Boneless Buffalo Wings

• 60 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (¼ cup)
• 12 g Blue cheese, crumbled (1⅓ tbsp)
• 5 g Lemon juice (1 tsp)
• 80 g raw Celery sticks (2.8 oz raw)
• 80 g raw Carrot sticks (2.8 oz raw)
• 200 g raw Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (7.1 oz raw)
• 12 g Cornstarch (1½ tbsp)
• 0.5 g Garlic powder (⅛ tsp)
• 0.5 g Salt (a pinch)
• 3 g Vegetable oil spray (⅔ tsp)
• 30 g Buffalo sauce (1.1 oz)
• 5 g Light butter (1 tsp)

You'll need: Air fryer (or oven and baking sheet), 2 bowls, Small bowl, Tongs, Cutting board and knife.

Method

1. Make the blue cheese dip and veg

   Mash the blue cheese into the yogurt with a fork and stir in the lemon juice. Cut the celery and carrot into sticks.

   Leave a few small lumps of blue cheese. They're the best bites.

2. Coat the chicken

   Heat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Cut the chicken thighs into 3 cm (1¼ inch) chunks, pat them dry and toss with the cornstarch, garlic powder and salt until every piece is coated in a thin, dusty layer. Then scrub the board, knife and your hands with soap before you touch anything else.

   Cornstarch gives the crackly outside of a fried wing with no batter.

3. Air-fry until crisp

   Spray the chicken with the oil and air-fry in one layer for 14–16 minutes, shaking the basket twice, until crisp and golden and 74°C (165°F) in the biggest piece. No air fryer? Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) at the start and bake on a lined baking sheet instead, turning halfway; each batch takes about 5 minutes longer.

   Shake the basket, don't stir. It turns the pieces without knocking the coating off.

4. Toss in buffalo sauce

   Microwave the buffalo sauce with the butter for 15–20 seconds and stir until glossy. Toss the hot chicken in it in a clean bowl. Serve straight away with the blue cheese dip and the celery and carrot sticks.

   Sauce them at the last second. The longer they sit in sauce, the softer they get.

Swaps

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Chicken breastLeaner, about 40 kcal less; pull it at 74°C (165°F) so it stays juicy.
• Blue cheese → Light ranch dressing, 20 g, stirred into the yogurtFor anyone who doesn't like blue cheese.