Crispy Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings (Printable)

Buttermilk-marinated wings fried golden and crispy, served with three signature sauce options for ultimate flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 1/2 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

# Directions:

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 for enhanced flavor development.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder until well combined and uniform.
03 - Remove marinated wings from refrigerator and allow excess buttermilk to drip off. Working in batches, dredge each wing thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres. Arrange coated wings on a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes to set the coating.
04 - Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer with sunflower or peanut oil to a depth of 2 inches. Using a thermometer, heat oil to 350°F (175°C), ensuring it reaches temperature before proceeding.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully add coated wings to hot oil. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden brown and crispy throughout. Transfer fried wings to a wire rack placed over paper towels to drain excess oil.
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 requires no preparation.
07 - Divide fried wings into three equal portions. Toss each portion with corresponding sauce until evenly coated, or serve sauces separately for dipping. Arrange on serving platter, garnish with fresh chives and celery sticks, and provide blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These wings get shatteringly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside, no deep fryer required.
  • You can customize the flavor with three different sauces or leave them naked and let everyone choose their own.
  • Theyre easier than you think and taste better than anything youll get from a takeout menu.
02 -
  • Letting the coated wings rest for 10 minutes before frying makes the difference between a coating that sticks and one that slides off in the oil.
  • If the oil isnt hot enough, the wings absorb grease and turn soggy instead of crispy, so dont rush this step.
  • For the crispiest wings Ive ever made, I fry them twice: once low and slow, then again fast and hot after a rest.
03 -
  • Pat the wings dry after marinating and before coating, any extra moisture will make the crust soggy.
  • Keep a spider strainer or slotted spoon nearby to pull out any stray bits of coating that fall into the oil, they burn fast and make everything taste bitter.
  • If youre nervous about frying, start with a small test wing to check your oil temp and timing before committing the whole batch.
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