hot wings!

Hot Habanero Chicken Wings

Makes 20 wings

Ingredients

• 20 chicken wings
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp of habanero and strawberry homemade sauce
• blue cheese dip
• few carrot, celery, cucumber

Habanero and strawberry hot sauce (make about 200ml)

• 2 carrots in cubes
• 1 small onion in cubes
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 4 strawberries
• 250ml cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp of honey or maple syrup
• 1 tbsp of habanero powder (3 whole ones, if they are fresh)
• 1tsp Xanthan or some cornstarch (liquid thickener)
• salt, pepper

Blue cheese dip

• 200ml creme fraiche (30% fat cream)
• 100g Roquefort
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 20 Chives finely cut
• salt, pepper

Directions

Habanero and strawberry hot sauce

1. Cook the carrots, onion, garlic with a little olive oil, medium high heat
2. When lightly brown, let cool
3. Add the mix to a blender and the rest of the ingredients, blend
4. Add 1 tsp of Xanthan  (thickener) or maizena *optional
5. Add salt and pepper
6. Pass through a sieve, into a container
7. Reserve

Blue cheese dip

1. Simply incorporate with a fork the cheese to the cream
2. Add the lemon or vinegar, salt, pepper, chives
3. Reserve

Chicken wings

1. Marinate the wings for 30 minutes into the habanero and honey mix, keep some sauce to glaze the chicken
2. Drain and add to a baking sheet on a tray in the oven at 200°C (400F) for 45 minutes, or until crisp, turn and add the habanero-honey glaze every 15 minutes

Serve a side of carrots, celery, cucumber. Enjoy the game!