Crispy Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings (Print Version)

Golden, crispy chicken wings marinated in buttermilk and perfectly fried. Served with Buffalo, Thai sweet chili, or BBQ sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joints, wing tips removed

→ Marinade and Coating

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika
08 - 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
10 - 0.5 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ For Frying

12 - Sunflower or peanut oil for deep frying

→ Buffalo Sauce

13 - 0.33 cup hot sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1 teaspoon honey

→ Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

16 - 0.5 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
18 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce

→ BBQ Sauce

19 - 0.5 cup BBQ sauce

→ Garnish

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

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine chicken wings with buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 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, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Working in batches, dredge each wing thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres. Place coated wings on a wire rack and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
04 - Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer with sunflower or peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 350°F using a cooking thermometer to monitor temperature accurately.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place wings into hot oil and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon until golden brown and crispy throughout. Transfer fried wings to a wire rack set 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. BBQ sauce requires no preparation beyond using as is.
07 - Divide fried wings into three equal portions. Toss each portion with desired sauce or serve sauces on the side for individual dipping. Arrange wings on a serving platter, garnish with fresh chives or scallions, and serve alongside celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The buttermilk marinade keeps the meat juicy even when the coating gets shatteringly crisp.
  • Three sauce options mean everyone at the table gets exactly what they crave.
  • Double frying is optional, but once you try it you'll never go back to soggy wings.
  • These taste like the best bar food you've ever had, minus the wait and the noise.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pot or the temperature will drop and your wings will steam instead of fry.
  • Let the coated wings rest before frying or the coating will slide right off in the oil.
  • If you're making all three sauces, prep them before you start frying so the wings stay hot.
03 -
  • Pat the wings dry with paper towels after marinating for an even crispier crust.
  • Use a splatter screen if you're frying on the stovetop to keep your kitchen cleaner.
  • Invest in a good thermometer, guessing oil temperature is how you end up with greasy or burnt wings.
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