Chicken Wings Recipe

Prep

Pat wings dry with paper towels. If whole wings were purchased, cut off tips (reserve for stock) and separate drumettes from flats. Place wings in a large bowl.

Season wings evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.

Toss wings with baking powder until evenly coated. Baking powder helps crisp the skin when baked or shallow-fried.

Choose cooking method: oven-baked (healthier) or shallow-fry (crispier). Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) if baking, or heat 2 cups neutral oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C) if frying.

Oven method

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack, leaving small gaps. Bake 35–45 minutes, flipping once at 20–25 minutes, until skin is deep golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and skin is crisp.

Shallow-fry method

Carefully add wings to the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Fry 8–10 minutes per batch until golden-brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C). Transfer wings to a paper towel-lined tray to drain and rest 3 minutes.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine hot sauce and butter. Stir until butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Add honey (if using), apple cider vinegar and garlic powder; whisk for 30 seconds until combined. Remove from heat.

Place cooked wings in a large mixing bowl, pour buffalo sauce over them, and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately with celery, carrots and ranch or blue cheese.

Warm barbecue sauce with honey or brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat just until combined and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toss the cooked wings in the warm BBQ sauce until well coated. For a sticky glaze, place sauced wings under a broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully so sauce does not burn.

In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, grated ginger and minced garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors.

Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, then whisk into the simmering sauce. Cook 30–60 seconds more until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.

Toss cooked wings in the teriyaki glaze until evenly coated. Optionally, garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and gently cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, then immediately toss in grated Parmesan and chopped parsley to form a loose sauce.

Toss the hot cooked wings in the garlic-parmesan mixture so cheese adheres to the wings. Serve right away.

Arrange wings on a platter with celery and carrot sticks. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing on the side.

Notes: 'Naked' simply refers to plain seasoned wings (salt & pepper) with no sauce — serve as prepared after cooking.