Popchips Un-Fried Chicken Wings

You’ve just gotta  love chicken wings.  Whether served with a pitcher of beer or a glass of milk, there’s something very satisfying about sucking tasty, tender meat off of a tiny bone.  But, the best part of chicken wings are, of course, the crispy batter and finger-licking flavors.  Rather than break out the deep fryer, why not add your crunchy crust from a bag of chips?  I’ve found that Popchips, with their hearty crunch and all-natural ingredients, are a great choice.  The beauty of this recipe, though, is that you can make wings of all flavors (barbecue, sour cream and onion, cheddar, parmesan garlic, etc.) just by using a different flavor of chips!

Makes: 8 crispy wings (or 4 big drumsticks, or 2 breaded chicken breasts)
Total kitchen time: 25 minutes

Shopping list:

• 8 all-natural chicken drumettes (you can substitute 4 regular drumsticks, 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp. honey
• 2 bags Popchips (you choose the flavor!)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, salt and pepper.
3. Remove the skin from your chicken pieces and discard it.  As you de-skin-ify the chicken, drop it in the buttermilk to soak. 
4. Arrange the skinless, buttermilk-basted chicken pieces on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.  (If using larger drumsticks or chicken breasts, check for doneness by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.  It should read 160°F.)
5. Crush the Popchips onto a large plate and spread in an even layer.  You can either crush them by hand, or pulse them a few times in the food processor.  Drizzle the cooked chicken with honey, coating all sides.  Roll each chicken piece in the crumbled Popchips until fully coated.

Of course, we can’t talk about chicken wings without mentioning sauce.  This is a highly personal topic – some people swear by ranch, blue cheese, ketchup, hot sauce… whatever.  For me, a slow-cooked red onion marmalade hit the spot!

Full Disclosure: I got free stuff, but that doesn’t pay for my opinion.