Orange Bourbon Chicken Wings

Get your fingers around these rich, sticky gems, as often as you need to connect with your inner mojo; or as often as you own snacks for the game. And don't forget the blue cheese dip!
3 lb wings, split, 18 portions
zest from a small orange

Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup orange marmelade
1/4 cup ketchup
juice from 1 small orange, about 1/4 cup
1/4 cup Texas Pete’s or Tabasco hot sauce
1/4 cup bourbon

3-4 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
dash red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare the wing sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the garlic for about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a low simmer.

Pour sauce into a large bowl and mix with the chicken wings.

Distribute the wings evenly onto two oiled rimmed baking sheets, making sure there is plenty of room around each wing.

Bake for 10 minutes and then flip the wings. Bake another 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325F and coat the wings with a slathering of the remaining sauce. Bake a final 10 minutes, until the wings are cooked through and browning up nicely.

Line a serving platter with the arugula and lay the wings on top. Sprinkle the wings with the blue cheese and red pepper flakes, and finally with the orange zest.

Serves 4 as an appetizer. Depending on your crew, you may want to double!

Cook’s Note: Don’t forget to pass celery sticks and a blue cheese dip, such as:

Blue Cheese Chili Dill Dip:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt
1/4 good real mayonnaise
2-3 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1 tsp (or to taste) Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce
1/4 tsp dried dill weed

Whisk everything together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Also: don’t forget to pass the arugula bed - OMG so good especially after the wings have sat on them for a while :-))