Oh how I’ve enjoyed the sauces and seasonings that I bought from Kosmos Q. Every single one has been packed with flavor. And quality. Kosmos Q Buffalo Hot Wings dust wings are absolutely no exception, with traditional flavors and a really nice spicy kick. Though I use it to pre-season wings too, I really prefer it on ‘dry’ wings, dusting them right after they are cooked. Still-hot wings love dry seasoning. And so do I.
Super-Flavorful Dry Wings
You can be shy with your wing dust or you can go heavy with it. I’ve found that Kosmos Q Buffalo Hot Wing dust wings are so packed with flavor, I can go light and still enjoy a fantastic dish. The wings don’t need to be drowning in seasoning to be special. You still want to taste chicken, after all!
Make sure you seal your wing seasonings well after using. You don’t want any moisture sneaking in. Kosmos Q comes in quality pouches that seal perfectly!
I prefer to season my wings immediately after cooking them. The seasoning will stick to the surface of the hot wings better than if you wait until they cool off.
For a quick lunch, air fryer wings just can’t be beat. My extra-crispy version gets me nice crunchy wings in less than 30 minutes. So could I improve on such a great thing? Well, I can. And did. With duck fat spray. Making duck fat air fryer wings is just as easy as making wings using my regular approach. But they are so much crispier and have a wonderful flavor that is just amazing.
Duck Fat is a Game Changer
You can find duck fat spray in your grocers oil aisle, by the non-stick spray and olive oils and stuff like that. It ain’t cheap, but what it does for duck fat air fryer wings (and many other things) is well worth it. I would suggest you don’t go nuts with it the first time you use it. Try a few quick sprays and see if you want to add more.
I often find myself using a few variations on this approach. I’ll sometimes just spritz the wings, salt and pepper them, then cook them. After they are done I’ll sprinkle them with my favorite seasoning and serve them ‘dry’. I often use this approach if my seasoning is prone to charring during cooking. If I want them ‘wet’, then I’ll toss them in my favorite sauce.
Preheat your air fryer per manufacturer's recommendation.
Spray the wings with duck fat. Just a few squirts will do. I like to put the wings into a bowl, give them a quick spray, turn then, and give them another quick spray.
Sprinkle the wings with seasoning. Turn, and add a bit more seasoning. Alternatively, place the wings into a bag or resealable container and sprinkle with the seasoning. Close the container and toss gently to coat.
Add the wings to the basket (be careful it’s hot!). If you have trouble fitting them without overlapping, stand the drumettes along the sides of the basket.
Cook at 360 F for 12 minutes for large wings, 10 minutes for smaller ones.
Carefully flip the wings (rotate the drumettes if they are standing) and cook another 12 minutes again (10 minutes for smaller wings) at 375 F.
Flip the wings one last time. Increase the temperature to 390 F and cook another 6 minutes (4 minutes for smaller wings).
Remove and toss with your favorite wing sauce or sprinkle with more seasoning.
Ahhhhhh. Yum. And easy. These mango barbecue wings hit the spot. Just the right amount of tropical fruitiness. Just the right hint of barbecue sauce. Now, if I wanted to, I could make it more fruity. Or use a totally different barbecue sauce and come up with a new tasting wing. That’s the beauty of this recipe.
Fruity BBQ Greatness
I went with a pretty tame sauce for the BBQ part of these mango barbecue wings. I wanted a hint of smokiness, with just a little spiciness. Next time, I may go for a hotter version, but add more Mango nectar so I still get that fruity flavor. You can also make this sauce using other juices, such as orange, pineapple or grape.
I store my leftover homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot wings!
Meanwhile, combine mango nectar and barbecue sauce in a medium pot.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and continue simmering, stirring often, until reduced by half. This will take 20-30 minutes.
You know that feeling when you’re going up that first hill in a roller coaster? You’re asking yourself “Why, oh why, did I do this?” That’s how I am sometimes right before trying a new ‘hot’ wing sauce. Will it be so hot that I scream? Or will it be so mild that I am disappointed? Well, Kosmos Q Buffalo Hot wing sauce is like the best coaster ride ever. Just the right amount of heat. And so tasty good! I was so happily surprised at how much I loved how great this hot wing sauce is!
A Smile-Worthy Wing Sauce
I’m going to say it again because I’m smiling writing this post, flashing back: I absolutely love Kosmos Q Store. I thought the heat level was perfect. I thought the flavor was perfect. My fear was completely unfounded. This is a wonderful sauce.
Remember to set any refrigerated wing sauces out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
You can never go wrong with any wing sauce or seasoning from Kosmo’s Q. It’s nice to be able to order a sauce knowing that whatever it says on the label is going to be exactly what you get. Like Kosmos Q Classic Buffalo wing sauce. This is a wonderful variation on the classic sauce. It’s on the mellow side, so no worries about too much heat here. It’s not super duper vinegary, which is a good thing for me at least. And it’s soooo flavorful. I mean it’s got great flavor. Nothing boring about it.
A Perfectly Tame And Flavorful Sauce
Kosmo’s Q Classic Buffalo wing sauce is everything you’d want in a classic wing sauce. I will say it’s thin. Nothing gloppy or syrupy here. I found that it still stuck to my wings just fine. Look at my picture above. Sauce everywhere. Every corner and cranny of the wings sauced and flavorful.
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
I’m a big fan of Nashville hot chicken. I make it often, varying the amount of heat to suit my fancy that day. I was excited to try a bottled sauce with the same flavors: Buffalo Wild Wings Nashville Hot wing sauce! This sauce is tasty, with a hint of smokiness. It’s spicy, but I wouldn’t call it crazy spicy by any means. I’d say it’s just over medium hot…. ish. It reminds me of the real thing but without all the oil.
Classic Flavor with a Nice Kick
Sometimes I sauce my wings lightly. Sometimes I’m pretty liberal with the sauce. Buffalo Wild Wings Nashville Hot wing sauce is one I definitely go heavy with. I really liked the somewhat earthy, chili flavor and spicy kick. It’s a nice enjoyable sauce that’s different from many of the sauces on the market these days.
This sauce looked great just sitting in the bottle. It tasted even better. Slightly sweet, with just a hint of heat and garlic, Melinda’s Thai Sweet chili wings are finger-licking good. I call it a ‘happy’ sauce because I was definitely happy after finishing off a batch of lunchtime wings tossed in it.
Ok, Yes, I Use It For Nuggets Too
Though I am pretty much a wing-sauce-is-for-wings kind of guy, when I run across a sauce this good I will also use it on other dishes. It is also great for dipping chicken nuggets or fingers, and it’s great on grilled chicken sandwiches too. Anywhere you’d normally use chili sauce, use this instead! Give it a try and you’ll love it too!
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
Wonderfully smoky, tender meat with a lightly crispy skin, these smoked and then fried chicken wings were a thing of beauty. These are one of the most dangerous things you could ever put in front of me. I don’t even need any sauce to toss or dunk them in, either. Just give me a big basket of them and get out of the way!
First You Smoke ‘Em
The process is simple. Season your wings, and place them onto your smoker. No messing around with them either. Just smoke for 2 hours.
Then You Fry Them
When the wings are done you toss them into a deep fryer for a minute or so, until golden brown and lightly crispy. You can also make a big huge batch and freeze the smoked wings (before frying). All you have to do is thaw them and deep fry them when you’re ready to serve them at a later time. I was worried that making them from the frozen smoked wings would result in over-cooked, tough wings, but oh no, they were fantastic!
There’s a brewpub by our house that makes crazy-good chicken wings. They smoke them first over a mix of mesquite and cherry woods, then flash fry them. They sauce them then place them over a hot flame to finish them off. My approach is similar, but I don’t always put them onto the grill at the end. They are fantastic either way, but grilling them real quick does help set the sauce.
Fire up your smoker for 225 F. Use any wood you like. I used Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrel chunks because I wanted a good, noticeable smoke flavor. Use a lighter wood if you want your wings to be a little less smoky.
Toss the wings with plenty of the wing seasoning.
Place the wings onto the smoker and smoke for 2 hours. No need to rotate or flip them.
When done, remove from the smoker. You can deep fry them immediately or freeze them for thawing and frying later.
To fry, heat canola oil to 350 F.
Working in batches, add the wings and fry for 1-2 minutes or until they are the desired color.
I’m always a big fan of Kroger’s wing sauces. They have a wide range of flavors and spice levels, all at good prices. I recently picked up a bottle of Kroger’s Cajun wing sauce and proceeded to immediately make a batch of wings for lunch. Hot out of the air fryer, tossed in sauce, I was ready for some serious wing devouring. I found this sauce to be a bit different. It’s like a traditional Buffalo wing sauce, but seasoned with Cajun seasonings. Like oregano. Smoked paprika. Thyme. You’re not going to find those flavors every day in a wing sauce.
Buffalo-Inspired, Cajun-Flavored
Kroger’s Cajun wing sauce is different in a really good way. It has just a little hint of spiciness to go with those Cajun flavors. If you love vinegar-based Buffalo wing sauces packed with flavor, grab a bottle and get to making some wings!
My wife is a big fan of any chili sauce-based wing sauce. Actually, ‘big fan’ is an understatement. I grabbed a bottle of the Thai Style Sweet Chili wing sauce from Market District knowing that she’d like it just from looking at the bottle. I could see chili sauce with peppers inside. Well, she didn’t just like this sweet, garlicky sauce. She absolutely loved it! This is easily one of the best sweeter sauces you can find.
A Wonderfully Sweet Asian-Inspired Sauce
Market District’s Thai Style Sweet Chili wings are definitely sweet. And not spicy at all. Neither of us got a sense of heat from it. But boy, it is delicious on wings. I admit to putting more of this sauce on my wings than I normally would. I am just as addicted to it as my wife is. It’s very much a finger-licking good sauce. If you’re looking for something sweet, this is it.
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
