Crispy Fried Chicken Wings (Printable view)

Golden crispy wings with choice of Buffalo, Thai sweet chili, or BBQ sauce. Restaurant-quality at home.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints with tips removed

→ Marinade and Coating

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
09 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ For Frying

12 - Sunflower or peanut oil for deep frying

→ Buffalo Sauce

13 - 1/3 cup hot sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1 teaspoon honey

→ Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

16 - 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
18 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional

→ BBQ Sauce

19 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

→ Garnish

20 - Fresh chives or scallions, sliced
21 - Celery sticks
22 - Blue cheese or ranch dressing

# How To Make:

01 - In a large bowl, combine chicken wings with buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder until fully combined.
03 - Remove marinated wings from refrigeration and allow excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each wing thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure the coating adheres properly. Arrange coated wings on a wire rack and allow to rest for 10 minutes before frying.
04 - Fill a deep fryer or large heavy-bottomed pot with sunflower or peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, using a thermometer to monitor temperature accurately.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place wings into hot oil. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked wings to a wire rack placed over paper towels to drain excess oil.
06 - For Buffalo sauce: whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and honey. For Thai sweet chili sauce: combine sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and fish sauce. For BBQ sauce: use as prepared. Keep all sauces at room temperature until ready to serve.
07 - Divide fried wings into portions according to desired sauce. Toss wings with chosen sauce or serve sauce on the side for dipping. Plate with fresh chives or scallions, celery sticks, and blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Crispier than any takeout, with a shatteringly crunchy coating that stays put even after saucing.
  • Three sauce options mean everyone at the table gets exactly what they crave without arguments.
  • Buttermilk marinade keeps the meat juicy no matter how golden you take the outside.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven, though there are rarely any left.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting step after coating, those 10 minutes let the flour hydrate and stick so your crust does not fall off mid fry.
  • Overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature fast, leading to soggy, greasy wings that never crisp up properly.
  • A thermometer is not optional, oil that is too cool makes them oily, too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks through.
03 -
  • Double frying at two temperatures gives you an unbeatable crust, fry low first to cook through, then high to shatter crisp the outside.
  • Pat wings completely dry before coating if you skip the buttermilk step, any moisture makes the flour gummy instead of crispy.
  • Toss wings in sauce in a big bowl with a lid, cover and shake, it coats evenly without breaking the crust.
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