Chicken Wings Recipe

Prepare and dry wings

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels — moisture prevents crisping. If wings are whole, separate into drumettes and flats and discard wing tips or reserve for stock.

Coat wings

In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, salt, pepper and 1 tbs neutral oil until evenly coated. The baking powder helps crisp the skin in the oven.

Bake until crispy

Arrange wings skin-side up on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing them so air can circulate. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 35–45 minutes, turning once halfway, until skin is deep golden and crisp and internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). For extra crispness, broil 2–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven and let rest 3 minutes.

Make buffalo sauce

While wings bake, combine hot sauce and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until butter melts and emulsifies, whisking constantly. Stir in white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and optional 1 tsp honey. Taste and adjust balance (more honey to tame heat or more vinegar for brightness). Keep warm until ready to toss.

Toss wings in sauce

Place a portion of cooked wings (about one-third if dividing sauces among portions) into a large bowl, pour enough warm buffalo sauce to coat (about 1/3 cup per 2/3 lb), and toss vigorously until evenly glazed. Serve immediately with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing. Garnish with chopped scallions if desired.

Make teriyaki base

In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar. Add grated ginger and minced garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 3–4 minutes.

Thicken sauce

Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens to a glaze consistency. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Taste and adjust (add a pinch of sugar or a splash of rice vinegar if needed). Keep warm.

Glaze wings

Toss another portion of baked wings in the teriyaki glaze until well coated. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped scallions over the top. Serve hot.

Mix honey mustard

Whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Season with black pepper. If sauce is too thick, thin with up to 1 tsp water to reach desired dipping consistency. Taste and adjust sweet-tangy balance.

Coat or serve

Toss the remaining baked wings in a light coating of honey mustard for a glazed finish (use less sauce so wings remain crisp) or serve the honey mustard as a dipping sauce alongside the wings.

Divide finished wings into three piles (buffalo, teriyaki, honey mustard) on a platter. Garnish the teriyaki wings with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve buffalo wings with celery sticks and ranch/blue cheese. Offer extra sauce on the side. Leftover sauces store in the refrigerator in sealed containers for up to 5 days.