I bought a big box of bottled wing sauces from Alliger’s House of Wings. Located in Sayre, PA, Alliger’s has some of the best bottled sauces I’ve ever had. I cannot get enough of them. The Cajun wing sauce is no exception. It’s a very unique combination of Louisiana-inspired spices. It’s not too hot, either. It has just the right spiciness and the perfectly different flavor. It’s different and very good.
Buffalo-Inspired Cajun Wings
My only complaint about House of Wings Cajun wing sauce is that I didn’t order enough of it. Like the rest of Alliger’s sauces, it’s vinegar based. Like a more traditional Buffalo wing sauce. There’s nothing mysterious about it, it’s just good and you always end up with a fantastic wing experience. Ok, so my other complaint is that I wish I lived closer to Sayre, Pennsylvania!
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!
These Shore Lunch Cajun style wings are right up my alley. The breading is out-of-this-world fantastic. Such a wonderful crunch and seasoned to absolute perfection. With a nice essence of Cajun flavor and spiciness. Not overpowering, but there. These wings are truly epic. I could eat these wings all day long! As much as I love air fried wings, or grilled wings, and even baked wings, deep-fried wings are my weakness! You can’t get any easier than these. Or better.
Eat ‘Em Naked
These Shore Lunch Cajun Style wings don’t require a dipping sauce. They’re great just as they are! But, if you are up for a dip or two, I recommend having a little cup of Buffalo wing sauce. You gotta be careful, though. You don’t want to hide the wonderful flavor of these wings. The breading is the star of this show. Don’t go ruining it by having a sauce fight with all of that wonderful Cajun flavor!
Oh man did these copycat Wingstop Cajun Wings ever hit the spot. I love Buffalo wings. You know, the classic flavors. These wings are like that but kicked up with Cajun seasoning. That’s where these wings took Buffalo wings from great to fantastic. I cannot wait for the next time I make a batch of these wings. I found myself craving them again the moment I finished them. As simple and as easy as they were to make, they are certainly one of my favorites!
Deep-Fried Greatness
These copycat Wingstop Cajun Wings are spot-on great. I made a small batch for my lunch the other day. Since it was just me I used my lil ole Fry Daddy fryer. It’s small but it more than does the job. It only takes 8-10 minutes to fry up a batch of delicious wings like these. And it uses only a few cups of oil, which is a big savings over hauling out my big restaurant-style fryer. Yeah that baby’ll cook a ton of wings but boy does it ever use a lot of oil!
Heat 3" of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 F.
Add the wings and fry 8-10 minutes or until they reach 165 F. Remove to a wire rack over a baking sheet or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
While the wings are cooking place all of the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted stir well to combine. Turn off the heat until ready to use.
A few weeks ago I made a beer-can chicken recipe that used a 50/50 combination of Cajun seasoning and Old Bay seasoning. I instantly fell in love with the combination. A little heat, a little sweet, cloves, allspice, paprika… just about all you could imagine. I knew right then and there that I wanted to use the same mix on chicken wings. And so my Cajun Bay chicken wings were born. And oh how good they were. I served them dry, not sauced. Just that great combination of Cajun and Old Bay seasonings, with a little Ranch dressing on the side for dipping. The flavor combination was fantastic, and one you will see here again soon.
One Deliciously Different Wing
Once the wings are cooked, you can dust them with more of the Cajun and Old Bay mix if you want even more pronounced flavors. I skipped it since my wife isn’t quite the fan of Old Bay as I am. She doesn’t like cloves or allspice so much. That’s one nice thing about this mix. You still get those flavors, but they are toned down a bit because of the addition of the Cajun seasoning.
If you want to add more seasoning to the wings after they are cooked make another batch using 1/2 tablespoon each of the Cajun and Old Bay seasonings. Sprinkle the cooked wings with the mix just before serving.
I like grabbing a breading box out of my pantry and making deep-fried wings. It’s easy. And luckily, there are several really tasty breading brands on the market. One of my favorites is Shore Lunch. And in particular, their Cajun-flavored breading. I know, the box says ‘fish breading’. You can ignore that. I did, and I used it to make some wings! Crunchy and flavorful, you’ll quickly realize that the box doesn’t have to say ‘chicken’ to be great for chicken!
Today, I wanted something with a bit more kick. So I ’embellished’ the breading and made some Shore Lunch Spicy Cajun Style wings. Same great flavor as the original, but with some heat. Oh yeah, these are my kind of easy wings!
No Sauce Required
These Shore Lunch Spicy Cajun Style wings don’t require a sauce. They’re great just as they are, right out of the deep fryer! But, if you’re craving a little sauce, a little something more, serve them with some Buffalo sauce on the side. Or your favorite dressing. But honestly, the wings are so good without it you won’t miss it if you just eat them ‘naked’.
I’ve been wanting to make these charcoal grilled crispy Cajun wings for a while. It’s not that I don’t make wings over charcoal often. I do. But I use a thing called a Vortex BBQ. It helps me get amazingly crispy skin using very high temperatures. That’s not what I’m doing here, though. I wanted to prove that I can make fantastically crunchy skin wings without my Vortex. And boy did I. These great wings take just a little effort, just a little time, and come out fantastic. And the sauce is nothing to sneeze at either! These are great tasting wings too!
It’s Super Easy
There are just two simple steps to making charcoal grilled crispy Cajun wings. First, you need to air dry the wings coated in seasoned baking powder (not baking soda) overnight in a fridge on a wire rack. This helps dry out the skin, making it easier to get it crispy later. And second, when it comes time to cook the wings, make sure you have a pile of super-hot coals on just one side of your grill. That leaves you a less hot zone, called indirect grilling, to cook your wings without worrying about burning them. The high heat circulates around the wings helps crisp up the skin. And of course charcoal adds such a great flavor that you just can’t get in an air fryer, deep fryer or oven!
Don’t Forget The Sauce
Sure, you can use any sauce you want on these wings. But you’ll want to keep that Cajun theme going and make a batch of the sauce below. It has a nice spicy kick to it with a great flavor that compliments the seasoned wings perfectly.
I do still highly recommend a Vortex BBQ. It’s not only great for wings but also ‘fried’ chicken, ribs and oh so much more!
Place the wings in a large bowl or resealable container.
Combine the baking powder and Cajun seasoning.
Sprinkle half of the seasoning mix over the wings. Using your hands, toss the wings to coat.
Add the remaining seasoning and repeat.
Transfer the wings to a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place in the fridge 12 hours or overnight to dry out the skin.
Load up the charcoal chimney about 3/4ths of the way with charcoal and light. Once the charcoal is all lit and lightly covered in ash, dump the coals into the grill along one side. This will create two zones: a hot direct heat zone over the coals and a cooler indirect heat zone for the wings.
Add the charcoal grate and close the grill. Open the top and bottoms vents all the way. Let the grill preheat for 5.
Place the wings on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid and turn so that the vent is above the wings.
Cook until the wings are lightly browned and crispy, usually 45 minutes. While the wings are cooking make the wing sauce.
You’re heard of Nashville hot chicken. Heck, you’ve probably had it plenty of times, just like me. And I’ve made a few batches of wings with Nashville hot sauce on them. There are a number of good bottled sauces out there, like the one from Buffalo Wild Wings. Well, move over Nashville! New Orleans hot wings are in the house! I took the same concept, battered fried chicken wings with a spicy paste, and Cajun-ized it! These wings bring the flavor, the crunch and just the right amount of heat.
Make ‘Em Hotter. Or Don’t.
You can make your New Orleans hot wings as hot and as Cajun as you want. Or tone it down a little, if that’s your thing. Add more hot sauce to make the sauce a little thinner and of course, a little hotter. The more seasoning, the more of that Cajun flavor and the thicker the paste is. It’s a fine line. You don’t want a thin sauce here but you also don’t want it so thick you can’t get it to stick to your wings.
You can use whatever hot sauce you prefer, but for me, this recipe screams Crystal hot sauce. It’s from Louisiana. Boom!
Mix buttermilk with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a large bowl.
Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat 3" of oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 F.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, paprika and remaining kosher salt.
Remove the wings from the buttermilk and drain. Do not pat dry.
Place wings in the flour mixture and toss to coat well.
Working in batches if needed, deep fry the wings 8-10 minutes or until they reach 165 F. Transfer to a wire rack over a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
I’ve apologized before for making chicken wings that crossed the line into fried chicken land. Well, no more. Fried wings are fried chicken. Yeah, the more coating there is the more they’re like grandma’s fried chicken. But you won’t confuse these easy buttermilk-battered Cajun wings with what your favorite nana makes.
A wonderful spicy kick
These wings have a little kick to them. Serve them with a side of spicy Buffalo wing sauce and you definitely won’t be yearning for a side of mashed potatoes and some green beans.
Get Naked
Quite honestly, these easy buttermilk-battered Cajun wings don’t need any kind of sauce. Just serve them right out of the deep-fryer. Ok, let them cool for a minute or two first but then get to eating! They’re packed with flavor and don’t need anything else.
I love chicken wings. Any flavor, any time, but in particular, I love wings with some kick. Not over-the-top, kick-me-in-the-gut hot, but just spicy enough to wake you up. These Cajun wings with dipping sauce bring the heat thanks to Louisiana hot sauce.
Great No Matter How You Cook Them
I prefer to cook my Cajun wings in my Char-Broil Big Easy oil-less fryer then finish them off on the grill to get a nice crunchy skin. But, they’re just as great cooked in the oven or on a grill. You can also deep fry them. These wings with dipping sauce are a delight no matter what you use to make them. The marinade really adds tremendous flavor to every bite, through and through and the cooling dipping sauce finishes it all off perfectly.
I have been using these sauce dipping cups more and more for my wing sauces. They’re the perfect size for wings. And chicken nuggets. And chicken tenders.
