Category: Wings

Beer-Battered Wings

When I was knee-high to a grasshopper, like about 5th grade, I absolutely loved the peg legs at Long John Silver’s. They were battered, fried chicken legs. They’re now called ‘planks’ and are made with boneless chicken. Well, phooey! They took away my fun. Well, that’s ok, I love wings now more than legs anyway. But I still love battered and fried chicken, so … yep, I made beer-battered wings! Kinda like the peg legs of my childhood, but with yummy, juicy wings instead! And yes, beer. I don’t think LJS used beer back in the day. Or ever. Maybe they should have!

Beer-Battered Wings

Malt Vinegar. Yes. Malt Vinegar.

Since I’ve already upset the traditional wing gods by making beer-battered wings, there’s no reason in stopping there. There’s only one thing you can serve with these delicious, packed-with-flavor wings and that’s malt vinegar. Your brain is gonna think fish-and-chips but your mouth is gonna scream ‘yummy wings!’. Pour it on top or serve it on the side for dipping. Yummy malt vinegar makes these wings even better.

Malt Vinegar Aioli. Yes. Malt Vinegar Aioli.

If you really want to take these wings even further, even greater, dip them in malt vinegar aioli. It’s like malt vinegar taken to a whole new level. A new place. A place of greatness. And it’s gonna maybe seem a little odd for dipping wings but you gotta try it. It’s easy to make so why not?

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just me, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money. And that means I can buy more wings.

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Also try my deep-fried pork panko wings!

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

Beer-Battered Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Beer-Battered Wings

Yummy malt vinegar makes these wings even better.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: battered, wings
Servings: 8
Calories: 437kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Continue whisking while slowly adding the beer.
  • In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic salt.
  • Drizzle the flour mixture into the egg bowl while stirring constantly. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the wings and boil for 5 minutes.
  • Drain the wings and transfer to a wire rack-lined baking sheet. Pat dry and set aside until ready to cook.
  • Bring a few inches of oil to 350 F in a deep fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Working in batches if needed, add wings to the batter and coat well. Transfer to the oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack-lined baking dish to drain while cooking the remaining wings.
  • Serve with malt vinegar and enjoy!

Notes

Don’t forget the malt vinegar!

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 277mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

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

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Deep-Fried Pork Panko Wings

It’s not so much that I was seeking out a low-carb alternative to my deep-fried wing recipes. I don’t usually coat my wings so heavily that carbs are something I consider. But I was looking for something different. Pork panko, well, that’s different so that’s how I ended up here. Deep-fried pork panko wings are just like the ‘regular’ panko ones, just low-carb and I would actually say they are a bit better.

Do they taste a bit ‘porky’? Yeah. A tad. As much as good pork rinds do. Not like less-than-good pork rinds do, though. Those are super porky. Too porky for me, really. These are lightly porky. A kiss of porkiness? That might be the best way to describe them. If you love plain pork rinds, you’re going to love the heck out of these wings. They’re right in your wheelhouse as they say.

Deep-Fried Pork Panko Wings

Different. In A Good Way.

As you might expect the flavor of the pork rinds makes these deep-fried pork panko wings a bit different than their bread flake-breaded cousins. I think the coating is also a bit moister, juicier. I’d serve these and watch people take that first bite, expecting the ‘usual’ bread or panko flavor and texture. Then spring the news on them! It’s pork rinds! Oh my!

I did add a little seasoning to the coating. The pork panko can take that. And needs it really. I didn’t do anything overwhelming. I did not bury the pork panko flavor. I didn’t add any heat, but you could. A little cayenne would work. Or in keeping with the smoky flavor I added using smoked paprika, add chipotle powder instead. It adds both heat and smoke at the same time. But not too much of either.

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

Also try my deep-fried dill pickle wings!

Deep-Fried Pork Panko Wings
Print Recipe
4 from 1 vote

Deep-Fried Pork Panko Wings

A nice change from the usual panko!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: deep-fried, wings
Servings: 6
Calories: 512kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

For the breading

Instructions

  • Heat 3-4" of oil to 350 F in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven.
  • Rinse the chicken and pat somewhat dry. Place in a large bowl.
  • Combine the breading ingredients in a small bowl. Make sure you get out any lumps.
  • Sprinkle breading ingredients over the wings. Using your hands, roll the wings in the breading, coating well.
  • Working in batches if needed, fry the wings until done, 8-10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack-lined pan to drain.
  • Serve with any wing sauce on the side for dipping. I recommend against tossing the wings in sauce as the breading will tend to come off.

Notes

Note: You may want to double the breading ingredients if you prefer to have your wings more heavily coated.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 919IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg

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

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KFC Honey BBQ Wings (Copycat Recipe)

This copycat recipe of KFC honey BBQ wings was some of the best deep-fried wings I’ve ever had. The coating is crazy crunchy and flavorful. It ‘bites’ thru perfectly. No fear of taking a bite and having the entire batter come off at once. And the sauce? My goodness me. The sauce starts with a store-bought sauce, adds a few ingredients, and ends up being just out-of-this-world great. I’d use the sauce on anything that requires a good, thick, smoky BBQ sauce. On these wings it’s perfect. These are finger-licking good wings if ever there were any!

KFC Honey BBQ Wings (Copycat Recipe)

These Wings Are Crazy Good

If you don’t follow Todd Wilbur, you should. He is the master of everything copycat. From restaurant dishes, like this copycat recipe of KFC honey BBQ wings, to copycat grocery store items, and a whole lot more, Todd has it going on. Like with everything else of his I’ve made, he nailed this recipe and technique perfectly. I loved these wings. They’re a real winner.

What Big Wings You Have

The batter on these wings make them get nice and big when they fry up. Even if you start with scrawny wings (which you should not, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do), you’re going to end up with large wings. This isn’t a bad thing. But maybe something to keep in mind when you go to serve them. When you might normally give someone 5 wings (just sayin’) you might go with 4. And if you’re serving them with a dipping sauce, like blue cheese or ranch, you’ll likely need extra!

If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll break out my big deep fryer. But, if it’s just me, I’ll fire up my Fry Daddy fryer. It’s the perfect size. It fries everything perfectly. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t use a lot of oil, which saves me money. And that means I can buy more wing!

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Also try my copycat of Quaker Steak and Lube’s Thai ‘R Cracker wings!

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

The Best BBQ Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

KFC Honey BBQ Wings (Copycat Recipe)

These are finger-licking good wings if ever there were any!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: BBQ, copycat, wings
Servings: 4
Calories: 825kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

For the sauce

Instructions

For the sauce (make first)

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering for 20 minutes, stirring often.
  • Keep sauce warm until ready to use.

For the wings

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
  • Pre-heat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350 F.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.
  • Place the buttermilk in a separate bowl.
  • Coat the wings in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess and transfer to the buttermilk.
  • Coat the wings in the buttermilk. Shake off any excess then return to the flour mixture.
  • Shake off any excess flour. Working in batches if needed, fry the wings 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Brush the wings with the BBQ sauce. You can also gently toss the wings in the sauce, but I prefer to brush the sauce onto the wings.
  • Place wings on the baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes to 'set' the sauce.
  • Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Serve your wings with extra sauce on the side for dipping!

Nutrition

Calories: 825kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 5mg

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

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Baked Coconut Mango Wings

I thought these baked coconut mango wings were delicious. I loved them. I’m not usually a big baked wings fan, but they were packed with island-inspired flavor with golden-brown lightly crunchy skin and moist, tender meat. I’m gonna be straight-up here, though. It was the dipping sauce that threw me. Maybe it’s because 99% of the time I dip my wings in blue cheese or ranch salad dressing. I’m not sure, but I wasn’t a fan. I’d make these wings again, but I’d use the sauce as additional marinade instead. You might feel differently, but it’s my job to be up-front and honest. Hey it’s just my opinion.

Baked Coconut Mango Wings

Delicious… and Pretty

The gorgeous color on these baked coconut mango wings comes from the annatto in the Sazon seasoning. It’s the same stuff that’s used to color other foods, like making cheddar cheese orange. Yeah, it’s really white. Go figure. Why do orange-ish foods taste better? I’m not sure, but they do. And they look better too.

Cool Operator

There’s a small touch of heat in the sauce. For me, it’s nothing. I’d definitely for more adding more if you wanted more heat. You can also add your favorite hot sauce instead, but it might change the color of the sauce. As in make it weird looking. The sauce isn’t really meant to be spicy. It’s more a sweet, fruity sauce. Kind of a topical feel, really. And not a Buffalo wing-style experience.

Make sure you shake the can of coconut milk before opening. And I do mean shake it. I’ve found that a good 15-30 seconds is best. Less is not best. There’s pulp in there that you want well-distributed before using it.

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Also try my baked salsa verde wings! Ole!

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

The Best Citrus- and Fruit-Flavored Wings
Print Recipe
4 from 1 vote

Baked Coconut Mango Wings

I thought these baked coconut wings were delicious. I loved them.
Inspired by a recipe from Cooking on the Weekends
Prep Time12 hours 45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fruity, wings
Servings: 6
Calories: 533kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Season the wings with the Sazon seasoning on all sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Add coconut milk and mango to a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Add half of the mixture to a large resealable container or a baking dish. Stir in the cayenne.
  • Transfer remaining half of the sauce to a resealable container and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Add wings to dish and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
  • Preheat your oven to 450 F.
  • Remove chicken from marinade and transfer to a baking sheet, skin-side up, that is lined with foil or a silpat.
  • Season chicken with pepper.
  • Bake chicken for 25 minutes or until they reach 165 F internally.
  • Turn on your broiler and broil the wings until they get a little more golden brown and to slightly crisp the skin.
  • Serve the wings with the reserved coconut/mango sauce for dipping.

Notes

For best results, do not use lite coconut milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 795IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg

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

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Mambo Wings

It’s amazing how many great chicken wing recipes there are. Everything from the mild to the sweet to the volcanic hot. That’s why I love them, I can have a different flavor every day. Well, almost every day. I don’t actually eat wings every day, although I’m sure I could and never ever get bored with them. Not if they’re like these Mambo wings, that’s for sure!

I recently stumbled upon Mambo sauce (among many other great recipes) on a blog by Levy Restaurants, a family of different restaurants around the US. So, I thought “Now, here’s something different. A tomato-based wing sauce with Asian flavors. I gotta try it!” So I did, and boy, was I happy that I did. These Mambo wings were amazing!

Mambo Wings

Sweet Heat Perfection

Mambo sauce, like many great wing sauces, is a combination of sweet (a little pineapple and sugar) and acid (white vinegar), and the best part, a bit of heat (thank you Frank’s RedHot!). You’ll start out thinking you’re having a teriyaki-inspired wing, and finish up thinking you had a Buffalo wing. These Mambo wings are great, like a journey of flavors.

According to the Levy Restaurant’s blog, Mambo sauce is also great on fries. I can definitely see that. And I will also try it as a steak marinade.

I wouldn’t change anything about this recipe. I usually like to tinker here and there. Maybe a little more hot sauce. Maybe fresh ginger instead of dried. Those kinds of things. Not here. This one’s great just as it it!

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!
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You’ll want to make some mango barbecue wings too!

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

Mambo Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Mambo Wings

This is a fantastic Asian-inspired BBQ-like wing sauce.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Asian wings, copycat
Servings: 6
Calories: 593kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

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

For the sauce

Instructions

For the sauce

  • Place all ingredients into a small pot and simmer, stirring, for 20 minutes.

Notes

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

Nutrition

Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 501IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg

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

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Duck Fat Chicken Wings using the Vortex

Chicken wings cooked on a charcoal grill (I love my trusty Weber grills!) using a Vortex are the best. Not only do you get great flavor and crunchy skin, you get a light (or heavy.. It’s up to you, you can control it!) smoky flavor. You can’t go wrong with them. But you can make them even better using duck fat spray. What a difference it makes, too. They are better tasting and crunchier. These duck fat chicken wings using the Vortex are the decadent wings that dreams are made of.

Duck Fat Chicken Wings using the Vortex

Duck Fat Makes For Great Wings

The Vortex enables you to get super-hot temperatures on a charcoal grill. That heat not only cooks them perfectly, it gives them a crunchier skin. And so doses duck fat. Put the two together and you have a wing marriage made in heaven. You just cannot beat duck fat chicken wings using the Vortex. These are the ultimate crunchy ‘deep-fried like’ wings that are about as simple as you can possibly get.

Adding duck fat spray not only helps with getting that fantastic crunchy it skin, it also adds a fantastic different flavor than if you’d used vegetable or olive oil instead. It makes a world of difference.

Sauce. Optional.

You can sauce these wings if you want. Personally, I wouldn’t. At most I’d serve them with a sauce on the side, for dipping. For one, that keeps the coating on the wings. Bouncing them around in a bowl with sauce is going to knock it right off. And second, it gives you the change to try all sorts of different sauces with just one batch of wings.

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I also love making dry wings using the Vortex.

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Dipping Sauce. Optional.

You can serve your wings with a dipping sauce on the side if you prefer. You know. Ranch. Blue cheese. Whatever you prefer. I have a number of dipping sauces you can make at home too. I wouldn’t use any sauce that would ‘fight’ the flavors of these wings, though. Use something more mellow.

I serve my side dipping sauces in condiment cups.

Also try my duck fat air fryer wings.

Duck Fat Wings using the Vortex
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Duck Fat Chicken Wings using the Vortex

You can't wrong with these.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: wings
Servings: 6
Calories: 503kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the Vortex into the center of your grill and add in the charcoal. Open the bottom vents on your grill by 1/3.
  • Light a charcoal chimney full of charcoal. Alternatively you can fill your Vortex with charcoal and light them inside the unit.
  • Let the charcoal get fully ashed over then add to the Vortex.
  • If you want extra smoke flavor, place a small wood chunk or two over the center of the Vortex and let it ignite and smoke.
  • Place the wings into a large bowl. Spray lightly with the duck fat while tossing. Don't get them soaking wet, you're looking for a light coating. Think 'squirt squirt' and not 'fence painting'.
  • Add the chicken as shown in the picture above.
  • Close the grill and cook for 45 minutes. If you are using a large charcoal grill (22" or bigger) you might want to rotate the lid 90 degrees every 15 minutes. I haven't found this to be necessary on smaller (18" and 14") grills.
  • Transfer wings to a bowl and toss with your favorite seasoning and sauce as desired.

Notes

If you’re saucing your wings with a refrigerated sauce, make sure you bring it to room temperature first or warm it over medium heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Protein: 42g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 354mg | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

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

Sale
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Aji Amarillo Wings

Aji amarillo is an orange-colored pepper from Peru. I haven’t been able to find it in the US in pepper-form, but you can find a paste made from pureed aji peppers in some foreign food markets. Aji amarillo rates between 35,000 and 50,000 on the Scoville scale, meaning it’s about as hot as Tabasco sauce. It has a nice fruity flavor that reminds me a bit of habanero, but without the scorching heat. I encountered aji amarillo often in dishes throughout Peru when I lived there long, long ago. But I never had wings. Well, now I have and they are fantastic!

Aji Amarillo Wings

Aji Pepper Flavor

Since I love chicken wings, I decided to cook up a batch and instead of saucing them with just a traditional Buffalo sauce, I made a variation that adds aji amarillo paste. The end result was just a bit spicy, with a fantastic fruity pepper flavor. For me, it’s important that wings taste good and not just bring the heat. I don’t seek out the hottest sauces. But I do seek out the tastiest. That’s why my wing journey will never end. There are always new flavors to discover. Like aji amarillo!

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Kick It Up More!

These were fantastic wings, and definitely a nice twist on the usual. If you like your wings to be a bit spicier, just add more of the aji amarillo paste. Since it’s not overwhelmingly hot you don’t have to worry about a-little-goes-a-long-ways. You can add quite a bit and still get great flavor without burning the roof of your mouth.

Viva Peru

For me, the perfect beverage to go with these wings is a super-cold glass of Inca Kola. Years after living in Peru, this is easily still my favorite soda of all time. I seek it out wherever I can find it. Or I order it only. It’s like a cross between bubble gum and Mountain Dew. Yeah, might sound odd but it’s super crazy tasty.

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Also try my adobo Buffalo wings!

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

Aji Amarillo Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Aji Amarillo Wings

These were fantastic wings, and definitely a nice twist on the usual.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spicy, wings
Servings: 6
Calories: 676kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

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

For the sauce

Instructions

For the wings

For the sauce

  • Whisk all ingredients until combined.

Notes

Store any leftover sauce in the fridge. Re-warm over medium heat before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 676kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 2678mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1187IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg

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

Sale
Buffalo Wild Wings Milder Variety Bundle: Parmesan...
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  • MIld Sauces
  • Made for wings and more
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Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings

It’s not like I hadn’t eaten in weeks. So only one thing can explain how quickly these oven-baked garlic Parmesan wings disappeared. And that’s that they were fantastic! I’d been on an air fryer and deep fryer wing binge for a while. It was time to change things up and go baked! And how glad am I that I did! Lightly crunchy chicken wings, with the perfect bite-thru skin and oh, flavor! So much flavor! Garlic, Parmesan and just the slightest bit of spiciness.

Baked wings can now sit on my plate right next to my grilled wings, deep-fried wings, and air-fried wings. They deserve to be upfront and center. They’re great too!

Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Super Tasty with the Right Crunch

I used a wire baking rack when I made these baked garlic Parmesan wings, but you can cook them directly on foil or parchment paper. And in fact, I think you’ll find cleanup to be a lot easier if you skip the rack. And make sure you shake off the excess butter. If the chicken wing skin gets super oily (from the butter) it won’t crisp as well. Not a big deal, but something you might want to keep in mind!

Ch-Ch-Charring

I usually put my baked wings under the broiler for a bit after they’re done cooking to brown them up a bit and give the skins a little crunch. I did not do that with these wings. You can do that if you want… BUT don’t do it if you are cooking the wings on parchment paper. You can only do it on a baking sheet (with a wire rack) or on foil. And even then, you have to keep an eye on them. The coating on these wings can burn fast.

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Dipping Sauce. Optional.

You can serve your wings with a dipping sauce on the side if you prefer. You know. Ranch. Blue cheese. Whatever you prefer. I have a number of dipping sauces you can make at home too. I wouldn’t use any sauce that would ‘fight’ the flavors of these wings, though. Use something more mellow.

I serve my side dipping sauces in condiment cups.

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Also try some homemade baked garlic and onion wings.

Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Make sure you shake off any excess butter after dipping the wings.
Inspired by a recipe from A Spicy Perspective
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked wings, garlic, Parmesan
Servings: 4
Calories: 726kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 450 F.
  • Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. You can also use a wire rack with foil underneath.
  • Place wings into a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl, combine corn starch, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder.
  • Pour the seasoning over the chicken wings and toss to coat.
  • Transfer the wings to your lined baking sheet. Spread them out so they do not touch.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Flip the wings and bake another 20 minutes.
  • Place the melted butter into a small bowl.
  • In another small bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the cheese, the Italian seasoning, red pepper and the remaining garlic powder.
  • Check the wings. They should be starting to brown and be lightly crispy on the edges. If not, bake them a bit longer.
  • Remove the wings from the oven. Working one at a time, using tongs, grab a wing and dunk it into the butter mixture. Flip to coat it well then shake off any excess. Transfer to the cheese mixture and roll to coat. Shake off the excess and return the wing to the baking sheet.
  • Bake another 5-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Serve wings sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

Notes

Use freshly-grated Parmesan for the best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 726kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Sodium: 1782mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 995IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 391mg | Iron: 3mg

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

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Duck Fat Air Fryer Wings

For a quick lunch, air fryer wings just can’t be beat. My extra-crispy version gets me nice and crunchy, delicious wings in less than 30 minutes. So could I improve on such a great thing? Well, turns out, 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. So why would I make them the ‘old’ way, when I can make this much tastier, much crispier version!

Duck Fat Air Fryer Wings

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. They don’t need to be dripping in the stuff. A light coating is all you need (and want).

I often find myself using a few variations on this approach to cooking wings. I’ll sometimes just spritz the wings with the duck fat spray. Then I’ll salt and pepper them and then cook them in the air fryer. 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. And if I want them ‘wet’, I’ll just toss them in my favorite sauce after they are cooked.

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Also try my duck fat Vortex wings.

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

Duck Fat Air Fryer Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Duck Fat Air Fryer Wings

It ain't cheap, but what duck fat does for air fryer wings is well worth it.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crispy, duck fat, wings
Servings: 1
Calories: 13kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 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.
  • Devour!

Notes

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

Nutrition

Calories: 13kcal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 9mg | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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

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Smoked and Fried Wings

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! When I’m serious about my wings, I put my head down and get to eating. Don’t expect me to say much. I might make sounds. Weird sounds. But I ain’t talking until I’m done!

Smoked and Fried Wings

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.

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Fry, Baby!

I love deep-fried wings. But it’s usually just me I’m cooking for. So there’s no reason for me to drag out my big deep-fryer that could easily cook for a crowd. No, this calls for my Fry Daddy. Perfect for one-to-four people’s-worth of wings. And it doesn’t use a lot of oil, that’s a major plus. It gets to temperature quickly and maintains it even when I add cold wings. It’s priced right too and lasts forever!

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Got an air fryer too? Also try some air fryer wings.

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

Smoked and Fried Wings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Smoked and Fried Wings

These are one of most dangerous things you could ever put in front of me.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: deep-fried, smoked, wings
Servings: 6
Calories: 503kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 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.
  • Let cool slightly. Serve tossed with your favorite sauce and your favorite dipping sauce on the side. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.
  • Optional: Toss the wings onto a hot grill for 1 minute after saucing them to set the sauce.

Notes

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

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Protein: 42g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 354mg | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

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

Sale
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