Wings Recipe

Prep and dry

Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. Remove any excess skin or small feathers. Place wings in a large bowl or tray.

Season wings evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the baking powder over the wings and toss until each piece is lightly coated — baking powder helps crisp the skin during cooking.

Let the wings rest uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour if time allows. This helps dry the skin and improves crisping.

Heat the neutral oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, heat until oil shimmers and a small piece of bread browns in ~45 seconds. Work in batches so wings are not overcrowded.

Carefully add wings to the hot oil, skin-side down, and fry 6–8 minutes per side (12–16 minutes total) until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust time for size of wings. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer cooked wings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain; this keeps them crisp. Repeat with remaining wings.

Alternatively, for oven method: preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with foil and bake 40–45 minutes, flipping once halfway, until skin is crisp and internal temp is 165°F.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt unsalted butter. Once melted, whisk in the hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, garlic powder and salt until smooth and warmed through. Taste and adjust heat by adding a little more hot sauce for spicier or more butter for milder. Keep warm over very low heat.

Place freshly fried/baked wings in a large clean bowl, pour about three-quarters of the warm Buffalo sauce over them, and toss until evenly coated. Reserve some sauce for serving.

In a small bowl combine prepared ranch dressing, sour cream, hot sauce, chopped chives and black pepper. Mix until uniform. Taste and add more hot sauce for heat or a splash of milk to thin if desired. Keep chilled until serving.

In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic and Sriracha. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the honey.

Mix cornstarch with the tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook another 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion (reserve a little for garnish).

Place a portion of cooked wings in a clean bowl, pour the Asian Zing sauce over and toss to coat. Reserve extra sauce for serving.

Arrange wings on a large platter divided by sauce style (Buffalo Medium, Asian Zing) or serve mixed as desired. Offer Spicy Ranch on the side in small bowls. Garnish Asian wings with extra sesame seeds and green onion. Provide lemon wedges if desired.

Note on quantities: the recipe yields about 4 servings as an appetizer (approx. 8 wings per person). If serving a crowd or wanting multiple flavors per person, cook additional wings and set up sauce stations so guests can toss their preferred wings into Buffalo or Asian Zing and dip in Spicy Ranch.