RED HOT BUFFALO CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

If  I had to eat one type of meat for the rest of my life it would have to be chicken. It's my go too meaty treat (particularly when I'm a bit worse of wear after a night on the cider!). It's so versatile and can be turned into many a delicious dish, such as these finger licking buffalo chicken drumsticks. These chicken drumsticks are coated in some seasoned flour and then deep fried so that they are super crispy before getting tossed around in a buffalo sauce which can be as spicy as you like (although for me, the hotter the better!).

Lets start with the chicken. When it comes to chicken you just want to grab and shove in your mouth there is nothing better than a drumstick. They come with their own handle after all. They also cook quickly when deep fried so you don't have to wait too long for them either. If you like you can use thighs, wings or breasts but make sure that you adjust the frying time accordingly (if the pieces are bigger than your average drumstick fry for a little longer etc.).

To make the crispy batter I've used potato flour. You can pick this up in health food shops (I get mine from Holland and Barrett), world food shops or large supermarkets. It does make for a most crispy coating to your chicken. If you can't get hold of potato flour, try find some gram or chickpea flour instead or as a last resort you can try using plain flour but beware, it may become clumpy in the fryer so after you have tossed the chicken in it make sure you shake off any excess to try and keep that batter nice and light.

Now for your buffalo sauce. My sauce is quite the spicy! If you just want a light heat from your sauce I suggest you don't add the cayenne pepper or the chilies and let the hot sauce do the talking. Speaking of which, my hot sauce of choice has to be Franks! Gotta love a bit of Franks. I use their original sauce but again you can adjust the hotness or flavor of your sauce by using an XXX variety or a more milder version. Experiment with combos of chili, cayenne and hot sauce and come up with a heat that's just right for you.

Before you tackle this recipe, make sure you have plenty of vegetable oil to fry your drumsticks in, as well as a large pan and a cooking thermometer so that you can tell when the oil has reached 180 degrees which is optimum frying temperature. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the oil is hot enough by throwing in a few breadcrumbs and they should fizz on the surface of the oil instantly. Always make sure you play safe and have a damp tea towel close by in-case the oil does catch fire. Health and safety out the way, lets get to it;

Hot Buffalo Drumsticks

2 Large Grated Garlic Cloves

2 Tsp Onion Powder

                               10 Chicken Drumsticks

Salt And Pepper To Season

45g Potato Flour

250ml Hot Sauce

120g Butter

2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar

1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Chopped Whole Red Chilies

1. Begin by popping the garlic, onion powder and drumsticks into a large bowl. Season liberally with salt and pepper and then toss the chicken wings in the mixture, get your hands in and rub all the seasoning right into every nook and cranny of the chicken (popping everything into freezer bag like I have to the right is a good way to do this!). Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes, if you can leave it for longer then fab!
2. When you're ready to go, pop a large pan filled with oil that's roughly 2 inches deep onto the hob and then heat the oil on amedium heat until it reaches 180 degrees.
3. When the oil is nearly hot enough, sprinkle the potato flour over the seasoned chicken and toss them through the flour until all the drumsticks are lightly coated. Once the oil reaches 180 degrees, shake any excess flour off the drumsticks and carefully lower them into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan, fry them in batches of five or less if you need too. 
4. Fry for roughly 10 minutes, turning the drumsticks half way thorough until the batter looks golden brown all over andcrispy. Transfer the drumsticks to a wire rack over some grease-proof paper to allow excess oil to drain off them. If you're doing a second batch allow the oil to get to 180 degrees again before popping in the next lot of drumsticks.
5. Whilst the drumsticks are on the wire rack, add the hot sauce, butter, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and chopped chili into a pan on a medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and heat until the butter has melted, the ingredients are combined and the sauce is beginning to bubble slightly. 
6. Remove the pan from the heat and drizzle the sauce over the drumsticks, turning and tossing them until they are all lightly coated in the buffalo sauce. Don't be too heavy handed or the crispy batter will become soggy.

If you have any sauce left over you can serve this on the side and you can dip your chicken in it some more if you wish. Serve your drumsticks with the left over sauce, some celery sticks and sour cream to act as a cooling device in case that hot sauce gets a bit too much for you. You can garnish the chicken with some chopped chili and spring onions to add a bit of fresh extra kick if you're feeling brave. There is only one thing to do now and that is to grab a drumstick with your hands and begin to chomp though that crispy batter, covered in that buffalo sauce and get into the perfectly moist chicken hiding underneath. In the words of Paris Hilton; "That's Hot!"