Wings Recipe

Trim and season

Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Trim any excess skin and tips if desired. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt (1.5 tsp total) and black pepper (1/2 tsp), rubbing gently so seasoning adheres. Let rest 10 minutes at room temperature while you prepare coating.

Make coating mix

In a shallow bowl combine flour (1/2 cup), cornstarch (2 tbs), baking powder (1/2 tsp), paprika (1 tsp) and garlic powder (1/2 tsp). Mix well.

Coat the wings

Toss the seasoned wings in the coating mix until lightly and evenly coated. Shake off excess. For a lighter crust you can skip this step and simply bake or fry uncoated.

Frying method (crispiest)

Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot or fryer to 180°C (350°F). Fry wings in batches, skin side down first, 8–10 minutes per batch until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). Remove to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain and rest 3–5 minutes.

Oven-baked method (alternative)

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Place coated (or uncoated) wings on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Brush lightly with 2 tbs oil if uncoated. Bake 35–45 minutes, flipping once at 20–25 minutes, until skin is deep golden and internal temperature is 75°C (165°F).

General sauce warming

For each sauce you plan to use, warm the sauce in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl until just hot and fluid (about 1–2 minutes). For butter-based sauces melt 2–4 tbs unsalted butter then whisk in the chosen hot sauce, garlic, honey, hoisin or soy as called for by the flavor. Keep sauces warm on very low heat.

Example sauce formulas

Mild Buffalo: 1/2 cup hot sauce + 2 tbs melted butter (use less hot sauce for milder heat). Hot Buffalo: 1/2 cup hot sauce + 4 tbs melted butter. Honey Hot: 1/2 cup hot sauce + 1/4 cup honey + 2 tbs butter. Asian BBQ: 1/4 cup hoisin + 2 tbs soy sauce + 2 tbs honey + 1 clove minced garlic, warmed. Garlic Butter: 1/2 cup melted butter + 2 cloves minced garlic, gently cooked until fragrant. BBQ: 1/2 cup store-bought BBQ sauce warmed. Cajun: toss wings with 2 tbs Cajun dry rub and 1 tbs melted butter.

Toss wings in sauce

Place a single batch of hot wings in a large bowl. Pour 3–4 tbs (or more to coat) of the warmed sauce over the wings. Toss vigorously until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat for additional sauces so each batch of wings is evenly sauced and served immediately.

Arrange sauced wings on a platter with celery sticks. Sprinkle chopped parsley if using. Serve with ranch and blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping. Provide separate bowls if offering multiple flavors so guests can choose.