Game Day Platter Recipe

Season & Fry

Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss wings with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry wings in batches for 10–12 minutes until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Drain on a wire rack over paper towels.

Toss in Buffalo Sauce

Meanwhile, melt 3 tbs butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1/2 cup hot sauce until combined and warm. Toss hot fried wings in the buffalo sauce to coat evenly. Keep warm until plating.

Marinate & Dredge

Place 500 g bite-size chicken pieces in a bowl and pour 1 cup buttermilk over them. Cover and chill 20–30 minutes (or up to 2 hours). In a shallow dish combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk, shake off excess, and dredge in the flour mixture until well coated.

Fry

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken bites in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 3–4 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack. Keep warm.

Make Secret Sauce & Toss

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbs sriracha, 1 tbs honey, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 minced garlic clove. Toss the fried boneless bites in enough sauce to coat (start with 3–4 tbs and add more to taste). Reserve extra sauce for dipping.

Prep & Breading Station

Season 400 g fish sticks with 1 tbs lemon juice, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Set up three shallow bowls: 3/4 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and 1 cup panko breadcrumbs.

Coat & Fry

Dredge each fish stick in flour, shake off excess, dip in beaten eggs, then press into panko to coat. Heat 1.5 cups oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry fish sticks in batches 2–3 minutes until golden and flaky. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Freeze Cheese

If using string cheese cut in half, freeze for 15–20 minutes so they hold shape while breading.

Breading & Frying

Set up three bowls: 3/4 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each cheese stick in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko. For extra security, double-dip (egg and panko again) and freeze 10 minutes. Heat 1 cup oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry mozzarella sticks 1–2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with marinara or reserved ranch.

Coat Shrimp

Pat 400 g shrimp dry and season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss shrimp in 1/2 cup cornstarch until lightly coated, shaking off excess.

Fry Shrimp & Sauce

Heat 1.5 cups oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry shrimp in batches 1.5–2 minutes until crisp and opaque. Drain briefly on paper towels. Whisk 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 3 tbs sweet chili sauce, 1 tsp sriracha, 1/2 tbs honey and 1 tsp lime juice to make bang bang sauce. Toss fried shrimp with enough sauce to coat (reserve extra for serving).

Soak & Rinse

Cut potatoes into straight fries and place in 4 cups cold water. Soak 20–30 minutes to remove surface starch, then drain and pat very dry.

Fry Twice

Heat 3 cups oil to 325°F (160°C). Fry potatoes in batches 3–4 minutes until pale and soft but not browned. Remove and drain. Increase oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry batches again 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, and keep warm.

Batter & Coat

Soak sliced onion rings in 1/2 cup buttermilk for 5–10 minutes. In a bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Toss rings in the dry mix, dip back into buttermilk if needed, then coat again with the dry mix.

Fry

Heat 2 cups oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry onion rings in small batches 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Trim and cut celery and carrot sticks into 2–3" pieces and refrigerate until serving. Arrange 2 cups celery sticks and 2 cups carrot sticks in a section of the platter with 1 cup ranch dressing in a small bowl for dipping.

On a large platter or board, arrange components in sections: 4 buffalo wings, a pile of secret sauce boneless bites, a stack of fish sticks, a cluster of mozzarella sticks, a bowl or pile of bang bang shrimp, straight cut fries, and onion rings. Place celery and carrot sticks with a bowl of ranch. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired. Serve immediately while hot with extra secret sauce and bang bang sauce on the side.