Crispy Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings (Print Version)

Perfectly seasoned, golden-fried wings with choice of Buffalo, Thai sweet chili, or BBQ sauce for dipping.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joint, wing tips removed

→ Marinade and Coating

02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
09 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
10 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
11 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ For Frying

12 - Sunflower or peanut oil for deep frying

→ Buffalo Sauce

13 - 1/3 cup hot sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1 teaspoon honey

→ Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

16 - 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
18 - 1 teaspoon fish sauce

→ BBQ Sauce

19 - 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

→ Garnish

20 - Fresh chives or scallions, sliced
21 - Celery sticks
22 - Blue cheese or ranch dressing

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine chicken wings with buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder until well combined.
03 - Remove marinated wings from refrigerator. Drain excess buttermilk from each wing. Dredge wings thoroughly in flour mixture, pressing coating firmly to adhere. Arrange coated wings on a wire rack and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
04 - Fill a large heavy pot or deep fryer with sunflower or peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil to 350°F using a thermometer to ensure accuracy.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully place wings into hot oil. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked wings to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain.
06 - For Buffalo sauce, whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and honey. For Thai sweet chili sauce, combine sweet chili sauce, lime juice, and fish sauce. BBQ sauce may be used directly from the bottle.
07 - Divide fried wings into portions. Toss each portion with desired sauce or serve sauces separately for dipping. Garnish with sliced chives or scallions. Serve alongside celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The buttermilk soak keeps the meat so tender it practically falls off the bone, while the cornstarch in the coating delivers that shatteringly crisp texture you only get at great restaurants.
  • Three sauce options mean you can please everyone at the table without making three separate batches, and the wings themselves are neutral enough to let each flavor shine.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after coating the wings, those 10 minutes let the flour adhere properly and prevent the coating from falling off in the oil.
  • Fry in small batches, even if it feels slow, because overcrowding drops the oil temperature and you'll end up with soggy, greasy wings instead of crispy ones.
03 -
  • Pat the wings dry with paper towels before marinating, any surface moisture will prevent the buttermilk from clinging and the coating from sticking properly.
  • If you don't have a thermometer, test the oil with a small piece of bread, it should sizzle immediately and turn golden in about 60 seconds when the oil is ready.
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