how to make the best deep fried chicken wings | Family Cuisine

Deep Fried Chicken Wings

Crispy perfectly deep fried chicken wings are the ultimate crowd pleaser. Follow my recipe and tips to ensure that you get a crispy exterior every time!

Nothing says “game day” appetizer like a big ol’ plate of chicken wings, am I right? And while there are a plethora of variations (helllooooo dill pickle chicken wings), today I am sharing a recipe for classic deep fried chicken wings.

When it comes to any fried chicken, it is all about the crispy exterior. Today, I am going to share with you my tips and tricks to make sure that you get that perfect crunch every time. The result? A chicken wing so good your family and friends will devour them and then beg you for the recipe!

First up, let’s talk about the ingredients that you’ll need:

Ingredients needed:

CHICKEN WINGS: I like to buy “party wings” these are wings that are already separated into “drums” and “flats”. Of course, you can buy whole chicken wings but you’ll have to separate them yourself. Here is a tutorial video on YouTube showing you how to do it.

BLACKENING SEASONING: A seasoning blend of paprika, onion, thyme, black pepper, garlic and oregano. It is similar in taste to Cajun seasoning but Cajun seasoning is a bit spicier. If you’d like spicier wings, definitely substitute Cajun.

DES’ TIP: Make note of whether or not your seasoning blend has salt. Some blackening and cajun seasonings do while other’s do not. If it does, use slightly less (maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons instead) or omit the seasoned salt from the flour mixture.

EGGS/MILK/HOT SAUCE: Whisk these two together to make a “wash”. This is what you want to dredge the seasoned wings in before you dip them in the flour. This gives the flour something to stick to.

DES’ TIP: The hot sauce is totally optional, just a few dashes will do! It won’t make it a lot spicier but it will give it a little flavor.

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: To coat the wings.

CORNSTARCH: This is my #1 trick in making perfect deep fried chicken wings. Adding cornstarch to the flour helps up the crunch factor by preventing gluten development.

SEASONED SALT: When making fried chicken wings, it’s important to season along the way. Even though the wings are seasoned, it creates more flavor if you season the flour as well.

Step by Step Instructions and Photos:

STEP #1: Place chicken wings in a bowl and sprinkle blackening seasoning over the top. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

STEP #2: Place eggs, milk and hot sauce in a bowl. Whisk until combined.

STEP #3: In a shallow bowl combine corn starch, flour and seasoning salt. Whisk until combined.

STEP #4: Dip chicken wings into the egg/milk wash and then dredge in the seasoned flour.

STEP #5: Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy duty pan over medium-high heat. Once oil reaches 350 degrees begin frying chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 5 – 7 minutes.

Tips for making deep fried chicken wings:

Tip #1: FRY IN BATCHES. With any fried food, you are going to want to fry it in batches. You want to make sure that the food has enough space around it without touching. This helps make sure that the exterior is crisp. If food is too close together, it’ll steam instead of fry and won’t be as crispy.

Tip #2: OIL TEMPERATURE. It is important to wait for the oil to reach 350 degrees in between each batch. This means frying one batch and waiting for the oil to come back up to temperature before frying the next batch.

Tip #3: SEASON THE WINGS WITH SALT IMMEDIATELY AFTER REMOVING FROM THE FRYER. I always season fried food with a sprinkle of salt right after I pull them out of the fryer. It adds more flavor and the salt will adhere better when while the food is hot.

Tip #4: KEEP THEM WARM AND CRISPY. Since you are frying the wings in batches, you’ll want to make sure that they stay warm and crispy. To do that, set your oven to the lowest setting (my oven has a “warm” setting). Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and place cooked wings on top of the cooling rack and keep in the oven in between batches. By putting them on the cooling rack, it allows the air to circulate around the wing keeping them crispy.

If you loved this Deep Fried Chicken Wing Recipe, you’ve got to check out some of my other easy chicken recipes:

How to make Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

Brined Fried Chicken

40 Clove Chicken Recipe

Lemon Pepper Chicken

Dill Chicken Salad

Looking for more recipes to serve at your next game day? Check out my game day appetizers!

Cheese Bread

Creamy Ranch Dip Recipe

Clam Dip

Deep Fried Pickles

JoJo Potatoes

Note: This post was originally written in 2010. It was updated with a modified recipe, step by step photos and nutrition information in 2020. Video added in 2021.