How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken Wings At Home

An old favorite, fried chicken wings are crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Homemade fried chicken wings are always a hit, whether you’re having people over for a party or just want a tasty snack.

Ingredients Needed

To make crispy fried chicken wings you will need

• Chicken wings – Flats drumettes or a mix of both work well. You’ll need about 2-3 wings per person if serving as an appetizer.

• All-purpose flour helps coat the wings and makes them extra crispy when they’re fried. About 1 cup of flour coats 12 wings.

• Seasonings – For flavor, use a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper or other spices of your choice.

• Oil – For frying, peanut, vegetable or canola oil work best. You’ll need about 2-3 cups of oil.

• Sauce—Add your favorite wing sauce to the fried wings if you want to. Buffalo, barbecue or teriyaki sauce are all tasty options.

Prepping the Wings

Before frying, the chicken wings need a little prep:

• Wash the wings and pat them completely dry. Any moisture will prevent a crispy coating.

• Season the wings lightly with salt and pepper or other spices like garlic powder or cayenne.

• Allow the seasoned wings to rest for 15-30 minutes before breading. This helps the flavors penetrate.

• In a shallow dish, mix together the flour and any additional seasonings until well combined.

• Roll each wing in the flour mixture so that it is covered all over. Gently shake off any excess flour.

• Place the floured wings on a baking sheet in a single layer and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the coating stick better when frying.

Frying the Wings

When ready to fry, heat 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature.

• Working in batches, carefully add several wings to the hot oil without overcrowding the pot.

• Fry for 10-14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the coating is crispy and golden brown.

• Remove the fried wings to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

• Allow the oil to come back up to temperature before frying another batch.

• Repeat with any remaining wings, monitoring the oil temperature closely.

• Optional: For extra crispy wings, fry a second time at 375°F for 2-3 minutes.

Sauce and Serve

Once all the wings are fried, you can toss them in sauce or serve with sauce on the side:

• In a large bowl, add fried wings and up to 1/2 cup of wing sauce per batch.

• Gently toss the wings until evenly coated in the sauce.

• For a thicker coating, allow the sauced wings to sit 5 minutes before serving.

• Transfer wings to a platter and serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

Crispy fried chicken wings are hard to resist! With a few simple steps and ingredients, you can easily make restaurant-quality wings at home. Adjust the heat by adding more cayenne and spice up the flavor with different sauces. Enjoy this super snack for your next game day or party!

Tips for Extra Crispy Wings

Follow these tips and tricks for fried chicken wings with an ultra crispy crunch:

• Double dredge – Flour wings, refrigerate, then dredge again for a thicker crust.

• Use potato or corn starch – For an extra crispy coating, use starch instead of flour.

• Chill wings twice – Let wings rest in the fridge before and after breading.

• Fry at lower temp – Start around 325°F then increase heat for second fry.

• Let wings rest – Allow wings to drain on a rack after frying to crisp up.

• Don’t crowd pan – Fry in batches to maintain oil temperature.

• Second fry – Quickly fry again at 375°F to maximize crispness.

• Pat wings dry – Remove all moisture before breading for a crisper skin.

• Use wire rack – Allow wings to cool on a rack instead of paper towels.

• Monitor oil temp – Use a thermometer and adjust heat to maintain temperature.

• Blot with paper towels – Gently press wings to soak up excess oil after frying.

Oven-Baked Crispy Wings

If you want to avoid frying, you can still achieve crispy oven-baked chicken wings. Follow these steps:

• Pat wings dry, season, and coat with cornstarch instead of flour.

• Arrange wings on a lightly greased baking sheet in a single layer.

• Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Flip and bake 20 more minutes until browned and crispy.

• For extra crispiness, broil the wings for 2-3 minutes at the end.

• Toss the baked wings in your favorite sauce as usual and enjoy! The cornstarch gives them an extra crunch.

Baking won’t produce the same level of crispiness as frying, but the wings will still have a delicious, oven-roasted flavor. The high heat helps drive moisture out of the skin and makes it nice and crispy.

Alternative Cooking Methods

In addition to oven baking, you can also cook wings using these methods:

• Grill – Get smoky flavor by cooking wings over indirect grill heat turning occasionally until crisped.

• Air Fry – Cook wings in an air fryer at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, shaking basket halfway.

• Broil – For fast crisping, broil wings 4-5 inches from heat, flipping once, until browned.

• Instant Pot – Pressure cook wings for 8 mins then broil or air fry to crisp skin.

While oven baking, grilling or air frying may not get wings quite as crispy as deep frying, they are still tasty options that don’t require all the oil. Experiment to see which method you prefer best!

Choosing the Right Oil

To achieve maximum crispiness when frying, it’s important to use an oil with a high smoke point. Good oil options include:

• Vegetable Oil – A neutral-flavored oil with a smoke point of 450°F. A budget-friendly choice.

• Canola Oil – With a smoke point of 400°F, this versatile oil is perfect for deep frying.

• Peanut Oil – This oil can withstand temps up to 450°F making it ideal for frying chicken wings.

• Avocado Oil – A heart-healthy oil with a very high 500°F smoke point. Great for frying.

• Grapeseed Oil – A clean, light oil good for frying with a smoke point of 420°F.

Avoid using olive oil or butter for frying chicken wings, as they have much lower smoke points and can burn. Stick to high heat oils only.

Monitor the oil temperature with a deep fry or candy thermometer throughout cooking. Maintaining the proper temperature is key to crispy wings with an evenly browned exterior.

Best Sauces for Chicken Wings

After frying or baking, toss chicken wings in your favorite sauce. Here are some top sauces to consider:

• Buffalo – The classic cayenne pepper hot sauce for wings. Range from mild to extra spicy.

• BBQ – Sweet, tangy and sticky. Great flavors are honey BBQ or bourbon BBQ.

• Teriyaki – For Asian-inspired wings, use a salty-sweet teriyaki glaze.

• Garlic Parmesan – A rich, savory blend of garlic, Parmesan and melted butter.

• Spicy Garlic – Amp up the flavor with garlic and chili sauce or sriracha.

• Jamaican Jerk – Wings coated in a spicy and aromatic Caribbean jerk sauce.

• Honey Mustard – Sweet honey and tangy mustard makes a delicious combo.

There are so many sauces that pair well with fried chicken wings. Use your favorites or get creative and whip up your own signature sauce!

Serving Fried Chicken Wings

Crispy fried wings deserve great accompaniments. Serve them with:

• Celery sticks – The classic crunchy veggie for scooping up extra sauce.

• Carrot sticks – Another tasty dipper option.

• Ranch or blue cheese dressing – For dipping wings straight in or drizzling over celery.

• Crudités – An assortment of raw veggies like cucumber, bell peppers, etc.

• Fries or tots – Crispy potatoes complement juicy wings well.

• Coleslaw – Cool, creamy cabbage slaw helps balance spicy heat.

• Dips – Offer extras like hummus, spinach dip or cheese sauce.

• Bread – Warm rolls or buttery biscuits for pulling apart and dipping.

Get creative with fun dippers, sides and extras to make your wings feast even more flavorful. Don’t forget napkins – wings get messy!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Have leftover wings after serving a crowd? Here are some storage tips:

• Allow wings to cool completely before storing.

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

• Freeze breaded raw wings for up to 3 months before frying.

• Freeze cooked wings for up to 4 months.

To reheat crispy fried wings, bake in a 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. You can also re-fry them for 2-3 minutes at 350°F to restore crispiness. Microwaving will make them soggy.

With the right techniques, ingredients and a little practice, you can make insanely delicious fried chicken wings at home. Adjust spices, try new sauces and get ready to enjoy this crispy, crowd-pleasing appetizer anytime!