How to Make Chicken Wings: Cooking Tips, Ingredients, Sauces & More

How to Make Chicken Wings

When it’s Game Day, the question isn’t “should I serve wings?” but rather “what kind of wings do I serve?” Whether they’re sweet or savory, baked or grilled, we have chicken wing recipes to please every hungry fan on the field. But before kickoff, let’s go over some basics, like how to make chicken wings and how to make buffalo sauce, so you can have winning flavor every time.

Ways to Cook Chicken Wings

No matter which method you’re using, you’ll want to prepare your wings the same way. Start by rinsing them, patting them dry, then tossing them in your desired spice blend or rub until evenly coated. Once the wings are seasoned, it’s time to get cooking. Whether you’re looking for information on how to cook chicken wings in the oven or tips for the tastiest fried wings, let’s go over some of the most common ways to whip up this fan favorite.

• Chicken wings in oven: This classic method is clean, simple and delicious. Give it a shot with Smoky Chicken Wings. Remember, how long to bake chicken wings will depend on the temperature of your oven. You should always continue cooking until the chicken wing’s temperature, at the thickest part, reaches 165°F.
• Fried chicken wings: Go with a traditional cooking method and fry up something special, like these Fried Chicken Wings with Chilies. Or skip the deep fryer and make use of your air fryer for the same crispy texture without the mess for these Air Fryer Sticky Asian Chicken Wings.
• Chicken wings on the grill: You can’t go wrong with the delicious flavor that only the grill can add. Whether tailgating out back or just looking to bring some outdoor energy to the table, grilled food is always a good play. We recommend something memorable, like these Grilled Peach Hot Wings.
• Chicken wings in the slow cooker: Slow and steady wins the flavor race. Level up your football food spread with something that’s fall-off-the-bone tender, like these Slow Cooker Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings.
• Chicken wings in the smoker: Give your wings an entirely new flavor profile by cooking them in your smoker. Try these Bourbon-brined Smoked Wings for a different kind of party wing.

Pro tip: For crispy, golden brown wings, try adding baking powder to the seasoning blend.

Chicken Wing Sauce Recipes

Though some chicken wing rubs are so good you don’t need anything else, you might still want to include some flavor-packed, finger-licking-good sauce. If you have a lot of mouths to feed, you might even want to include multiple options! Here are some of our nominees for MVS (Most Valuable Sauce):

• Buffalo sauce: 1 cup hot sauce, ½ cup butter, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, ½ teaspoon cayenne and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. In medium saucepan, combine ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook 5-7 minutes.
• Barbecue sauce: ⅔ cup ketchup, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper. In medium saucepan, combine ingredients. Bring to simmer. Cook 5 minutes.
• Garlic-Parmesan sauce: ¼ cup melted butter, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. In small mixing bowl, stir together ingredients until well combined.
• Honey-garlic sauce: 1 teaspoon olive oil, 5 cloves garlic (minced), ¼ cup water, ⅓ cup honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Cook garlic 1-2 minutes. Stir in water, honey, soy sauce and vinegar.
• Teriyaki sauce: 1 cup water, ¼ cup soy sauce, 5 teaspoons packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ cup cold water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch. In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger and garlic powder. Cook 1 minute, until heated through. In small cup, mix together cold water and cornstarch until dissolved. Stir into saucepan. Continue cooking and stirring 5-7 minutes.

Chicken Wing Recipes

Ready to go pro? To kick things up a notch, try one of these recipes and enjoy the juiciest, most flavorful wings in town—without leaving your home or ordering delivery. For those who are adventurous with their wing flavors, we’ve collected our favorite 7 unique chicken wing recipes, in one easy spot. To find more tailgating inspiration, check out these Game Day Party Ideas or stock up on snacks, beverages and other must-haves at our Game Day Shop.