Absolute Best Tests

The Absolute Best Way to Make Buffalo Wings, According to So Many Tests

Who will win the crispiest of them all?

January 20, 2022
Photo by Rocky Luten. Prop Stylist: Alya Hameedi. Food Stylist: Anna Billingskog.

The world's largest chicken wing hangs from a hook outside of a Hooters in Madeira Beach, Florida. According to a blog post published by national chain restaurant Wings & Rings, the wing weighs half a ton and hangs from a 14-foot-tall crossbeam, over three buckets of hot sauce.

It is a replica of a drumette made from plastic, and when I called the establishment to inquire about why, the woman who answered the phone said simply, “It’s just a gimmick, a joke.”

I suppose I’d been hoping for more. The colossal drumette caught my eye because it captures something about the humble wing I’ve always felt quite deeply—that while it may be the smallest unit of a chicken carcass, it has the biggest range.

Wings can be enjoyed in endless permutations. There is of course the Buffalo wing. But there are also battered and deep-fried wings, like the ones served at New York City’s Bar Goto, which come with a crunchy coating, brushed with a miso glaze. There are barbecued wings, like the standout specimens at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. There are wings stewed or braised in all sorts of savory elixirs. There are wings low-cooked in a different animal’s fat.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:
“I am a big fan of air frying my chicken wings in part because they come out super crispy, but also because it’s a bit healthier than frying them in oil. I’d be curious to try mixing the braising method with the air frier method and finishing them off in the air fryer rather than pan frying them. I think I’ll give it a shot before super bowl. ”
— Caitiepies
Comment

Wings have so much to offer. Their skin-to-meat ratio is unbeatable. A single one is a perfect handheld two-bite snack. The bones from several dozen consumed in haste make for an excellent stock. And they are a sort of hybrid between white and dark meat, which feels like a win for anyone who claims to have a preference.

So, yeah. I guess when I called the Hooters in Florida to ask why they had a half-ton drumette hanging in front of their entrance, I hoped the woman who answered the phone would say all that.


Controls

I used the same size of wings for each trial, and tested both flats (aka wingettes) and drumettes for every method. All were chicken, and none were made of plastic or “a gimmick” or “a joke.” I adapted techniques from a variety of sources (linked below), but to make the flavor profiles consistent, I tossed all wings with the sauce from Minimalist Buffalo Chicken Wings: a blend of butter, relatively mild hot sauce (I used Louisiana Hot Sauce and it was fantastic), sherry vinegar, and garlic.


Methods & Findings

Baked

Adapted from Bon Appétit.

2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. Pat dry the wings with clean kitchen towels. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Set 2 wire racks inside 2 large rimmed baking sheets if you have them—if not, just grab 2 large rimmed baking sheets. (The racks will increase crispiness.)
  3. Toss the wings, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to coat. Divide the wings between the prepared racks and spread out in a single layer. Bake until cooked through and the skin is golden and crispy, 40 to 50 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, melted butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much). Toss the wings in the prepared sauce.

The high point of the Baked wings was juicy meat right after they were removed from the oven. The wings shrunk less than some of the other especially crispy batches, and that retained moisture was definitely perceptible. They did however dry out relatively quickly, probably 20 minutes after they came out of the oven. And while they were somewhat crispy, with an even, golden exterior, they weren’t quite as browned as the Air Fried or Deep-Fried or Broiled batches. The sauce coated them beautifully, like a velvet blanket over a strip of velvet.

Broiled

Adapted from Food52.

2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. Pat dry the wings dry with clean kitchen towels. Toss the wings with oil to keep them from sticking. Add the salt and pepper and toss again. Spread them on a sheet pan, leaving at least an inch of space between each wing.
  2. Heat the broiler with a rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame. Broil until the wings are evenly browned and crisp, flipping them midway through. This should take 20 to 25 minutes total, but will depend on the strength of your broiler, so peek often!
  3. While the wings cook, in a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much).
  4. When the wings are browned and crisp, add them to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Return the wings to the pan, leaving the excess sauce in the bowl, and broil for a few minutes until sizzling and nicely browned on both sides, flipping once.

While the Broiled wings did get quite crispy in some spots—and more quickly than with the Baked or Air Fried techniques—it should be noted that the method caused my kitchen to become incredibly smoky. Even after I battened down the hatches (put on my glasses, opened all the windows, shut the door to my bedroom), my eyes watered so profusely when I briefly waded into the kitchen to flip them that afterward, I continued sobbing because the hard part (starting) had already been done for me.

Anyway!!! The wings were okay. The spots that browned on the skin were extremely crispy, but the browning was erratic. The meat of the wings was pretty juicy, maybe a touch more succulent than the Baked batch and a touch less succulent than the Deep-Fried batch. Throwing the sauce back under the broiler did make for a delicious, caramelized coating, and I would definitely turn to this method again if I were in a rush, because it was the least fussy.

Deep-Fried

Adapted from Food52.

1 cup Wondra flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
Neutral oil, as needed for frying
⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. In a large bowl, whisk Wondra flour, salt, and pepper to combine. Dredge the chicken wings in the flour mixture.
  2. Pat dry the wings dry with clean kitchen towels. Heat roughly 5 inches of oil in a deep Dutch oven or deep-fryer until it registers about 350°F on an instant-read thermometer. (Or do the wooden spoon trick: Stick the handle into the oil, and if little bubbles immediately form around it, you’re good to go.)
  3. Fry the chicken wings, in batches if necessary, about 6 minutes each, until just cooked through. Remove to a wire rack to drain and cool. Then, re-fry the wings until crispy and golden brown, about another 5 or so minutes. Drain again.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much). Dredge or brush on, or toss the wings in the sauce to serve.

These Deep-Fried wings were wan and anemic-looking after the first fry, so I was pleased when they turned fairly golden after their second dip into the oil. They were delicious even before they were sauced, thanks to their seasoned coating—though, if I weren’t conducting head-to-head tests, I would have definitely added extra spice and flavor to the flour dredge. I was a little disappointed by the resulting crust, and think experimenting with a dry-wet situation or a batter might make sense next time, because for all the work of deep-frying, the flour dredge didn’t produce all that much more substantial a crisp-layer than the air fryer or oven or broiler. The meat was fairly tender, though I think I overcooked them in an effort to achieve a golden exterior, which again could be mitigated by a thicker batter providing more insulation.

Grilled

Adapted from Food52.

⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  1. Prepare a charcoal grill with a medium-high fire. While the grill heats, in a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, melted butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much).
  2. Pat dry the wings with clean kitchen towels. Toss the wings with oil to keep them from sticking. Add the salt and pepper and toss again.
  3. Grill the wings over direct heat, flipping and rotating as needed for even cooking, until nicely charred on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Move the chicken pieces to indirect heat, close the grill, and continue to cook, turning often (and closing the grill lid in between), until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Place the hot wings in the bowl with the sauce and toss vigorously until well coated, then serve immediately.

The thing about any Grilled trial in an Absolute Best Test is that it always spawns the same observation: There’s no way to otherwise replicate that charred flavor in a natural, delicious way.* The same was true for these chicken wings. Other than that, their meat was a pinch drier than some of the other methods, and their skin got crispy in spots but began to blacken in others before it could become consistently golden. The charred flavor complemented the sauce especially well.

*Do NOT try me today in the comments section about liquid smoke.

Air-Fried

Adapted from Food52.

2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
⅓ cup relatively mild hot sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. Turn the air fryer to its highest temperature (with the model I used, this was 400°F).
  2. Pat dry the wings with clean kitchen towels. Toss the wings with oil to keep them from sticking. Add the salt and pepper and toss again.
  3. Add the wings to the basket of your air fryer, tossing it once midway through to keep the wings from sticking. Cook for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and shatteringly crispy.
  4. While the wings cook, in a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste (you won’t need much).
  5. Place the crispy wings in the bowl with the sauce and toss vigorously until well coated.

I have talked a lot of shit about air fryers in this column over the years, and I am thrilled to say that I spoke too soon. There is an excellent use for the air fryer, and it’s chicken wings. Not only was the prep time the shortest of any method—my cheap air fryer, proffered in a rush from Amazon, took some two minutes—but the clean-up was de minimis, and the Air Fried wings were by far the crispest and the most consistently browned of any batch. Not that the meat suffered, either. While they appeared visually more shrunken than the Baked batch, they were only very slightly less juicy—like an indiscernible amount less juicy to a drunk person watching a football game. And the skin! It was so blistered and crispy, it was detached from the meat like an exoskeleton, and when I bit into it, flakes flew into the air.

Seared

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. Pat dry the wings with clean kitchen towels. Toss the wings with 1 tablespoon of oil to keep them from sticking. Add the salt and pepper and toss again.
  2. In a very large nonstick skillet, cast-iron skillet, or a wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and cook over moderate heat until shimmering. Add the chicken wings and cook, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook about another 8 to 10 minutes. If things get too dry, add another splash of oil.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much).
  4. When the wings are cooked through, place the hot wings in the bowl with the sauce and toss vigorously until well coated, then serve immediately.

Skip the sear, if you can help it. Caveat: I am sure if there was a sauce reducing in the pan while they were cooking, the results would’ve been delicious. But to simply flip wings in a hot oiled pan over and over until they’re cooked through produces drier meat than other methods, because the lack of a consistent or immersive heat source (i.e., sans the surround sound of an oven, or pot of hot oil, or closed grill) means you’re basically cooking them a little at a time, most similar to the Grilled batch (which was also on the drier side) but without the added char flavor.

Braised & Fried

Adapted from The New York Times.

¾ cup rice vinegar
¾ cup soy sauce
6 to 8 cloves garlic, crushed
¾ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
¼ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sauce as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sauce as needed
⅓ cup hot sauce
¼ cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic

  1. In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns. Stir in 1¼ cups of water. Add the chicken wings and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Cover the pan, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the wings are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the braising liquid and set aside on a rack to drain and dry.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the oil, add the wings, and fry until golden brown.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (you won’t need much).
  5. Toss the wings in the sauce.

These wings were top-notch. The braising liquid imbued the meat with more flavor than any other method, and the stovetop fry after they were already cooked through, just to crisp the skin, worked wonders (and didn’t dry the meat out as I’d feared after the Seared batch, because it had extra moisture from the braising liquid). The tangy, savory liquid was so delicious, I did literally sip it like a consommé while the wings were crisping, and then I used it as the base of a chicken stock once all my trials were done, with extraordinary results.


The Absolute Best Way to Cook Chicken Wings

  • For the most delicious wings, Braise then Fry
  • For the most efficient wings, Broil
  • For the crispiest and most consistently golden wings, Air Fry
  • For the juiciest wings, Deep-Fry (but consider battering first)
  • For the world’s largest wing, go to the Hooters in Madeira Beach, Florida
Order Now

The Dynamite Chicken cookbook is here! Get ready for 60 brand-new ways to love your favorite bird. Inside this clever collection by Food52 and chef Tyler Kord, you'll find everything from lightning-quick weeknight dinners to the coziest of comfort foods.

Order Now

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Seana
    Seana
  • les corry
    les corry
  • Chris Vaughn
    Chris Vaughn
  • Frank
    Frank
  • Chas373
    Chas373
Ella Quittner

Written by: Ella Quittner

Ella Quittner is a contributing writer and the Absolute Best Tests columnist at Food52. She covers food, travel, wellness, lifestyle, home, novelty snacks, and internet-famous sandwiches. You can follow her on Instagram @equittner, or Twitter at @ellaquittner. She also develops recipes for Food52, and has a soft spot for all pasta, anything spicy, and salty chocolate things.

41 Comments

Seana February 3, 2023
I dry brine the wings in salt & pepper overnight before air frying. This results in flavorful , juicy wings with shatteringly crisp skin. Just toss in the sauce of your choice. (Usually Franks Red Hot mixed with melted butter and a smidge of agave syrup or honey. )
 
les C. February 2, 2023
Hey Ella is there some reason you didn't use baking soda in the recipes? Its amazing for crisping up that skin.Works particularly well in the air fryer & baked version`s.
 
Chris V. February 2, 2023
An entire article on Buffalo wings,... and not only did the deep fried recipe included a flour dredge (sacrilege), but the sauce was ANYTHING other than simply butter and Frank's (sacrileggggge).

Le sigh. These all sound delicious, but at least acknowledge the original.
 
Frank February 2, 2023
Sous vide 2.5 hours at 160F. Let cool in the sealed sous vide bag and refrigerate until ready. Sear in batches in a cast iron with just a little oil to crisp the skin and heat the wing through. The meat just melts off the bone!
 
Granny S. February 2, 2023
Wow! I would have never thought that! Sous vide is not sopI would think of (bc it’s time-consuming) but thank you for sharing! I will try that!
 
les C. February 2, 2023
I love using my sous vide,but some things are not meant to be.Sorry no sous vide wings here.Water is the enemy of crisping and browning and with sous vide to much water in that skin.
 
Chas373 February 2, 2023
I have what is close to if not exactly the original Buffalo Wings recipe from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo NY. At least according to Craig Claiborne (NYT Food critic) in the 1980's NYT Sunday Mag article. I have made these wings numerous times to rave reviews saying they are the best wings they have ever had. Claiborne gives credit to a Janice Okun who was the food editor of the Buffalo Evening News, she approximated the recipe as the Anchor bar will never give out their recipe. Claiborne, who had the wings at the Anchor and spoke extensively to the owner, confirmed this was exactly as the Anchor's tasted. It calls for 4 lbs of wings cooked in batches in 4 cups of Peanut, Vegetable or Corn oil, for 10 minutes till golden brown. (So they are not cremated in the oil) Drain them well then toss in a large pot over the heat with 4 Tbsp of butter and one 2 1/2 oz sized bottle of Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce. Also 1 Tbsp white vinegar. I decided after the first taste of the sauce that it needed a bit of something more and so I added to all that a generous amount of Tabasco Brand Sauce and that absolutely did the trick. As far as the Blue Cheese Dressing Claiborne listed a from scratch recipe for it which also got as many compliments as the wings themselves. It included mayonnaise, Italian parsley, chopped, minced onion, minced garlic, sour cream, lemon juice, white vinegar, blue cheese, crumbled, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. He even gives a recipe for the mayonnaise, which I did not bother with and just used Hellman's. I have eaten wings in many places over the years and I have yet to find any of them to equal this one. No flour or breading or batter. They are not necessary. These make fairly spicy chicken wings that most people can enjoy, but should you want to make a really fiery hot version, sprinkling some (a little) Habanero powder over the wings while tossing will do the trick; without adding more sauce or they would become too vinegary. Not too much or almost no one will be able to eat them.
 
2tattered February 2, 2023
That blue cheese dressing recipe has been my go-to for the last 30 years. It is *the* best.
 
Chas373 February 2, 2023
It is! I have had people ask for the recipe and of course I freely share it and the amounts as well. I would have listed the amounts and directions here but i'm not sure of the code of conduct.
 
LadyRandee December 2, 2022
Ok. So I make my wings by 1st frying them in a skillet, (dipped in yellow mustard and rolled in seasoned flour), and then pouring my buffalo sauce over them and baking or air frying for about 10mins. Done it that way for years and have never had any complaints! Lots of raves! I love them and I don't usually care much for any kind of chicken! Just putting my 2 cents in because you didn't try it this way...but to each his own! Very good article!
 
awhollingsworth February 14, 2022
ok - so I did braise then air fry and they were tasty - i am curious about the soup you made from the braising liquid, because it does smell delicious and i hate to waste it...
 
equittner February 28, 2022
I added some kale, shredded chicken, and birds eye chilis :)
 
equittner February 28, 2022
(After straining and cooking down until concentrated and delicious)
 
marydtoombs February 14, 2022
I’m impressed with the braise then fry technique though I somehow thought it was going to be a deep fry so had to read and reread to understand it’s a shallow pan-fry. Spelling that out in the recipe or title would be helpful. My wings were pretty small so some were a bit dry but overall a solid method! Turned out crispy and flavorful!
 
Granny S. February 5, 2022
I have deep fried chicken wings also and they turned out great! I think she didn't have her oil hot enough (should have been at least 360 F) and that was the factor in her frying so long. It is messy, however. I have a Convection Oven that bakes chicken wings super crisp and I can do a lot at once, unlike an Air Fryer (basically a small convection oven). If her wings weren't seasoned properly (in her opinion) then just add more seasoning next time just IMO....
 
Liz February 4, 2022
I love the way you write!! And I'm never ever using liquid smoke. Bahaha!
 
Deleted A. February 4, 2022
I sometimes add a touch of liquid smoke to my wing sauce, never to the wings themselves, just to mix things up a bit. There are many different types of liquid smoke, it is just a matter of finding the one that works for you.
 
Joemama February 4, 2022
Has anyone ever tried to sous vide and then fry, either in oil or in an air fryer? Seems like the braise and fry method would be closest instructions to follow. I might try some day and see what happens.
 
Deleted A. February 4, 2022
That would be an awful lot of work just to cook a batch of wings, and it would not exactly be very efficient time wise either. There is no real reason to double cook wings, in any case. Deep-frying them is extremely quick, and baking them is just as easy. Baking them in a convection oven is basically the same as air frying them.
 
leslie February 4, 2022
Convection and air fryer yield completely different results. My air fryer leaves the wings super crispy and most. On convection mode in the oven, they dry out. I am going to try the baking powder method tomorrow in the air fryer. The way I do them with the beer brine, you want to eat them naked. My husband won't eat any breaded wings now because of the beer brined air fryer wings I have been making.
 
Deleted A. February 4, 2022
An 'air fryer' IS a convection oven. If you find them drying out in a convection oven, lower the temperature. You should always drop your temp from 25 to 50° when compared to a non convection oven, and check your food more often because they may cook quicker as well. It also depends on what kind of convection oven you have, a convection oven in a conventional range, or a counter top 'toaster oven' type. Some of those have the fan in the top, whereas a regular, range oven will have the fan in the back of the oven. And some range style ovens are not true convection and have no heating element around the fan, only using the regular top and bottom elements to heat the stove.

It all depends on what you are cooking in, and the only way to get the best results in your kitchen is trial and error. If your air fryer gives you great quality wings, I'd stick with that!

As for breaded wings, or any kind of coating, I've never been able to eat those. Wings should be just wings, possibly with some spices sprinkled on, and your sauce of choice. No breading or flour coating. :)
 
cpsullivan1 February 8, 2022
I’ve done it with good results but it is time intensive, though not active time. The key is to dry out overnight to 24 hours in the fridge before breading and frying otherwise batter doesn’t stick. Then when you fry all you’re doing is crisping the batter so it’s super quick.

Same technique with pickle brined boneless thighs gives a chick fil a like sandwich fyi
 
Janet M. February 4, 2022
What a fun article. I've always done mine the "traditional" way, ie, according to a recipe I found at least 45 years ago. That was to deep fry them naked--as long as they go into the oil dry, and aren't overcrowded, they come out crisp. How moist they are depends on the size, so medium to large are the juiciest. Hot oil sears the surfaces to keep them crispy without absorbing oil--then a very brief simmer in plenty of sauce, which at that time was just hot sauce and butter. We still prefer Buffalo style to any of the now popular sauces. Sorry, but barbecue or teriyaki sauces just don't ring our wing bells. Since the hot sauce was both salty and vinegary enough, I never added extra. I'm going to try both Barcham's method and the Braise then Fry, although that sounds like some extra work and time, while the overnight air dry is not much extra trouble.
 
Deleted A. February 4, 2022
You can save some time if you dry the wings using paper towels as much as possible, then toss them with the baking powder. Then you can bake them immediately if you wish, without bothering to wait to air dry them, or let them dry for an hour or so while you prep your sauce or chop some carrot and celery sticks to have on the side with your favourite dip. I probably make them more often like that than by air drying overnight, because I usually just forget to prep them the evening before. LOL
 
Laraine V. February 4, 2022
I just want to say that the article's analysis and the subsequent comments have provided an outstanding knowledge base for cooking chicken wings. Thanks to all.
 
Deleted A. February 3, 2022
This article made me crack up when I read that you expected to get some kind of esoteric response about wings from a girl who works at Hooters. HOOTERS! Trust me, she was not hired for her great insights into the wonders of chicken wings. LOLOL

The best way to make wings is to toss them with about 1 tablespoon of aluminum free baking powder, NOT baking soda, per pound of wings, arrange the wings on a rack in the fridge and allow them to air dry overnight, or at least for a few hrs before baking. Do not use any oil or sauce on the wings. You can toss them in your favourite spice mix if you wish before baking in a 425° F oven, flipping every 15 minutes or so, until they are cooked. This will give you beautiful, crispy wings with lots of grooves and crevices to hold whatever sauce you want to toss them in.

This kind of preparation works great whether baking on a sheet pan, a rack over a sheet pan, or on parchment paper, especially in a convection oven. Works great in an air fryer as well, which is basically a mini convection oven. I would not toss them in a deep fryer, however.

This is a method I found on America's Test Kitchen years ago, and it is the only way I have cooked wings since then. Nothing else comes close to the crispiness of these wings.
 
Janet February 2, 2023
I literally grew up in the South eating deep fried wings and fried chicken (they used to be cheap, def not trendy) and tried the baking powder/spices method a few months ago.
Fantastic method, very crispy moist result!
FYI - I never, ever order wings out. IMO a trendy dish for people that don't know good wings with more $$ than good sense.
 
Lisa L. February 3, 2022
Actually, the best, crispiest wings I have ever had came from a recipe from a friend. Preheat oven to 450. Dry wings. Dredge/toss to completely cover in a mixture of non aluminum baking powder, salt and cayenne (for every tablespoon baking powder: 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cayenne) Arrange (not touching) on parchment covered baking pans. Bake 20 min, turn over, bake 20/25 more. Toss promptly in desired wing sauce. 😉
 
Deleted A. February 3, 2022
Same thing I just posted. That originated on America's Test Kitchen a few years ago and has been going around on various websites ever since. You can add spices to the baking powder if you want, or just let them dry in the baking powder alone. I won't cook wings any other way.
 
leslie February 3, 2022
I do a beer brine overnight of my wings. Pull them out of the fridge and place them on paper towels to dry. Into the air fryer at 350 for 8 minutes. Turn them over for another 8 minutes. Perfection. The only downside is the number of wings that can be cooked at any given time. But they truly are the best.
 
Om January 23, 2022
It would have been interesting to see how Kenji's oven wings compared (rest on a rack in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin first). Also would have liked to see the results of boiled/steamed+fried with no brining. Curious about smoked+fried too.
 
manitouanne January 22, 2022
I don’t understand your comparison. If you brined the wings prior to braising, why not brine all wings prior to finishing?
 
Caitiepies January 20, 2022
I am a big fan of air frying my chicken wings in part because they come out super crispy, but also because it’s a bit healthier than frying them in oil. I’d be curious to try mixing the braising method with the air frier method and finishing them off in the air fryer rather than pan frying them. I think I’ll give it a shot before super bowl.
 
Lise January 21, 2022
Please post your results, I’m curious about how that turns out. I hope it’s great! 😊
 
Caitiepies January 30, 2022
Reporting in on the braising + air fryer method. I feel mixed about it, but my husband loved them. The braising definitely added a whole umami dimension of flavor that was absolutely delicious and I would highly recommend doing it this way if you are going to eat them naked. However, if you are going to cover them in buffalo sauce, the flavor gets rather lost so I'm not sure its worth the extra hour of work to do the braising. Also, while they were crispy, they didn't have the super crunch of tossing them in a little baking powder and straight air-frying. Another note, they def do not need as much time in the air-fryer. I found 15 min to be a little over and 10 min to be perfect.
 
Lise January 30, 2022
Thank you so much for the update! It is greatly appreciated.
 
Lisa February 3, 2022
What brand of air fryer do you have? I've been looking at them and now am super confused on which one is the best.
 
Laraine V. February 15, 2022
Lisa, I am in the same boat. I have been looking to buy one but there are just too many out there. If I get any feedback, I'll certainly pass it on.
 
katie February 3, 2023
I have the Instant (insta pot) Omni 18L toaster Oven and Air Fryer - life changing - have had it for a year - Simple to operater, easy and quick to clean
 
Jeff January 20, 2022
I can't bring myself to cook food submerged in oil. Yuck.

Brined wings on a covered wood fired grill gets me my most satisfying results.
 
Lori February 3, 2022
Then try Barcham’s method above—no oil, minimal cleanup, and super quick.