Superbowl Series: Sliders or Wings?

The choice is pretty obvious to me...sliders, duh! Well for one, sliders are more filling than wings, hands down. Eat one or two sliders, piled high with condiments and other delights, you'll end up curbing that craving for a giant, juicy burger, all the while, saving room for other snacks around the game day table. Wings are awesome, don't get me wrong, but there is very little meat on them and you have to really work to get the meat off the bone. I feel like trying to lick my fingers clean, during the entire halftime show, isn't the most attractive look! Plus, making chicken breast sliders sounds way healthier than the dark meat you might find in chicken wings.

I'm a real fan of tangy things...don't judge me! Which is probably why I am obsessed with buffalo wing sauce. Rather than diluting the tang and tart, I added a little sweetness to this sauce and let the flavors really marry together over low heat. Using some blackberry jam, a bit of maple syrup, I was able to give my chicken an initially sweet taste with a nice, spicy bite at the end!

This wondrous sauce reminded me a lot of my favorite "girl date" brunch spot in the cutest nook in all of San Francisco --- Hayes Valley of course! Straw, this eclectic and wacky carnival-themed restaurant, is a brunch spot I frequent with close gal pals. I once had Siracha hot wings and some sweet potato tater tots with a blackberry BBQ dipping sauce there...these carny-inspired dish reminded me of that! A total circus in your mouth!

Buffalo Blackberry Jam BBQ Wings or Sliders

Added a slice of sharp cheddar too!

Ingredients (BBQ sauce):

• 1 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine 
• 1 cup blackberry jam
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (i.e. Franks Red Hot..etc.)

Ingredients (for wings):

• 1 packages (about 15-20) chicken wings, raw (not frozen, as the sauce won't hold to the skin as well!)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Ingredients (for sliders): 

• 2-3 large chicken breasts, raw
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions (for wings):

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a metal cooling rack (what you would use when you bake cookies etc.), on top of a cookie sheet, that is lined with tin foil. Elevating the wings (hehe), allows for all sides of the wings to cook evenly. Note: If you don't have a cooling, place on a non-stick cookie sheet, the wings might stick a bit to the bottom, but seriously no  harm done!
2. Season wings, while on rack or cookie sheet, with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. 
3. Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the wings are fully cooked and the outside has turned slight brown and crispy. 
4. While wings are cooking prepare sauce.
5. Once wings are cooked, place the wings in a large bowl and pour the sauce over the wings to evenly coat them. 
6. Place the coated wings back on the rack or cookie sheet, and place back in the over for about 10 minutes. This allow for the BBQ sauce to caramelize and really give the wings that sweet and tangy flavor!
7. Serve immediately. 

Directions (for BBQ sauce): 

1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine stick of butter, maple syrup, blackberry jam,  buffalo sauce, ginger, chili powder together. 
2. As butter melts down, whisk the sauce frequently, still keeping it on medium heat. 
3. Once the ingredients are well combined and the butter is fully melted, turn heat to a simmer and whisk occasionally, until the wings are ready to come out (this about the last 10-15 mins of cook time). 
4. Store any left over BBQ sauce in the fridge for up to several weeks.

Directions (for sliders):

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Wrap chicken in tin foil and place on a cookie sheet in the oven. Chicken should be moist and cooked in about 30-40 minutes. 
2. Prepare BBQ, as directed above!
3. Remove cooked chicken from the oven and beginning shredding chicken with two forks. This can  be done on plate or cutting board. Be careful and the chicken will be hot! Wait a few minutes before shredding so you don't burn your fingers. 
4. Place shredded chicken in a large bowl and add sauce (should be hot!), coat evenly with sauce and then begin to assemble burgers. Note: You could put the chicken back into the saucepan on medium heat for several minutes, to really marry the chicken and sauce together!

Used Ciabatta bread as my bun for a larger sando, rather than sliders!

Ingredient for my avocado topping! Lime pairs well with the jam.