The Ultimate March Madness Spread With Chicken Wings, Sliders, and Stuffed Pretzel Bites

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 1 cup ranch dressing, for serving
• 2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 slider buns
• 12 slices cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 16 mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 250°F. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Toss the wings with baking powder, salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

3. 3

   Bake the wings at 250°F for 30 minutes to dry out the skin.

   30:00 · Dry wings at low temp
4. 4

   Raise the oven temperature to 425°F and bake the wings until crispy and golden, 35 to 40 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

   35:00 · Crisp wings
5. 5

   Toss the hot wings in the buffalo sauce until evenly coated. Serve with ranch dressing on the side.

6. 6

   While the wings bake, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Proof yeast
7. 7

   Stir in the flour, salt, and melted butter, mixing until a dough forms. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes.

8. 8

   Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 45 minutes.

9. 9

   Punch down the dough and divide into 16 pieces. Flatten each piece, place a piece of mozzarella in the center, and pinch the dough closed around the cheese to seal.

10. 10

    Bring the 10 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large stock pot.

    10:00 · Boil baking soda water
11. 11

    Boil the stuffed pretzel bites in batches for 30 seconds each, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    0:30 · Boil pretzel bites
12. 12

    Brush the boiled bites with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425°F until deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

    12:00 · Bake pretzel bites
13. 13

    Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and divide into 12 equal portions, forming thin patties slightly larger than the slider buns.

14. 14

    Heat a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook the patties in batches, about 3 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.

    6:00 · Cook slider patties
15. 15

    Top each patty with a slice of cheddar during the last minute of cooking to melt.

    1:00 · Melt cheese
16. 16

    Brush the cut sides of the slider buns with melted butter and toast lightly in the skillet, about 1 minute per side.

    2:00 · Toast buns
17. 17

    Assemble the sliders with ketchup and mustard, and arrange on a platter alongside the wings and pretzel bites to serve.