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My fried chicken wings recipe is truly crispy on the outside and has the juiciest meat in the middle. It’s SO easy to make and needs just a handful of ingredients.
Looking for more chicken wing recipes? Try garlic parmesan wings, air fryer chicken wings, lemon pepper wings, and smoked chicken wings.
While I have tons of ways of cooking chicken wings, nothing beats the classic restaurant-style fried version. My fried chicken wings are extra crispy, golden brown, and seriously finger-licking good (yes, I copied KFC).
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy and quick. No marinating time and just a quick dredge in flour is all that is needed.
- Light breading. Made with flour, cornstarch, and spices, this recipe makes these chicken wings light and crispy, never oily (like oven fried chicken!).
- It’s so easy to customize! I like to keep things simple, but you can dredge them in your favorite sauces, add more spices, or even double-fry them. I’ve included some ideas in the variations section.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Hands down the best and crispiest chicken wings we have made to date (and we eat a lot of chicken wings!). We toss the wings in a little seasoning salt as soon as they come out of the fryer for extra flavor, and because we like salt ;)” – Richelle
Ingredients needed
- Chicken wings. Choose meaty chicken wings as they will hold onto the batter better. I like to use a mix of wingettes and drumettes.
- Spices. The spices I use for my recipe are paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried parsley.
- Salt. To taste.
- Oil. I typically use vegetable oil, but any oil with a high smoke point works.
- Cornstarch and flour. Mixed with flour, cornstarch makes the coating on the chicken wings crispier.
- Baking powder. A small amount of baking powder added to the flour mixture helps draw out excess moisture and leaves the chicken wings extra crispy.
How to fry chicken wings
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Pat dry the chicken wings. Make the dry mixture by combining all spices with flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Toss the wings in the flour mixture until they are fully coated, and shake off the excess.
Step 2- Deep fry. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Start frying the flour-coated wings in small batches when the oil temperature reaches at least 350F degrees. Fry the chicken wings for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown on all sides.
How to bake them instead
Not a fan of all the excess oil or grease? Bake the wings instead. They follow a similar process to my baked chicken wings.
Once seasoned, Bake them at 400F degrees for around 45 minutes. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the wings and remove them from the oven when it reaches 165F degrees in the thickest part.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Check if the oil is hot enough. This is imperative to ensure the wings are light and crispy instead of dense and heavy. I like to use a meat thermometer to check if the oil is at least 350F (up to 375F), but another way to check is to sprinkle some flour into the oil. If it sizzles, it’s hot.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Adding too many wings will cause the oil temperature to drop. As a result, the wings will take longer to crisp up and will soak up too much oil (see my point above). If needed, cook the wings in batches.
- Check for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the wings. The chicken wings are ready if their internal temperature is 165F degrees.
- Cool the wings on a wire rack. While paper towels soak up the excess oil, they take away some of the crispiness of the freshly fried chicken wings. Transfer the chicken wings from the pan right onto the wire rack.
Flavor variations
Like any good wing recipe, with a few tweaks, you can completely transform them to change up the flavors! Here are some ideas:
- Add some cheese. Sprinkle the fried chicken wings with grated parmesan while they are hot.
- Add sauce. Toss the fried chicken wings in buffalo sauce for buffalo wings or in some bulgogi sauce or Katsu sauce for an Asian twist.
- Omit the spice. Skip the cayenne pepper if you are going to serve these chicken wings to kids or don’t want them to be spicy.
- Herb it up. Don’t shy away from dried herbs. You can add dried rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme to the spice mix.
Storage instructions
To store: Transfer fried chicken wing leftovers into an airtight container as soon as they have cooled completely. Fried chicken wings last 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
To reheat: As the fridge causes the fried wings to lose their crispiness, reheat them in the oven preheated to 350F degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or even in the air fryer.
To freeze: place the cooled wings in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
One of the biggest secrets to crispy chicken wings is to use cornstarch for the coating. You should also start cooking the chicken wings in well-heated oil and allow them to drain on a wire rack.
More delicious ways to enjoy chicken
- Cast iron chicken breast
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Baked chicken legs
- Chicken schnitzel
- Popcorn chicken
- Or any of these chicken recipes
Crispiest Fried Chicken Wings
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup oil or enough to fill an inch of the pan
Instructions
- Pat dry the chicken wings with a paper towel.
- Separate chicken wings flats from the drums with a knife or scissors.
- Combine the smoked paprika, dried parsley, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, flour, cornstarch, and baking powder, and mix well.
- Toss the wings inside the mixture to coat well and shake off any excess flour.
- Add oil to a deep fryer or deep pot and place over medium-high heat, enough to fill at least one inch. Once the oil reaches an internal temperature of 350F, fry the wings for 8-10 minutes, or until golden and crispy on all sides.
- Place the wings on a wired rack to drain excess oil.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 2023, updated and republished July 2024
Excellent recipe! I will use this recipe over and over! TFS
I just made this and it is so good, I’m very happy with this..I will definitely make it again
Thanks, Pamela!