Mike, Author at For the Wing

Extra-Crispy Air Fryer Wings

I’m a huge fan of wings, which explains why I started this site! I’ll cook them anyway, anyhow, any time. I first started using an air fryer for wings out of convenience. It didn’t take long for me to realize that an air fryer is one of the best and easiest ways to make outstanding wings. My extra-crispy air fryer wings are as easy as you can get to make, but always give you that just-like-deep-fried crunchy skin and tender, moist meat.

Go Big or Stay Home

I use the biggest wings I can find at the grocery store. I (almost) always buy fresh and I always buy in family packs (to save a few bucks since I do seem to eat a lot of wings!). Big meaty wings make the best extra-crispy air fryer wings. Skinnier wings can be used too, but you’ll need to cook them a little less.

Click here to see my full guide on all wing cooking methods and how to separate the wings. If you want to. Me, I like my wings cut into drumettes and flats. Some folk like to keep them as one. You do you. If you do decide to separate them, don’t toss the wing tips away. Save them up (put them in a bag in the freezer) until you have enough to make a delicious batch of chicken broth!

My Air Fryer

This is the air fryer I use. For cleanup I wipe it out with a paper towel and toss it into the dish washer. Easy. Though it has a timer, I can’t always hear it. So I set up 2 timers on my phone: one for 12 minutes (that I use twice so I can flip the wings in-between) and one for 6 minutes (for the final cook and crisp).

Dash Deluxe Air Fryer – Adjustable Temperature…

Consistent Cooking Every Time: The Dash Deluxe Air…
Simple Operation, Tasty Results: This compact…

Also try my honey hot fried wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 100 homemade wing recipes, including sauces and seasonings!

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5 from 1 vote

Extra-Crispy Air Fryer Wings

I recommend that you use a rub or seasoning that doesn't contain sugar when you make air fryer wings.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crispy, wings

Servings:

Calories: 13kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

6 chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
½ teaspoon baking powder not baking soda
1 teaspoon Your favorite wing seasoning or more. avoid seasonings containing sugar
Your favorite wing sauce if desired. warmed, if refrigerated

Instructions

Lightly spray the basket of your air fryer with non-stick spray. Preheat per manufacturer’s recommendation.
Toss the wing flats and drumettes with the seasoning.
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.

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Kosmos Q Honey Habanero Wings

I’ve certainly been as happy as a bulldog with a pork chop with all of Kosmos Q wing sauces and dusts. Some are great twists on classic flavors, others totally new and different. The Kosmos Q Honey Habanero wing sauce is somewhere in the middle of classic and different for me. It’s got your classic sweet-and-heat combination. And it’s got something different. So different I scratched my head for a good 10 minutes trying to figure it out when I gave up and read the ingredients on the label and there it was: raspberries.

Heat. More Heat. And Some Sweet.

Kosmos Q Honey Habanero wing sauce definitely brings the habanero heat. Sometimes you get a bottle of ‘spicy’ wing sauce only to be disappointed at the lack of spiciness. Not this time. Nope. But it tastes good to boot, so it’s a nice heat and not just heat. I would not call it overly sweet by any stretch. Just nicely sweet.

Kosmos Q Wing Dust Grill Spices and Seasonings Set…

TRANSFORM ORDINARY POULTRY: Sick of unremarkable…
A FLAVOR EXPLOSION: Each dry rub seasoning is…

Make some Kosmos Q Kickin’ Cajun wing dust wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Kosmos Q Honey Habanero Wings

Kosmos Q Honey Habanero wing sauce definitely brings the habanero heat.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buffalo wings, spicy, wings

Servings:

Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Kosmos Q Honey Habanero wing sauce

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Tacos Al Pastor Dry Wings

The flavor of tacos al pastor is one of my favorites. These tacos al pastor dry wings have that same great flavor without all the work. Paprika, chipotle powder, chili powder and a few other Mexican-inspired spices give the chicken wings a wonderful earthly flavor with a hint of smokiness and just a touch of heat. Sprinkled with cilantro and served with crema for dipping, these are great (easy) wings!

Make it or buy it

I used a package of tacos al pastor seasoning, but you can also make your own. The store-bought seasoning is super tasty, but a tad salty, so you might want to be a little shy with it. You don’t need a lot of it anyways, it’s so flavorful. If you make your own you can of course control the salt if that’s your thing. No matter which seasoning you use, you can’t go wrong with these tacos al pastor dry wings. They’re a nice Mexican-inspired treat!

Old El Paso Al Pastor Taco Seasoning, 0.85 oz

SEASONING: Add complex flavors and notes of adobo…
QUICK AND EASY: Achieve complex flavors in less…

Also try my fajita-seasoned dry wings.

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5 from 1 vote

Tacos Al Pastor Dry Wings

I used a package of tacos al pastor seasoning from Old El Paso, but you can make your own.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Mexican, wings

Servings:

Calories: 730kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Tacos Al Pastor seasoning to taste
cilantro chopped, for garnish
Mexican crema for drizzling or dipping, optional

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with seasoning before serving garnished with chopped cilantro and drizzled with crema if desired.

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Tangy Wing Dipping Sauce

It was time. Time for something a little different to dip my delicious, but darned spicy, Buffalo wings into. I was a bit burned out on the Ranch, the Blue Cheese. I wanted something still smooth, but with a tang. And here it is, my tangy wing dipping sauce. The addition of vinegar to an otherwise pretty ‘normal’ sauce brings a nice edge to it that pairs perfectly with the vinegar tang of the wing sauce.

An Overnight Rest Is Best

This tangy wing dipping sauce isn’t on the thick side. It will cling to your wings just fine, though, without overdoing it. It does set up a bit overnight, so I do prefer to make it the day before I plan on serving it.

Make sure to get your sauce nice and smooth so you achieve wing-dipping perfection.

Cuisinart Mini Food Processor, Reversible Blade…

SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus…
CONVENIENT CONTROL: The 24-ounce food chopper with…

I bought these little ole sauce dipping cups for moments just like this. They’re perfect for dipping wings!

EHOMEA2Z Ramekins Stainless Steel Condiment Sauce…

Commercial Grade Stainless Steel: These sauce…
Multifunctional Portion Cups: This set of sauce…

Also try my pimento cheese Ranch dressing.

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4 from 1 vote

Tangy Wing Dipping Sauce

I was a bit burned out on the Ranch, the Blue Cheese. I wanted something still smooth, but with a tang.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Course: Dipping Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dipping sauce

Servings: cup

Calories: 544kcal

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

½ cup blue cheese crumbled
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon honey

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

Shake or stir before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Buffalo Wild Wings Orange Chicken Wings

My wife and I slipped off to lunch at one of our nearby Buffalo Wild Wing restaurants the other day. I say slipped because well, I might have taken longer than my allotted lunch break time. Oh well! If I get fired it’ll be worth it because our service and wings were delicious! And while we were there I decided to see what new sauces and seasonings there were, and of course, grab a few bottles to take home with me. The first one I had to try was the Buffalo Wild Wings Orange Chicken wing sauce. We both loved this sauce. It’s not overly orange-forward. It’s there, you get the orange flavor and aroma, but it’s not overwhelming. I’d call it a mild orange flavor. Ditto the heat. There, but not overpowering. The sauce is a bit sweet, but again, not too sweet. It’s a nice pleasant sauce that we both found to be quite enjoyable.

A Kiss of Orange

Buffalo Wild Wings Orange Chicken wing sauce is exactly what I expect from BW3s. A great sauce and at a great price. We enjoyed our lunch in the restaurant too. If there’s one near you I encourage you to join their rewards program and pick up some sauces and seasonings the next time you’re there.

Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce (Orange Chicken)

Also try Buffalo Wild Wing’s Asian Zing wings.

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Buffalo Wild Wings Orange Chicken Wings

We both loved this sauce. It's not too orange-forward.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: orange, wings

Servings:

Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Buffalo Wild Wings Orange Chicken wing sauce

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Kosmos Q Spicy Garlic Wings

Garlicky? Check. Medium heat? Check. Well, there you go. Kosmo’s Q spicy garlic wing sauce delivers on its promise of, well, spicy garlic. Not too much garlic. Not too much heat. I’d call it a nice, pleasant sauce that is servable to anyone in a party without scaring them off. Unless they are vampires.

Just Enough Garlic To Scare Off Vampires

I’ve had other spicy garlic wing sauces that were much stronger on the garlic side. The kind that kind of lingers with you for a while, if you know what I mean. Don’t get me wrong, I loved them too. Kosmo’s Q spicy garlic wing sauce is a lot more tame, a little more easy on the garlic and heat. It’s an enjoyable sauce.

Kosmos Q Wing Dust Grill Spices and Seasonings Set…

TRANSFORM ORDINARY POULTRY: Sick of unremarkable…
A FLAVOR EXPLOSION: Each dry rub seasoning is…

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.

Also make some great Kosmos Q Buffalo dry wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Kosmos Q Spicy Garlic Wings

Kosmo's Q spicy garlic wing sauce is a tame, easy on the garlic and heat sauce. It's enjoyable and tasty without being overpowering.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic, spicy, wings

Servings:

Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Kosmos Q Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Restaurant-Style Deep-Fried Wings

Most of the time, you’ll find me making my wings on one of my grills. Quite regularly, actually. But sometimes I am just not up to fighting the weather or I prefer a more traditional wing. That’s when my restaurant-style deep-fried wings make an appearance. For me, a deep-fried wing has to be battered, but not heavily so. Somewhere between grandma’s fried chicken and no-batter-at-all is what I want. Something for the wing sauce to stick to, and something with just a little crunch. A little kick, if I want. Like these wings, right here.

My Go-To Recipe

This is my base recipe for my restaurant-style deep-fried wings. When I’m cooking dry wings (not sauced after cooking), I will often take the dry wing spices and incorporate them into the coating, leaving out the paprika and/or cayenne if they will clash. My Buffalo Ranch dry wings are a great example.

Big Wings Take Longer (Duh!)

Frying time varies with the size of your wings. I always buy family packs of fresh wings. They’re big and meaty and take a full 9 minutes or longer to fry. If you buy frozen un-cooked wings (thaw them first!) you’ll often find they are smaller and don’t require so much cooking time.

Amazon Basics 3.2-Qt (3.0L) Electric Deep Fryer…

FAST-HEATING & FAMILY-SIZE: This powerful…
ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE & VERSATILE COOKING: With…

Also try my crazy-good Grippos-crusted wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Restaurant-Style Deep-Fried Wings

This is my base recipe for my restaurant-style deep-fried wings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: deep-fried, wings

Servings:

Calories: 537kcal

Equipment

Deep Fryer

Ingredients

For the wings

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
vegetable oil for frying

For the coating (feel free to add your favorite wing seasoning too!)

½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Add enough oil to a deep fryer or Dutch oven to cook the wings. Bring to 375 F.
Rinse wings and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl.
Combine the coating ingredients and sprinkle some (but not all) over the wings. Toss to coat. If the wings don't get fully coated add some more coating. You might have leftover coating.
Working in batches, transfer wings to the oil and fry 5-6 minutes per side, flipping once.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate then to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Toss with your favorite seasoning and/or sauce and serve.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Wing Master Mango Habanero Wings

For me, going to a Pepper Palace store is like going to Disney World. I walk through the doors and I start to smile like a kid. So many sauces (and other things). I’ve been to several Pepper Palace stores and I’ll be to more to pick up great sauces like their Wing Master Mango Habanero wing sauce. This is a(nother) great sauce, a wonderful combination of sweet mango and spicy habanero, that absolutely delights with each bite!

Kicked-Up Island Inspiration

I wouldn’t call Pepper Palace’s Wing Master mango habanero wing sauce overly spicy. Oh don’t get me wrong, it’s got some kick. Hey, it does contain habaneros. For me, it was just the right amount of spiciness. I’m not a fan of overly hot sauces that have no flavor. I’m a big fan of this sauce.

EHOMEA2Z Ramekins Stainless Steel Condiment Sauce…

Commercial Grade Stainless Steel: These sauce…
Multifunctional Portion Cups: This set of sauce…

Run, Don’t Walk, To A Pepper Palace Near You

Pepper Palace makes a ton of great sauces and seasonings, not just for wings. Find a store near you and spend an hour or two wandering the shelves. They always have an area where you can sample sauces and spices, too. It’s like flavor heaven. Instead, if there’s not one near you, take a road trip (it’ll be worth it) or order online.

Also try some Wing Master Mega Garlic wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Wing Master Mango Habanero Wings

I'm not a fan of overly hot sauces that have no flavor. I'm a big fan of this sauce.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: spicy, wings

Servings:

Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Wing Master Mango Habanero wing sauce

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Kosmos Q Garlic Parmesan Wings

I’ve had my share of garlic Parmesan wings. I’m a big fan of the flavor combination. But, I admit, sometimes the sauce is almost like salad dressing. Not that that’s necessarily a turn off. Heck, I love using wing sauces for more than wings. Kosmos Q Garlic Parmesan wing sauce is thick. It’s not going to be mistaken for a salad dressing. And it’s not overpoweringly garlicky, and it’s not too Parmesan-y. It’s pleasant, and yummy and finger-licking good.

Get Ready For Some Finger Licking

You can’t go wrong with any Kosmos Q Garlic Parmesan wing sauce or any of their sauces or their many wing dust varieties. You can order a few bottles without worrying that you won’t like what you get. And hey, they also make a dry garlic Parmesan wing dust that is really, really crazy good so get some of that too!

Buffalo Wild Wings Parmesan Garlic Sauce, 12 fl…

BRING HOME THE FLAVOR YOU LOVE: Made with Italian…
SPICE UP YOUR FAVORITE DISHES: Our sauce goes…

You’ll want to make Kosmos Q General Tso wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Kosmos Q Garlic Parmesan Wings

You can't go wrong with any Kosmos Q wing sauce or wing dust.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic, Parmesan, spicy, wings

Servings:

Calories: 503kcal

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
Kosmos Q Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more

Slap Ya Mama Hot Sauce Buffalo Wings

Note: This post is for a homemade Buffalo wing sauce made with Slap Ya Mama hot sauce. Slap Ya Mama also makes an already-prepared wing sauce that you should also try!

Slap Ya Mama hot sauce isn’t just good. It’s amazingly good. It’s not super spicy, not at all. But it’s oh so flavorful. It is packed with a wonderful combination of Cajun spices. It’s perfect on any food, but when you make a Buffalo wing sauce from it you’ve got something wonderful. These Slap Ya Mama hot sauce Buffalo wings are definitely some of the best wings I’ve ever had. They are finger-licking good.

My Goodness, These Are Great Wings!

Just about any decent hot sauce can be used to make a homemade Buffalo wing sauce. But you want better than decent. You want amazing, and that’s what Slap Ya Mama hot sauce brings to a Buffalo wing sauce. You’ll find yourself to be as big a favorite of this sauce as I am for sure!

Slap Ya Mama Cajun Pepper Sauce, 5 oz – Pack of 2

Cajun hot sauce you’ll love: Experience the…
Use it on anything: Here at Slap Ya Mama, we…

Also make some Rub Your Chicken Buffalo wings!

Check out my always-growing list of over 200 favorite store-bought wing sauces and seasonings!

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Slap Ya Mama Hot Sauce Buffalo Wings

You'll find yourself to be as big a favorite of this sauce as I am for sure!

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buffalo wings, hot sauce, wings

Servings:

Calories: 695kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock

For the sauce

⅔ cup butter
½ cup Slap Ya Mama Hot Sauce
½ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
Kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook wings as desired. Click here for our guide on cooking wings in a grill, smoker, deep fryer, oven, air fryer or a Char-Broil Big Easy.
Toss wings with sauce before serving. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

For the sauce

Melt the butter in a pan over low heat.
Add the remaining ingredients and whisk well.
Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 3-5 minutes, whisking often.
Reduce heat to lowest setting and keep warm until ready to use. Whisk just before using to combine the ingredients if they have separated.

Notes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce on the side, if desired.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate and will not include any store-bought wing sauce or seasoning nutritional values.

Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan…

MIld Sauces
Made for wings and more