Tangy Grilled Chicken Wings With Quick Giardiniera
In this recipe the building blocks of Buffalo wings—saucy chicken, cheesy dip, and a crunchy vegetable component—get turned ever so slightly on their heads. Don’t worry, you still get the full messy, creamy, pickley eat-with-your-hands experience. While the chicken wings marinate in a spiced tomato paste mixture, you’ll quickly pickle a fresh trifecta of carrot, celery, and cauliflower to make an easy giardiniera. Whipped feta provides a salty base for dragging both the chicken and vegetables through, and hot honey adds just a touch of sweetness.
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
.jpg)
Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
16" Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Utility Tongs
$9 At Amazon
French Wire Whisk
$18 $16 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
$29 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$160 At Amazon
.jpg)
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ⅓ cup double-concentrated tomato paste, 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl. Add 2 lb. chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated, patted dry, and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and, preferably, up to 3 hours.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place ½ medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets, 1 large carrot, peeled, cut into 3"-long sticks, 3 celery stalks, cut into 3"-long sticks, and ½ cup pickled hot cherry peppers, halved, in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring 2 Tbsp. sugar and remaining 1 cup white wine vinegar and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup cherry pepper brine; pour mixture over vegetables. Let sit 15 minutes, then chill until ready to serve.
Step 3
Combine 12 oz. feta and 2 Tbsp. buttermilk or sour cream in a food processor; season generously with freshly ground pepper. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes. Set whipped feta aside.
Step 4
Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grate. Remove chicken wings from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and arrange on grate. Cover and grill, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a wing registers 165°, 20–25 minutes.
Step 5
To serve, spread reserved whipped feta on a platter; arrange chicken wings on top. Tuck drained pickled vegetables around. Drizzle hot honey over.
Do Ahead: Vegetables can be pickled 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
