Oven-roasted buffalo chicken pieces with blue cheese dressing

Crisping chicken skin is a dehydration process: the collagen converts to gelatin, the water evaporates and the fat renders and runs off.

Tested air-chilled against water-chilled wings at zero, four and twelve hours of air drying, all with the baking powder and cornstarch mixture, at 450F.

Air-chilling and air-drying at least four hours make the skin crisp faster; regular wings reach the same crispness with about 60 minutes instead of 45, at the cost of drier meat.

Butcher the chicken into 10 pieces and pat dry with paper towel if not air-chilled.

Weigh the chicken and toss it with one percent each of salt, baking powder and cornstarch until the skin is completely coated.

Line a baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on top, lay out the pieces and refrigerate uncovered four hours, or overnight, or cook straight away.

Preheat the oven to 450F with convection on and roast 20 to 25 minutes as the skin renders, crisps and browns.

Stir the mayo, sour cream, blue cheese, milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper together, then adjust seasoning and stir in the chopped dill.

Melt the butter with the hot sauce, garlic powder and black pepper in a pan until cohesive and slightly cooked down.

Pour the split sauce into a container and shake it to emulsify into the classic orange sauce.

Pull the chicken at about 50 to 55 minutes total, when the skin is crispy and craggly.

Put the chicken in a bowl, drizzle over the sauce and toss, then serve immediately before the water in the sauce softens the skin.

Plate on a platter with the blue cheese dressing and celery.