Beer Chicken Wings with Herbed Goat Cheese Dip

Mississippi Chef Linkie Marais is ready for tailgating season, and you can be too with her collection of recipes easy to transport and serve on game day. Finger foods like her chicken wings spiked with beer are a staple at any tailgate and will add a bit of spice to your pre-game shindig.

For chicken:

3 lbs. chicken wings
1 cup beer (pale ale recommended)
2 Tbsp. honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1⁄2 tsp. red chili flakes
1⁄4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
Pinch of black pepper
Spice rub (optional)

For Goat Cheese Dip:

1 log goat cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. cilantro
Pinch of salt

To make the chicken wings, preheat the grill directly to 425 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a medium bowl and stir well. Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Place wings on the grill, turning 2-3 times as they cook. Cook to an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. (Option to sprinkle the wings with spice rub while cooking.) Serve immediately with the cheese dip and cucumber spears.

For the herbed goat cheese dip, mix goat cheese with sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro and salt. Chill until ready to use.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Linkie Marais.