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Thawing Chicken Wings

Thawing Chicken Wings

by | Jun 6, 2026 | Buffalo Wings Basics, Technique

Thawing Wings

Large bags of frozen chicken wing drum and flat sections, sometimes called “party wings,” are easy to find in almost every grocery store. They are also often less expensive than fresh wings.

Once fried, if properly prepared, you will likely not be able to tell the difference between frozen and fresh wings, though not always. In my experience, frozen wings can be just as good as fresh, but they aren’t always, and I have a theory about why...

Fresh vs Frozen Wings

Fresh wings are generally more expensive because they will perish if not processed and transported quickly to the grocery store. All of that extra effort costs money.

The fact that they are fresh alone tells you they probably aren’t that old. In the store, you can get a good idea of their condition. Since they are sold in trays with only plastic wrap on top, you can usually see exactly what you are getting.

Frozen wings, on the other hand, are much harder to judge because in the processing facility they are rapidly frozen, coated in ice and then sealed in bags to help preserve and protect them. Unlike fresh wings in a tray, you can tell very little from looking at a large bag of frozen wings.

One thing to check is whether the wings are still separate. One solid block of ice with wings sticking out of it is usually a bad sign.

They also tend to cost less than fresh because freezing gives manufacturers, distributors and grocery stores much more flexibility. Under the right conditions, frozen wings can be stored for months and transported long distances with far less urgency and less waste.

Frozen Wing Theory

After they are processed and bagged in the factory, the wings may travel through trucks, warehouses, distribution centers and grocery stores before reaching your freezer. Along the way, there are many opportunities for delays, temperature fluctuations, partial thaws, refreezes, equipment failures, human error and inefficiencies. Once in the store freezer, doors may be opened frequently or left open accidentally. Someone might even place the wings in their cart and return them an hour later before checking out.

Many partial thaws and refreezes will likely impact wing quality and could affect our ability to create the kind of Buffalo wings we spend so much time obsessing over.

Having said all that, I use frozen wings often and they frequently turn out great. The best thing you can do is find a brand you like and a store you trust. If they are good one time, there’s a good chance they will continue coming from the same place and be treated the same way.

Danger Zone

What is the danger zone? It’s the temperature range between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C) where bacteria are happiest and reproduce quickly. Raw chicken should stay out of this range as much as possible.

Don’t panic, you have some time. According to the USDA, you generally have about 2 hours to work with raw chicken while it is in the danger zone, or about 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F (32°C).

This is why refrigerator thawing is recommended and why wings should never be thawed on the counter or with hot water.

When thawing wings, store raw chicken on the bottom shelf and sanitize surfaces that come into contact with the chicken or packaging. This includes countertops, trays, utensils, refrigerator surfaces and even the sink.

Thawing

There are several ways to thaw chicken wings, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some methods are faster while others produce more consistent results.

I recommend refrigerator thawing whenever possible.

It produces the most consistent wing quality and gives excess ice and moisture time to drain away before frying. Cold water thawing works well when you are short on time but isn't exactly quick, requires more attention, and may produce less consistent results. Microwave thawing works in an emergency but will often partially cook the wings and produce unpredictable results.

Refrigerator Thawing (Recommended)

A five-to-ten-pound bag of frozen wings should thaw within 24 hours but could take longer depending on how cold your refrigerator is and how you set it up.

The easiest way is to simply place the bag of party wings on a baking sheet and put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, but it’s not ideal.

Frozen wings are coated in extra ice, which becomes extra water. Thawing the wings over something with holes, such as a colander or a wire rack over a baking sheet, will allow that extra water to drain away and that’s exactly what we want.

The less moisture the wings contain before the drying process begins, the faster they will dry and the crispier the skin can become. This is even more important if you plan to skip the drying stage entirely.

Wet wings can also cause dangerous splattering and possible oil overflow when added to hot fryer oil.

Cold Water Thawing

Cold water thawing is my second favorite thawing method. It will thaw the wings just as well as refrigerator thawing, but it won’t remove as much water.

This just means you will want to dry them off as well as possible with paper towels before frying.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Fill a large bowl or container with cold water.
  2. Put your frozen wings in a bag without holes and remove as much air as possible.
  3. Put your bag of wings in the bowl of cold water. The bag may float, so weigh it down with something to keep it fully submerged.
  4. Replace the water with fresh cold water every 30 minutes until the wings are thawed.

Keep the wing temperature out of the danger zone. They should not be allowed to rise above 40°F.

Also, do not run frozen wings directly under cold water as this can negatively impact skin and meat quality.

Microwave Thawing (Not Recommended)

Microwave thawing will produce unpredictable results. Microwaves do not thaw wings evenly.

No matter how low you set the power or how often you stop to flip or move the wings around, some parts of the wings will heat and cook faster than others.

In the end, you will likely be left with some wings that are partly cooked while others are still frozen. You may even have wings that are both cooked and frozen at the same time.

If your goal is to make perfect Buffalo wings, this is not the way to do it.

However, if you are still desperate enough to use the microwave, the following guidelines may help produce slightly less bad results.

Keep in mind that microwaves, depending on the make and model, have different wattages and power levels, making it impossible to create a process with repeatable results that will work with all models.

Assuming you are using party wings that are frozen but all separate:

  • Spread the frozen wings over a shallow microwave-safe dish in as even a layer as possible.
  • Use the lowest or close to the lowest defrost setting available on your microwave. About 20% to 30% power usually works well.
  • Only thaw about 2 to 3 pounds at a time.
  • Microwave for about 5 minutes, then rearrange, rotate, and flip the wings. Allow them to rest for a few minutes. If you notice overly hot spots or obvious cooking, reduce the power and time slightly for the next round.
  • Repeat as many times as necessary until the wings are no longer frozen solid.
  • Finish the last bit of thawing using the cold water method by putting the wings in a zipper bag and submerging them in cold water until the wings are thawed but still under 40°F. At this point, it should not take long.

This last part is important because there is more risk of cooking the wings near the end of the thawing process.

And Don’t Forget

Regardless of how you choose to thaw your chicken wings, remove as much excess water as possible before moving on to the next step, whether that is seasoning and frying or seasoning and drying in the fridge.

The less moisture the wings contain, the safer they will be to fry, and the crispier the skin can become.

Cutting Chicken Wings

Cutting Chicken Wings

by | Jun 5, 2026 | Buffalo Wings Basics, Technique

Cutting Wings

Depending on how you buy your wings, cutting wings is not always necessary, but it is a valuable skill to possess. I prefer to use fresh wings whenever possible because I find they give me consistently good results. They usually come as whole wings before being separated into sections. The sections are the drumette or drum, the wingette or flat, and the tip.

Frozen wings are often sold as pre-divided "party wings" but are also sold as uncut whole wings. You will need to defrost them, at least partially, enough to separate the wings from each other before cutting. I find slightly frozen wings are actually a little easier to cut.

Before Cutting

Start by getting your work area set up. Grab a good solid cutting board that won’t move easily and a sharp knife.

Using the Right Knife: Just about any sharp knife will work, but the sharper the better. I prefer to use a chef's knife because it's comfortable, easy to control and has enough weight to make clean cuts through the joints.

Safety and Cleanliness: Keep your chicken wing cutting operation to a dedicated, clutter free area. When finished, be sure to clean and sanitize any tools and surfaces used, including the countertop and sink

Food Safety Note:
Avoid the “Danger Zone.” Bacteria can grow at an accelerated rate when raw chicken is between 40 - 140°F. According to the USDA, raw chicken should not remain in this temperature range for more than two hours. Don’t leave your wings sitting out longer than necessary while cutting. Once finished, either return them to the refrigerator or move on to frying.

Cutting

1. Place one full, defrosted, uncut chicken wing on the cutting board.

2. Find the joint between the bones and slice through it. You will be cutting through skin, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. If you hit the bone, you’ll know it right away. It takes some practice but once you know where to cut, a sharp knife will almost slide right through.

Full raw chicken wing

Drum/Flat:

  1. Hold the wing stable on the cutting board.
  2. Expose the joint between the drum and flat sections by straightening the wing slightly.
  3. Cut through the skin, down from the drumstick and through the joint’s connective tissue.

Remove the tip:

    1. Hold the wing stable on the cutting board.
    2. Expose the joint between the flat and tip sections by straightening the wing slightly.
    3. Cut through the skin and through the joint’s connective tissue.

    Chicken Wing Tip:

    Discard the tips or use them to make chicken stock.

    Next Steps

    Once separated, the wings are ready for seasoning and then drying or frying. Don’t forget to properly clean and sanitize all tools and surfaces exposed to raw chicken.

    Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce

    Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce

    by | Jun 4, 2026 | Buffalo Wings Basics, Dipping Sauces, Recipe, Supporting Recipes

    Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce

    Jump to Recipe

    Without the right sauce, they're just fried chicken wings, and calling them Buffalo wings would be a lie. No need to lie, Buffalo wing sauce is super easy to make at home.

    It's simply cayenne pepper sauce and butter, two ingredients that have been making great Buffalo wings for decades.

    You can make Buffalo wing sauce with any cayenne pepper sauce, but I believe Frank's RedHot is the best choice for traditional Buffalo wings. It's what I grew up using in Buffalo, it's what most restaurants use, and it's still the one I prefer most. In fact, I went most of my life having no idea there were other options available. Once I tried the other options, I quickly realized there were no other options available.

    3 parts Frank's to 2 parts butter is the standard medium heat Buffalo wing sauce ratio, and it's the version I recommend. This base recipe produces a medium spice level that is just right for most people and serves as a great starting point for making adjustments. I think this is the perfect balance of butter and Frank's. It tastes great and, though it does have a bit of heat, most people would not find it too spicy. This makes it ideal for groups with different tastes and spice tolerance. We'll discuss how to adjust the spice level later.

    Premade Wing Sauce

    There are many premade wing sauces available, some good and some less good. If you are short on time, find one you like, warm it up on the stovetop, and you are good to go.

    If you have time, nothing is better than the sauce you make yourself. It's quick and easy with only two ingredients: Frank's and butter.

    Butter

    Franks brings the spice and flavor, but butter makes everything better, and Buffalo wing sauce is no exception. Butter is the x factor people can't quite place, and they are often surprised to learn that Buffalo wing sauce is nearly half butter.

    Salted vs Unsalted Butter

    Short version: use unsalted butter.

    Why? Frank's already contains plenty of salt, and you will have already salted your wings before frying. We don't need any more salt in the sauce.

    If all you have is salted butter, use it. Most people will never notice the difference.

    Clarified Butter

    Clarified butter is butter that has gone through a process to remove the milk solids and water. When done, you are left with almost pure butterfat.

    Is clarified butter better? Is it worth the effort? It depends on who you ask. If you ask me, I say it depends.

    When melted butter and clarified butter are tasted side by side, there are some subtle flavor differences. However, if you make the sauce using clarified or unclarified butter, most people won't be able to tell the difference when eating their wings.

    Melted butter has been commonly used in Buffalo since the recipe was created, and most restaurants still use it today.

    The main advantage of using clarified butter is that the Buffalo wing sauce is more stable. When cooking wings over an extended period of time and the sauce temperature is raised and lowered several times, the sauce is less likely to break (separate) when made with clarified butter.

    Ghee is another name for clarified butter. It is shelf stable and available in most grocery stores. This is a great way to use clarified butter without the time and effort involved in making it yourself.

    Don't overthink it. If you're not sure, just use plain butter. You won't regret it. But whether you use regular butter or clarified butter, both will produce excellent results.

    Mixing and Heating

    The process of making the sauce is minimal. Simply warm the butter until just melted, remove it from the heat, add the Frank's, and whisk until the sauce is uniform in color and texture.

    Don't Overheat the Sauce

    Prevention is easier than repair. Frank's and butter is actually very forgiving and can handle some heat, but excessive or prolonged heat is unnecessary and may eventually damage the sauce.

    Overheating will eventually lead to one of two problems: burning, which leaves a bad taste, or breaking, which causes the sauce to separate.

    Uh Oh, I Overheated the Sauce

    Burned taste: There is nothing that can reverse a burned sauce. Toss it and make a new batch.

    Separated sauce: If your sauce is separated, try letting it cool a bit, then whisk it vigorously. If that doesn't work, add a little Frank's or water and try again. If that still doesn't work, you can try other emulsifiers such as mustard, but they will affect the taste.

    Reheating the Sauce

    Do it gently. Use low heat, stirring frequently, and stop as soon as the sauce is hot and uniform.

    Choosing Spice Levels

    Everyone has their own spice tolerance and preference. Sometimes it's cultural. If you grow up eating spicy food, chances are you'll enjoy foods with a little more heat. Other times it becomes a social thing, almost a competition, where people take pride in being able to handle more heat than everyone else.

    Mostly I try to create wings that will work for everyone. Some people love heat and think that the hotter the better. I used to be in that category, but as my wing palate has matured, I have become more focused on flavor and making wings that most people will enjoy, not just a few.

    I believe the medium sauce recipe, as found below, achieves the perfect balance and is the version I recommend. It is a delicious example of classic Buffalo wing flavor and hits the sweet spot with just enough spice that most people can comfortably enjoy it. For those who want to adjust the spice level, let's talk about how to get there.

    Adjusting the Spice

    Adjusting the spice level is as simple as adjusting the butter to hot sauce ratio.

    • Mild: 1/2 cup Frank's, 3/4 cup butter
    • Medium: 3/4 cup Frank's, 1/2 cup butter
    • Hot: 3/4 cup Frank's, 1/4 cup butter

    When making wings for young children, I will often use only butter or butter with a splash of Frank's. Though technically not Buffalo wings, the kids don't know that or care because perfectly fried chicken wings covered in butter are delicious.

    Adding Even More Spice

    Classic wisdom says to make Buffalo wings spicier, add more Frank's. This works, but there is a downside. More Frank's means less butter, and butter is delicious.

    If you want even more heat without giving up the butter, there are other options. Frank's XTRA Hot, powdered cayenne pepper, and capsaicin extract can all increase the heat level while maintaining a buttery sauce.

    These methods can dramatically increase the heat level and deserve a deeper discussion than this article allows. We'll cover them in a future article.

    Suicide Wings

    When trying to create a Buffalo sauce that is extremely hot, you quickly discover that cayenne pepper has its limits. For this reason, many suicide wing sauces no longer taste like traditional Buffalo wing sauce. In fact, depending on how they are made, they may not even technically qualify as Buffalo wings according to the definition used throughout the BuffWing website because they no longer contain cayenne pepper sauce or, in some cases, even butter.

    Cooking for a Crowd

    When cooking for a group, medium is the magic sauce that works for almost everyone, but don't feel like you need to choose a single spice level and force everyone to eat it. Buffalo wing sauce is quick and easy to make, so I often prepare multiple bottles with different spice levels. This allows everyone to get their wings exactly how they like them.

    Squeeze bottles work especially well for this. Label each bottle and keep them warm so everyone can choose their own heat level.

    Saucing

    Learn More: Saucing Chicken wings

    Have the sauce ready before the wings are cooked. The last thing you want is to be making sauce at the last minute while the wings are getting cold.

    Tip: Use Squeeze Bottles

    Squeeze bottles are inexpensive and the perfect tool for sauce management. They allow you to have your sauce prepped and ready to quickly and accurately apply it to hot, fresh wings exactly when you need it.

    Closing Thoughts

    Buffalo wing sauce is simple to make, but the details matter. If cooking for a crowd, remember that the goal is to make something everyone will enjoy, so know your audience.

    You can't go wrong with the recommended medium recipe for a group with varying tastes. Better yet, prepare multiple bottles with different spice levels so everyone can get their wings exactly how they like them.

    Don't overheat the sauce, have it ready when the wings are done, and use a squeeze bottle for easy application. Follow those simple guidelines and you can expect a smooth saucing experience.

    Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce
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    Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce

    Recipe by BuffWing.com
    0.0 from 0 votes

    This recipe makes a medium heat Buffalo wing sauce. See the notes below for ways to adjust the spice level.

    Course: SauceCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    Servings
    +
    -

    8

    servings
    Prep time

    3

    minutes
    Cooking time

    5

    minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce (Frank's RedHot)

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

    Directions

    • In a medium saucepan, heat the butter until just melted. Remove from heat.
    • Add the cayenne pepper sauce and whisk until the sauce is uniform in color and texture.
    • Use right away to sauce wings or transfer to a squeeze bottle for easier application and portion control. It's also a great way to store unused sauce in the fridge.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • To adjust the heat, the classic method is to increase the cayenne pepper sauce for more spice or decrease it for less spice.
      Mild: Use 1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce and 3/4 cup butter.
      Hot: Use 3/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce and 1/4 cup butter.
    • For even more heat, try replacing original Frank's with Frank's XTRA Hot, adding some powdered cayenne pepper, or, if you're feeling very bold, pepper extract. Use caution with that last one.
    • Do not overheat the sauce. Excessive heat can cause the sauce to separate or develop a burned taste.
    Seasoning Chicken Wings

    Seasoning Chicken Wings

    by | Jun 4, 2026 | Buffalo Wings Basics, Technique

    Seasoning Chicken wings

    For deep fried Buffalo wings, seasoning can be summed up in three words:

    Just add salt!

    Raw chicken wings should be salted before cooking. At the very least, wings should be salted a few minutes before frying, but more time is better. The gold standard is to salt the wings before drying them uncovered in the fridge. This helps remove moisture from the skin for crispier wings while also giving the salt time to penetrate and season the meat.

    Adding the Salt

    • 1/2 tsp kosher salt per pound of wings
      or
    • 1/4 tsp regular table salt per pound

    Kosher salt is larger and less dense than table salt so you need more by volume to get the same result.

    Add thawed, separated, and drained wings to a large bowl. The wings should not be dripping wet after draining. If necessary, pat them dry with paper towels before seasoning.

    Add salt according to the weight of the chicken, then mix well to evenly coat the wings.

    When to Salt

    • If planning to fry right away, salt after drying the wings. The raw wings will still be moist enough for the salt to stick to the skin.
    • If drying wings overnight or longer, salt before they go into the fridge. The wings will still be moist enough for the salt to stick to the skin, and over time the salt will absorb into the skin and meat for more even seasoning.
    • Adding salt only after frying mainly increases the saltiness of the Buffalo sauce while leaving the meat inside less seasoned.

    Spices

    • If adding black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, or other spices, the time to do it is when you add the salt, but I generally don’t think they are necessary for a few reasons.
      • These spices can come off in the fryer oil, contaminating the oil and shortening its life.
      • Once wings are coated in Buffalo wing sauce and dipped in blue cheese dressing, it becomes difficult to taste those extra spices anyway because many of the same flavors already exist in the sauce and dressing.

    Salt is different from the other seasonings mentioned above. Given enough time, salt penetrates into the skin and meat itself. Even when covered in Buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing, a lack of salt inside the wing will still be noticeable.

    The wings are now ready for the drying rack or the fryer.

    Frying Chicken Wings

    Frying Chicken Wings

    by | Jun 4, 2026 | Frying Wings

    Frying Chicken Wings

    Piping hot, just minutes out of the fryer and served with blue cheese dressing and celery, this is how Buffalo wings are meant to be served.

    When you order wings in Buffalo, NY, they are deep fried because it produces the best results: crispy skin on the outside and perfectly cooked juicy meat on the inside. This article focuses on the frying process used to make traditional Buffalo wings at home.

    Jump to the Frying Method

    Fried Wing Theory 101

    Frying great Buffalo wings starts before frying. Prep should not be overlooked or rushed. If frozen, defrost the wings and, if whole, cut them into sections.

    These first two steps give you raw drums and flats full of potential and ready for the highest honor a chicken wing can achieve, becoming a Buffalo wing.

    The next steps are seasoning and drying. Salt adds flavor and also helps pull moisture from the skin during drying.

    Drying is about removing water early and has more benefits than you probably realize. By removing moisture, mostly from the skin, it helps crisp the skin in the fryer. As the skin dries, it also tightens, shrinks and seals around the meat, helping keep hot oil from getting under the skin and overcooking the meat.

    Once in the fryer, hot oil continues removing moisture by rapidly heating the water inside the wings until it escapes as steam. If the oil temperature drops too low during frying, moisture will remain trapped, leading to softer, less crispy skin.

    There is actually a lot more happening during frying than simply removing water. Fat renders, proteins change and countless other reactions take place. But for us to make better Buffalo wings at home, understanding how water affects the skin and meat is all you really need to know.

    Oil Temperature

    Debbie’s Wings, Part One

    Debbie loves two things more than anything else, her cat, Winston and Buffalo wings. Winston also loves wings.

    One day Debbie decides it’s finally time to make Buffalo wings herself. She sets up her new fryer, fills it with oil, heats it up, and adds the wings.

    When the timer goes off, she drains and sauces the wings, then adds them to a plate already waiting with blue cheese dressing and celery. It’s finally time! Smiling ear to ear, she grabs the best looking wing, scoops up a nice glob of blue cheese dressing, and takes a bite.

    Her smile now gone. “@#$%! Where is the crunch?”

    What went wrong? The oil wasn’t hot enough.

    Oil temperature is the most important factor when frying Buffalo wings. A frying temperature of 375°F is a good starting point, but when wings are added, the oil temperature should not drop too much and must be able to recover quickly. If the temperature is too low for too long, the wings will likely cook through, but their texture will suffer.

    What often happens is the wings go in and the timer gets started. But if too many wings are added at once, the oil temperature quickly drops and doesn’t recover enough to crisp the skin. Leaving them in longer at the lower temperature may eventually crisp the skin but risks drying out the meat.

    The solution is usually not frying longer. It is reducing the batch size until the fryer can maintain proper cooking temperature.

    Debbie’s Wings, Part Two

    The next time, using a thermometer, Debbie does a few test batches starting with just a few wings and adding another wing each batch. She finds that with her frying setup, when she adds only 7 wings (1/2 pound), the oil temperature still drops but quickly recovers into a good frying range. The wings now come out with crispy, blistered skin and moist meat, just like good Buffalo wings should. She has to cook a couple of extra batches, but it is totally worth it. In the end Winston never does get a chicken wing but Debbie gets the crunch she was looking for.

    The important lesson here is that oil temperature matters. A timer is an important tool, but it won’t do all the work and can’t help cook perfect wings until you know how long to set it for.

    Frying Oils         

    There are many oils that will work for cooking Buffalo wings. We will get into more detail in the upcoming oils article.

    • Refined peanut oil: This is favored by most people. It’s more expensive than other options, but its saturated fat percentage and high smoke point make it ideal.
    • Canola oil: This is my second choice. It is easy to find andless expensive.
    • Frying or vegetable oil: This is cheaper and usually a combination of whatever oils are cheapest at the time.

    Any of these oils can make great Buffalo wings when used correctly.

    Frying Systems

    Many different deep frying systems are available and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. If you don’t own a fryer, a large pot with a good thermometer is a great place to start. Many reasonably priced home fryers are also available at local and online stores. You can find the fryers and frying equipment I use on the Gear page. (link)

    Frying chicken wings isn’t difficult, but consistently good results depend on quality ingredients, proper equipment and proper technique. Your fryer’s oil capacity and ability to maintain heat will determine how many wings it can effectively cook at a time.

    Chicken wings usually take anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes to cook, but it is impossible to give an exact frying time because every frying situation is different. Fry time depends on many variables including fryer power, oil capacity, wing size, weight and temperature, batch size and ambient air temperature and humidity. The mood of the Buffalo wing gods needs to be considered too.

    Know Your Fryer

    When using a new frying system for the first time, work out the kinks and learn its capabilities by doing a few test batches. If the wings do not crisp up or take too long to cook, add fewer wings next time. Do this until you find the right balance of batch size and frying time for your fryer.

    When learning your fryer, it is better to go by mass (weight) rather than the number of wings. The more food you add, the harder the fryer has to work, and not all wings are the same size. So, 10 wings today may not be the same as 10 wings next time. They might be much larger and place a greater demand on the fryer. However, 1 pound of wings this week will still be the same 1 pound of wings next week. In other words, fryer capacity is impacted more by total weight than wing count.

    Basic Frying Method

    This is the basic, no frills method for frying chicken wings at home. You can see the full Buffalo Wing Guide and Recipe here. (link)

    1. Prep the wings using the methods discussed earlier. At a minimum, they should be thawed, divided, salted and dried with paper towels before frying.
    2. Heat your fryer oil to 375°F.
    3. Add the chicken wings to the oil by either lowering the fryer basket or carefully placing them into the oil one at a time with tongs or a wire scoop.

    Note: Wings will often stick to fryer baskets. To help prevent this, lower the basket into the hot oil empty for a minute or two to heat it up. Then add the wings to the basket and lower it into the oil. Keep the wings moving with tongs for the first minute or two of frying before the skin firms up. Do not force them loose or you risk tearing the skin. If wings do stick to the basket, it is better to let them fry stuck on and gently remove them after cooking. Tearing the skin after cooking will not have a major impact on quality.

    1. Use a timer as a guide and fry until the wings are blistered and light golden brown.
    2. Using the fryer basket, tongs or a wire scoop, remove the wings from the oil.
    3. Allow the wings to drain over a wire rack or paper towels.

    Frying for a Crowd

    When frying for a large group of people, you are limited by the size and power of your fryer. The more people you are cooking for, the harder it will be to keep up. Here are a few tips and techniques that make that a non-issue.

    1. Take your time working in batches your fryer can handle. There is no point putting out more wings faster if no one wants to eat them. Take the time to do it right.
    2. Have other foods available such as lots of celery and blue cheese dressing, potato chips and bison dip, beef on weck, sponge candy and cup and char pepperoni pizza.
    3. When sauced and plated, quickly put the wings in a central location where people can easily get to them. This actually works in your favor. The wings become something people look forward to instead of taking for granted and, because you took your time and did it right, they are worth the wait.
    4. Par cook (double fry). Partially cooking the wings ahead of time can reduce the final cooking time for each batch to as little as 2 to 3 minutes.

    Frying from Frozen

    Deep frying frozen chicken wings is possible but I do not recommend it for home frying. Many restaurants do it successfully because commercial kitchens use large powerful fryers designed to handle the aggressive bubbling, splattering and rapid temperature drop caused by frozen wings. Most home frying setups are not. Thawing the wings first and following the methods discussed earlier will give you a much better chance of making great Buffalo wings safely at home.

    Frying can be dangerous. Hot oil, peanut allergies, raw chicken handling and other risks should be taken seriously. Use common sense and follow recommended safety practices for your frying setup.

    I am not a safety authority and this article is not intended to replace proper safety guidance. For more nformation, see the full Safety Disclaimer here.