Crispy Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings (Printable)

Perfectly seasoned, golden-fried wings with your choice of Buffalo, Thai sweet chili, or BBQ sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joint, wing 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 1/2 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 fresh lime juice
18 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional

→ BBQ Sauce

19 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, toss chicken wings with buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution of leavening agent.
03 - Remove wings from marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drain off. Dredge each wing thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres properly. Arrange coated wings on a wire rack and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
04 - Fill a large heavy pot or deep fryer with sunflower or peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 350°F using a reliable thermometer.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry wings for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack positioned over paper towels.
06 - For Buffalo sauce: whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and honey. For Thai sauce: combine sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and fish sauce if using. For BBQ sauce: use your preferred variety as prepared.
07 - Divide fried wings into three portions. Toss each group with desired sauce or serve sauces on the side for dipping. Garnish with sliced chives or scallions and serve alongside celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the chicken juicy while the cornstarch in the coating delivers that shatteringly crisp texture you only get at good wing joints.
  • Three different sauces mean everyone gets their favorite, and you look like you planned a whole wing bar without the stress.
  • These reheat beautifully in the oven, so leftovers (if there are any) taste nearly as good the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after coating, I learned this the hard way when my first batch lost half its breading in the oil.
  • Frying in small batches keeps the oil temperature steady, which is the difference between crispy wings and greasy ones.
  • If your oil smokes before it hits temperature, it's too hot and will burn the outside before the inside cooks through.
03 -
  • Pat the wings dry after marinating and before coating, excess moisture makes the breading clump and fall off.
  • Keep a spider strainer or slotted spoon nearby to fish out any stray bits of coating from the oil, burnt flour ruins the taste of the next batch.
  • Invest in a good thermometer, it's the one tool that turned my frying from hit-or-miss to consistent every time.
Go Back