How to Make Chicken Wings

Co-authored by JoAnna Minneci

Last Updated: November 18, 2022

Chicken wings are a staple appetizer at any party, but they are also good enough to compose a main course. There are many ways you can prepare chicken wings. Read below to learn how to make chicken wings.

Ingredients

Basic Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings (serves 4)
Celery sticks
Blue cheese dressing
Wing sauce (store bought or homemade)
Breading (optional)

Optional Homemade Wing Sauce Ingredients

If you choose to make homemade "Honey Garlic Sauce" you will also need:

Honey
Garlic
Soy sauce.

If you choose to make homemade "Hot Sauce" you will also need:

Hot sauce
Salt
Garlic
Melted butter.

Optional "Breading" Ingredients

If you choose to use "Basic Breading" you will also need:

All purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

If you choose to use "Buffalo Breading" you will also need:

All purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika
Cayenne pepper

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Prepare your wings

1
Buy your wings. Plan on each guest eating 10-15 wings if main course, or 5-7 wings if served alongside other food as an appetizer. These instructions are for 2 pounds of wings, which should comfortably serve four people, but do not hesitate to multiply or divide the recipe to fit your guest's needs.
2
Thaw if needed. If frozen, thaw your chicken wings. You can thaw them by placing your chicken wings in the refrigerator overnight, or in a cold bowl of water on the kitchen counter for 4 hours.
- When you first take your wings out of the fridge, let them rest for 30 minutes before cooking them.
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3
Cut your wings. When thawed, use a sturdy knife or kitchen shears to cut the wing at each of the joints. This will result in three pieces. Discard the wings tip.
- Use sterile techniques. When handling raw chicken you need to be clean. Wash your hands after handling raw meat. Bleach your cutting and cooking surfaces when done to prevent cross contamination. Do not allow any produce (or any other food items) to come in contact with the raw chicken, or surfaces that have touched raw chicken.
- Alternatively, instead of discarding the wing tips, you can save them for making chicken stock.
4
(Optional) Marinate your wings. It is up to you, but many chiefs like the extra flavor that a good marinade can add to chicken wings. Common marinade sauces are "Honey Garlic Sauce" or "Hot Sauce", but feel free to try others. If you choose to marinade your wings. Place your chicken wings in a shallow container and submerge in your sauce of choice for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Recipe for "Honey Garlic Sauce", enough for 2 pounds of chicken: 3/4 cups honey, 1 gloves garlic, 3 tablespoons soy sauce. Combine and mix in small bowl.
  - If you want to also use this marinade recipes also for your wing sauce at the end, double the recipe. Doubled "Honey Garlic Sauce" Recipe for 2 pounds of chicken: 1.5 cups honey, 2 gloves garlic, 6 tablespoons soy sauce. Combine and mix in small bowl; and split, save half for later "Sauce your wings" step.
- Recipe for "Hot Sauce" Recipe, enough for 2 pounds of chicken: 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 clove garlic, 6 tablespoons melted butter. Combine and mix in small bowl.
  - If you want to also use this marinade recipes for your wing sauce at the end, double the recipes. Doubled "Hot Sauce" Recipe for 2 pounds of chicken: 1/2 cup hot sauce, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 clove garlic, 3/4 cup melted butter. Combine and mix in small bowl; and split, save half for later "Sauce your wings" step.
- Note: Do not sauce you chicken wings in the same sauce, in the "Sauce your wings" step, that you used for marinating. If you do choose to use the same type of sauce for both the marinating and final saucing, make sure you aliquot the sauce out ahead of time. You should never apply to cooked chicken any sauce that has come in contact with raw chicken.
5
(Optional) Bread your wings. It is a matter of personal taste whether you want to bread your wings. If you do choose to bread, below are two popular breading recipes.
- Recipe for "Basic Breading", enough for 2 pounds of wings: Sift 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl or plate. Remove your marinated wings from their sauce and dredge them in this flour mixture. Make sure to get both sides of your chicken wings, shake off the extra, and place on a new clean dish.
- Recipe for "Buffalo Breading", enough for 2 pounds of wings: Sift 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl or plate. Remove your marinated wings from their sauce and dredge them in this flour mixture. Make sure to get both sides of your chicken wings, shake off the extra, and place on a new clean dish.
- For optimal flavor, after breading allow your wings to sit for 1-2 hours in the fridge before cooking

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cook your wings

1
Cook your wings. You may either bake or fry your wings. But whatever your method, your chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) to be considered safe to eat. It is recommended that you use a meat thermometer to confirm this before serving.
- To fry: Fill your fryer or stock pot with vegetable oil and preheat it to 375 °F (191 °C). Place the wing pieces, away from you, slowly and carefully. Wearing long sleeves is advisable, as the oil is hot and will burn you. Cook your wings until they are lightly browned. Remove the wings from the cooking oil using a wire basket or tongs.
  - Do not overload your fryer. While cooking, you want your wings to move freely in the oil. To accomplish this you may need to fry your wings in two, or more, batches.
- To bake: Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Lay your wings, in a single layer, on a cookie sheet. Cook for 10 minutes, flip each wing, then bake another 15 minutes until lightly browned.
2
Drain wings. When done cooking, place wings briefly onto a plate lined with paper towels. Let some of the oil drain, but only briefly. Do not let your wings cool.
3
Sauce your wings. After only a few seconds rest on the paper towel, transfer your, still hot wings, to a large bowl. Once there, cover your wings with your sauce of choice. Stir to insure even coating.
- The sauce used to coat your wings may be pre-bottled store bought, or the above homemade "Honey Garlic Sauce" or "Hot Sauce" found in the "Marinade your wings" step. You also have the option of using other homemade favorites, such as the sauce recipe provided in How to Make Hot Wings Sauce. It is up to you.
- Health note: Do not use the same marinade mixture that the raw chicken soaked in. That sauce should be thrown out. Instead use the clean portion of "Honey Garlic Sauce" or "Hot Sauce" that you set aside.
4
Plate. Move your cooked, sauced wings to a serving dish or platter. Common accompaniment is celery sticks and bleu cheese dipping sauce or dressing.

Community Q&A

Question

Is 25 mins long enough to bake wings at 375?

Community Answer

Yes, but you should check with a meat thermometer to make sure they are cooked completely.
Question

Should I wash frozen chicken wings?

Community Answer

No. You don't have to wash the frozen wings.