Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings
Nothing beats classic, crispy chicken wings. The secret to extra tender, juicy, almost fall-off-the-bone wings is to let the Crock Pot do the cooking, and let the oven or air fryer do the crisping. I’ve included a homemade Buffalo sauce recipe, but this would also work with your favorite BBQ sauce! You’ll love the aroma that fills your house while these cook in the Crock Pot. (And as much as I love fried wings, I don’t always love the deep-fried smell that lingers afterwards.) There are some keys to success here and simple things that I want to make sure we cover, so let’s get to it:
How to Make Them
Pat the chicken wings completely dry and place them in the Crock Pot. Combine sauce ingredients. Set 1/2 cup aside and pour the rest over the chicken. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook for 2 hours on high, or 3-4 hours on low. They are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use kitchen tongs to carefully remove them and place them on foil-lined baking sheets. Brush with the reserved buffalo sauce. Pro Tip: Place cooling racks on top of the baking sheet and place the wings on top. The extra air flow will make the wings crispier.
Preheat oven to a low broil, 450 degrees. Add the wings and cook for 5 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and brush with more Buffalo sauce. Broil for 5 more minutes, or until crisped and slightly browned. Remove and serve with blue cheese and celery/carrot sticks.
To Crisp Them in an Air Fryer:
Space them out on the air fryer basket and brush with buffalo sauce. (Set a drip tray underneath) Air fry at 400° for 3-5 minutes. Remove and brush with more buffalo sauce. Air fry at 400° for 3-5 more minutes, or until crispy.
How to Cut Whole Chicken Wings
I like to buy what’s called “party wings” at my local grocery story because it includes separated drumettes and wingettes. (See below for a visual.) If you only have “whole wings” available to you, you can easily cut them to separate these pieces from one another, which is how you typically see them served at restaurants.
This is what a whole chicken wing looks like:
To separate the different parts, take a good chef’s knife and align it where you see the separations below. Try to find a ridge where it naturally separates and carefully make a clean slice. If you slice through a bit of chicken bone, it’s okay. (But watch your fingers!)
Place the tips in a labeled freezer bag and save them to make chicken stock.
Pro Tips
Don’t cook the chicken for too long. Stick to the indicated timeframe, otherwise the chicken can become too tender and fall apart in the sauce. I don’t recommend using frozen wings as those have a layer of ice glaze over each one to prevent them from sticking together. This will melt and water down the sauce. If you do cook from frozen, cook on high for 3 hours on high, or 4-5 on low. If given the choice between an oven or air fryer, I do prefer to use the air fryer as they get a bit crispier that way in a shorter amount of time. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce for this recipe. Blue Cheese Dressing– Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing is my brand of choice.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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