Grilled Buffalo Wings with Romaine Ranch and Blue Cheese Dip

Directions

1. Defrost the chicken wings in the fridge overnight.  Dry the wings thoroughly on paper towels and keep at room temperature while heating the grill. 

2. Heat your gas grill on the highest setting and shut the lid for at least 10 minutes to allow it to get hot.

3. While the grill is heating, make the ranch and blue cheese dip. For the ranch, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, chopped shallot, chopped garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl until all the ingredients are incorporated. 

4. Add the chopped dill and chives in a bowl and fold them into the ranch with a rubber spatula. 

5. For the blue cheese dip, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and black pepper in a bowl until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Add the crumbled blue cheese and chopped chives to the bowl and fold them into the mixture with a rubber spatula. Chill the ranch and the blue cheese dip in the fridge until ready to eat. 

6. Season the chicken wings with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Place the wings tightly together on the grill in a single layer. Crowding the wings like this will help them to stay moist while cooking. Cover the grill and allow the wings to cook for about 20 minutes. Flip the wings every 4-5 minutes. To check the wings for doneness, stick a digital thermometer into the thicker part of the things being careful that the tip isn't touching bone. The wings are done when they are charred and crispy and the internal temperature reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

7. To prepare the buffalo sauce and romaine cut the romaine in half lengthwise. Toss the romaine in a bowl with olive oil and kosher salt. Add in Franks RedHot, cayenne pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a small 2-quart pot. Heat the mixture over medium/low heat until it begins to simmer. Cut the cold unsalted butter into 1-inch cubes. When the hot sauce mixture simmers remove the pot from the stove and whisk the cold butter into it until the butter has melted.

8. Once the wings are cooked through remove them from the grill and place them in a large bowl. Place the romaine on the grill flat side down and grill until lightly charred (about 2-3 minutes). Romaine should still be firm and crunchy.

9. Pour the buffalo sauce on top of the wings and toss them until the wings are nicely coated with sauce.

10. Serve the wings and grilled romaine alongside the ranch and blue cheese dip.