From sweet and saucy to spicy and crispy, these finger-licking good chicken wing recipes are best served with a few extra napkins and a big bowl of ranch.
27 Chicken Wing Recipes That’ll Change Your Appetizer Spread
Updated on Sep. 29, 2024
1/27
Barbecue Chicken Wings
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 20 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
These crispy barbecue chicken wings are bursting with flavor. Seasoned in a coating of onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper, these wings get tossed in barbecue sauce for a tangy, sweet flavor profile with a hint of spice. —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts
There’s a secret ingredient in these sweet, tangy and ultra crispy wings: baking powder! If you dredge the chicken wings with it before baking them, they’ll become extra crispy. You can air fry, grill or deep fry them too. Serve with one of our favorite store-bought barbecue sauces.
2/27
Baked Chicken Wings
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
about 20 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
A secret ingredient in this recipe makes it possible to get really crispy chicken wings without the hassle of deep-frying. What comes out of the oven are delectable, browned, crunchy wings. Dip it in a spicy Sriracha chili sauce for a satisfying bite. —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts
These wings are the perfect blank canvas for any sauce or seasoning. For the crispiest, juiciest baked wings, dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels before you dredge and cook them. You might need to cook them in batches, or on two baking sheets at once, to give them enough room on the baking sheet to cook evenly.
3/27
Crispy Buffalo Wings
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 20 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
Coating the wings with baking powder helps crisp them up in the oven. Use baking powder, not baking soda, for the best results. These are doused in Buffalo sauce, but could also be brushed with your favorite barbecue sauce instead. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Sure, you could pick up a bottle of buffalo sauce at the grocery store, but it’s actually pretty easy to make yourself. Combine butter, brown sugar and hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, and you’ll be ready to slather it on these tasty wings in no time.
4/27
Garlic Parmesan Wings
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Take a bite out of these perfectly seasoned chicken wings. Golden brown and crispy, the skin is flavored with garlic powder, parmesan cheese and herby parsley. Enhance the flavors by dipping it in a garlic parmesan or sriracha mayo sauce, or stick to the classics like bleu cheese and ranch. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Zippy garlic and salty Parmesan join forces in this chicken wings recipe that’s sure to be a hit on game day, at potlucks and on every day in between. Freshly grated Parmesan will turn out the best flavor and texture, so opt for the full wedge at the grocery store.
5/27
Smoked Chicken Wings
Total Time
2 hours 15 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When you want chicken with deep, rich flavor, there's no better way to achieve it than by bringing out the smoker! The chicken remains juicy and tender while the coating is crispy and full of simple seasonings. Toss it in some barbecue sauce for the perfect tangy flavor. —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
These smoky wings are a labor of love; they’ll need to slow cook in a smoker for two hours at 250°F. If you don’t own a smoker, turn your grill into a smoker with some wood chips and a few handy tips.
6/27
Air-Fryer Chicken Wings
Total Time
50 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
You can't go wrong with air-fryer chicken wings. Our spice rub has a nice kick from the cayenne seasoning. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
If you don’t have the time (or patience) for smoked wings, try this quicker version. While they’re cooked in two stages to ensure juicy meat and crisp skin, they’re still ready to eat in less than an hour. To ensure the wings cook evenly and stay crispy, avoid overcrowding the air-fryer basket.
7/27
Fried Lemon-Pepper Wings
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These lemon-pepper wings are perfect for game day. Try these out if you've been stuck in a chicken wing rut. Add grated lemon zest to the butter mixture if you want a more pronounced lemon flavor. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
We love buffalo wings, but sometimes it’s fun to shake things up and try something new. Impress your guests with tangy lemon-pepper wings, which can be deep fried, baked or air fried, depending on your preference.
8/27
Honey-Barbecue Chicken Wings
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These wings get loads of flavor from the slightly sweet honey-barbecue sauce they’re tossed in. They’re just the tiniest bit sticky—exactly the way they should be. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
If you love honey mustard and barbecue sauce, you don’t have to pick just one. This sweet-and-tangy mashup is the ultimate game-day snack. A drizzle of soy sauce adds an irresistible umami flavor. Add these wings to a full spread of game-day appetizers.
9/27
Five-Spice Chicken Wings
Total Time
45 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Bird is the word when it comes to these wings. They’re baked to a perfect golden brown and hum with mild, delicious Asian spices. Thanks to an overnight marinade, the chicken inside stays tender while the skin maintains that signature crunch. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Green onions, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic cloves, sugar and Chinese five-spice powder team up for a complex sauce you’ll want to pour on everything. Serve these wings with fried rice and a tangy Asian slaw.
10/27
Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
For a change from spicy Buffalo sauce, try these sweet and sticky wings. There's a good chance they'll become your new favorite! —Susan Seymour, Valatie, New York
There’s no frying necessary for these oven-baked wings, which cook for about an hour in a 400° oven. The flavorful homemade sauce—featuring spicy brown mustard, honey, butter, lemon juice and turmeric—is quick and easy to whip up.
11/27
Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Total Time
45 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When my sister-in-law served these at a family party years ago, we all kept reaching for "just one more". I often prepare them for our toddler son...it's the only way I can get him to eat chicken!
These wings are the ultimate make-ahead appetizer. Just whip up a few batches, then store them in the freezer for when company comes over. They’ll keep for up to three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating them in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
12/27
Breaded Chicken Wings
Total Time
45 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No one can pass up seconds of these golden brown goodies from field editor Nancy Schmidt of Center, Colorado. Basil, garlic and onion flavor the crumb coating that covers the tender wings. —Nancy Schmidt, Center, Colorado
You don’t need to go to a sports bar to get tasty breaded chicken wings. Make them at home with whole chicken wings, an egg, bread crumbs and seasonings. Serve them with buffalo sauce and ranch dressing.
13/27
Best-Ever Fried Chicken Wings
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
For game days, I shake up these saucy wings. When I run out, friends hover by the snack table until I bring out more. When they ask me how to fry chicken wings, they never believe it's so easy! —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
These crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside wings come with your choice of three dipping sauces. You could choose your own adventure, or just make all of them. The spicy Thai sauce is our favorite!
14/27
Crispy Grilled Wings
Total Time
35 min
Servings
20 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
My family is full of chicken-wing fiends. If there's ever a wing-eating contest, my husband and daughter are entering. Our preference is crispy wings, which can be achieved easily on the grill. —Audrey Alfaro, Boise, Idaho
It’s official: Cooking wings on the grill yields super delicious results. Oil the grill rack and cook covered over medium heat until they’re crisp and the juices run clear, about 20 to 25 minutes. With minimal prep time and almost no clean-up, these wings are as low-maintenance as they come.
15/27
Lip-Smacking Peach & Whiskey Wings
Total Time
4 hours 35 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These sweet, spicy, sticky chicken wings are lip-smacking good! You could use fresh peaches in place of canned. However, I would add a few tablespoons of brown sugar if so. —Sue Falk, Sterling Heights, Michigan
While your guests have likely eaten hundreds of wings before, they’ve probably never tried this sweet and savory version. It features honey, whiskey and canned peaches. A spoonful of Louisiana hot sauce gives it an added kick.
16/27
Sticky Honey Chicken Wings
Total Time
55 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe was given to me by a special lady who was like a grandmother to me. —Marisa Raponi, Vaughan, Ontario
You’d better make enough for seconds and thirds of this saucy appetizer. Believe it or not, you only need six ingredients to whip it up. You can find orange blossom honey at a local specialty grocery store, or try other types of honey.
17/27
Hot Wings
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
40 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You'll find these hot wings have just the right amount of zip. But if you want them a little hotter—as we often do—simply add more hot pepper sauce. I hope you enjoy them! —Dawn Wright, Moline, Michigan
These spicy wings get an extra kick thanks to a few tablespoons of vinegar and mustard in the sauce. Once you’ve deep-fried them, bake them in the oven to get that extra crispy skin.
18/27
Sticky Maple Pepper Glazed Chicken Wings
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
about 40 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
This is one of my favorite appetizers to make over the holidays! The coarse ground pepper cuts the sweetness of the maple syrup by adding just the right amount of heat. These chicken wings are best fresh out of the oven (they are nice and crispy), but they are also delicious if made ahead and kept warm in a slow cooker. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
Don’t worry; maple syrup doesn’t make these wings too sweet. Ground black pepper balances the sweetness and keeps the sauce from becoming too cloying.
19/27
Ginger-Orange Wings
Total Time
55 min
Servings
50 pieces
From the Recipe Creator:
The sweet-and-sour sauce in this recipe was originally for pork spareribs, but my family has always enjoyed it this way. The longer the wings sit in the ketchup, ginger and orange marmalade sauce, the better they taste. They can be served warm or cold.
-Lora Fletcher, Lyons, Oregon
Cooking these wings in a cast-iron skillet is a win-win. The chicken will heat evenly to get that nice, crispy skin, and you can use the skillet as a rustic serving plate once it cools.
20/27
Quentin’s Peach-Bourbon Wings
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My father and husband love bourbon flavor, so I add it to tangy wings baked in peach preserves. Stand back and watch these wings fly. —Christine Winston, Richmond, Virginia
Store-bought peach preserves and 1/4 cup bourbon take this recipe from standard to special. Pop the tray into your oven’s broiler for a few minutes at the end for that delightfully crispy exterior.
21/27
Chili-Lime Chicken Wings
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Who would have guessed that mixing maple syrup, chili sauce and lime juice would make chicken wings taste so good? Family and guests alike will scramble to ensure they get more than one of these utterly delicious wings - so be sure to make extras! —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
Maple syrup and…lime juice? Believe it or not, they make a great combination, especially if you add chili sauce for added zip. If you prefer, you can use uncooked chicken wingettes instead of whole wings for this recipe.
22/27
Sweet 'n' Tangy Chicken Wings
Total Time
3 hours 35 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I love the convenience of slow-cooker recipes for get-togethers. Start these sweet and sour chicken wings a few hours ahead of time and you'll have fantastic appetizers ready when your guests arrive. —Ida Tuey, South Lyon, Michigan
Everything is easier in a slow cooker, and this tasty wings recipe is no exception. It’s a great, low-maintenance recipe for a crowd because it makes two dozen wings and simmers for hours in the pot before your guests arrive.
23/27
Slow-Cooked Cranberry Hot Wings
Total Time
2 hours 20 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Cranberry wings remind me of all the wonderful celebrations and parties we've had through the years. My daughter’s friends can’t get enough of these wings. —Noreen McCormick Danek, Cromwell, Connecticut
We often think of chicken wings as a summer food, but there’s nothing like diving into a plate of warm, slow-cooked wings on a winter’s day. The cranberry flavor is genius for the colder months.
24/27
Sticky Chicken Wings
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
You'll want to keep an extra stack of napkins nearby once people start reaching for these sweet and sticky wings. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite finger-lickin' good! —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
Your guests will suddenly forget their table manners while eating this deliciously sticky appetizer. Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and a tablespoon of Creole seasoning add a surprising depth of flavor.
25/27
Spicy Butterscotch Wings
Total Time
50 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We love big-time-spicy chicken wings. I do a caramel sauce to balance the heat, but you could also glaze the wings with melted brown sugar. —Aaron Salazar, Westminster, Colorado
Hear us out: Butterscotch is delicious on ice cream, but it’s also incredible when you slather it on chicken wings. A crumb topping made with panko bread crumbs and red bird’s eye chili peppers makes this dish even more special.
26/27
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings
Total Time
5 hours 25 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
The meat literally falls off the bones of these wings! Spice lovers will get a kick out of the big sprinkling of red pepper flakes. —Sue Bayless, Prior Lake, Minnesota
Spicy food fans, this recipe is for you. Chili powder and a generous sprinkling of red chili flakes up the ante. Can’t stand the heat? Simply omit those two spices and the wings will be sweet instead.
27/27
Peanutty Chicken Wings
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
A pleasant, mild blend of peanut and curry flavors makes up the sauce for these wings. I doubled the recipe, and was I glad I did! The tasty wings were devoured. —Kristen Proulx, Canton, New York
You won’t be disappointed by this unexpected ingredient. Peanut butter adds a sweet and savory depth of flavor to the sauce that will make these wings the most popular dish at the potluck. Just make sure no one coming to the party has a peanut allergy!
