Chicken Wings: Techniques, Sauces, and the Most Popular Flavors
Crispy chicken wings brined in buttermilk, dredged in seasoned flour, and cooked by deep-frying or air frying. Finished three ways: scratch BBQ, Buffalo with Frank’s RedHot, or Parmesan.
Equipment
- Equipment
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Air fryer
- Thermometer
- Wire rack
- Mixing bowls
- Tongs
Ingredients
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 lb chicken wings split, tips removed
Buttermilk Brine (All Wings)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
BBQ Flour Dredge
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Buffalo Flour Dredge
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Parmesan Flour Dredge
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Scratch BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup Frank’s RedHot Original
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
Parmesan Finish
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
Instructions
Instructions
Buttermilk Brine (All Wings)
- Whisk 2 cups buttermilk, 2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Add wings, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate 4–12 hours.
- Remove wings from brine and allow excess to drip off before dredging.
Dredging & Drying (Critical Step)
- Choose the flour dredge that matches your final flavor.
- Dredge wings thoroughly, pressing flour into the surface.
- The coating should absorb the buttermilk and cling tightly, appearing thick and damp—almost like wet cake batter, not dusty or dry.
- Arrange dredged wings on a wire rack and rest 10–15 minutes.
- During this time, the flour hydrates and sets.
- When ready to cook, the surface should feel tacky, not powdery.
Method 1: Deep-Fried Wings
- Heat oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry wings in batches 10–12 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack and rest 2–3 minutes before saucing.
Method 2: Air Fryer Wings
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (205°C).
- Lightly spray wings with oil.
- Air fry 22–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and cooked through.
Finish 1: Scratch BBQ Wings
- Combine all BBQ sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
- Simmer 10 minutes until glossy.
- Toss hot wings gently until coated.
Finish 2: Buffalo Wings (Frank’s RedHot)
- Whisk ½ cup Frank’s RedHot with 4 tablespoon melted butter.
- Toss wings while hot and serve immediately.
Finish 3: Parmesan Wings
- Toss hot wings with 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter.
- Sprinkle with ½ cup Parmesan and toss gently to coat.
Notes
Notes
Brining seasons the meat; resting after dredging builds crust
Dusty flour means the coating hasn’t hydrated yet
Sauce wings after cooking to preserve crispness
Storage
Best served immediately
Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days
Reheat uncovered in oven or air fryer
