Chicken Wings Recipe

Prepare wings

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. If not pre-split, remove wing tips and separate into drumettes and flats. Drying helps the coating stick and yields crisper skin.

Place wings in a large bowl. Add salt (1.5 tsp), ground black pepper (1 tsp), garlic powder (1 tsp), onion powder (1/2 tsp), soy sauce (2 tbs) and rice wine (1 tbs). Toss to coat thoroughly. If you want spicy wings, add the optional 2 tbs hot sauce to the marinade.

Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. For best texture, at least 30–60 minutes is sufficient; overnight will intensify flavor but may soften the skin slightly.

While wings marinate, combine the dry coating: in a large shallow bowl or tray mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp additional salt. Whisk to evenly distribute.

Set up a dredging station: place the dry mix in a wide bowl or tray. Optionally, for a thicker crust, you can dip each marinated wing briefly in a small amount of milk or beaten egg before coating, but this recipe works well with the marinade alone because of the cornstarch in the dry mix.

Remove wings from the refrigerator. Shake off excess marinade (do not dry completely). Dredge each wing in the dry mix, pressing lightly so the flour-cornstarch adheres. Place coated wings on a wire rack and let rest 10–15 minutes to help set the crust (this also helps crisping).

Pour oil into a deep pot or heavy-bottomed pan to a depth of about 5–7 cm (2–3 inches). Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of the dry mix: it should sizzle and rise to the surface gently.

Fry the wings in batches to avoid overcrowding. For medium-sized wings, fry for about 8–10 minutes per batch until golden brown and an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) is reached. Turn occasionally for even browning. Larger wings may need 10–12 minutes. Maintain oil temperature between 165–180°C (330–355°F) — lower temp will make them greasy, higher will brown too fast.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer fried wings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet so excess oil drains. For extra crispiness, you can double-fry: after the first fry, rest wings 5 minutes, then raise oil to 190°C (375°F) and fry 1–2 minutes more until extra-crispy and deeply golden.

Buffalo sauce (classic spicy)

In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 tbs butter with 4 tbs hot sauce over low heat, whisk until combined. Toss hot fried wings in the sauce to coat evenly. Serve immediately with celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired.

Honey-soy glaze

In a small pan over low heat, combine 2 tbs honey, 1 tbs soy sauce and 1 tsp minced garlic. Warm gently until slightly thickened (1–2 minutes). Toss wings in glaze until evenly coated. Garnish with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 tbs chopped scallions.

Or serve wings plain with dipping sauces on the side (sweet chili, barbecue, or mayonnaise-based dips).