Chicken Wings Recipe
(8) Boneless or bone in. Choice of bacon jam, ginger chili, buffalo, blueberry BBQ or garlic-parmesan sauce. Side of homemade blue cheese dressing, carrots & celery
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Ingredients
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Wings
Sauces (choose one)
Blue Cheese Dressing
Garnish & Veg
Optional Bacon Jam (if making in-house)
Optional Ginger Chili Sauce (if making in-house)
Optional Buffalo Sauce (if making in-house)
Optional Blueberry BBQ Sauce (if making in-house)
Optional Garlic-Parmesan Sauce (if making in-house)
Method
Wings
- 1
Prepare and dry
Pat the 8 wings dry with paper towels. Remove excess moisture — this helps them crisp.
- 2
Season and coat
In a large bowl, toss wings with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp baking powder and 1 tbsp neutral oil until evenly coated. The baking powder raises pH and helps skin crisp; if using boneless, reduce baking powder to 1/2 tbsp.
- 3
Roast or fry
Oven method (recommended): Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 35–45 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C) and skin is crisp. For extra crisp, broil 2–3 minutes at the end, watching closely. Alternately, deep-fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes until golden and cooked through; drain on paper towels.
Sauces (choose one)
- 4
If using store-bought sauce
Warm your chosen 1/4 cup sauce in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes or in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds so it coats the wings easily.
- 5
Bacon jam (quick stovetop)
Cook 4 chopped bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Remove most fat, leaving ~1 tbsp. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and cook until soft, 3–4 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; simmer 2 minutes to combine. Chop mixture finely or pulse briefly in a food processor to a jammy consistency. Add 1/4 tsp black pepper. Use 1/4 cup for wings.
- 6
Ginger chili sauce (quick mix)
Combine 2 tsp red chili paste, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp honey in a small bowl. Warm slightly if desired. Use 1/4 cup for wings or scale as needed.
- 7
Buffalo sauce (quick emulsion)
Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1/2 tsp white vinegar and 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce until smooth and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Keep warm.
- 8
Blueberry BBQ sauce (quick simmer)
In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer and cook 6–8 minutes until blueberries burst and sauce thickens. Mash or pulse to smooth if desired; strain for a smoother sauce. Use 1/4 cup for wings.
- 9
- 10
Tossing wings in sauce
Place hot cooked wings in a clean large bowl. Pour ~1/4 cup warmed sauce over wings and toss gently until evenly coated. For heavier glaze (BBQ or bacon jam), return sauced wings to the baking sheet and roast 3–5 minutes at 400°F (200°C) to set the glaze.
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 11
Make dressing
In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream and 2 tbsp buttermilk until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust consistency with more buttermilk if needed. Chill at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
Garnish & Serve
- 12
- 13
Plate and serve
Place sauced wings on a platter with carrots, celery and a small bowl of blue cheese dressing for dipping. Provide extra sauce on the side. Serves 2–3 as an appetizer.