Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks with Blue Cheese Dip

Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks with Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients

(1) 16 chicken drumsticks (about 4 pounds), skinned, if desired	.
(2) 1. 16 ounce bottle buffalo wing hot sauce (2 cups)
(3) 1/4 cup tomato paste
(4) 2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar
(5) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
(6) 1. 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
(7) 1/2 cup mayonnaise
(8) 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
(9) 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or bottled hot pepper sauce
(10) Celery sticks

Directions

1. Place drumsticks in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine hot sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over chicken in cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, and cayenne pepper. Reserve half of the blue cheese dip (3/4 cup); store as directed below. Cover and chill the remaining dip until ready to serve.

4. Using a slotted spoon, remove drumsticks from cooker. Skim fat from cooking juices. Reserve eight of the drumsticks and 1 cup of the cooking juices; store as directed below. Serve remaining drumsticks with some of the remaining cooking juices, the remaining blue cheese dip, and celery sticks. Makes 4 servings and reserves.

From the Test Kitchen

TO STORE RESERVES:

Place blue cheese dip in an airtight container. Remove skin and meat from drumsticks, discarding bones. Using two forks, shred chicken (2-1/2 to 3 cups). Place shredded chicken and the 1 cup cooking juices in a second airtight container. Seal and chill for up to 3 days.