Bobby Flay is a famous American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality TV personality. He is known for his skills in grilling, bold flavors, and Southwest/Mexican cuisine. Chicken wings are a popular appetizer or snack that Flay has mastered in his own unique style. In this article, we will explore how Bobby Flay cooks chicken wings, looking at his choice of wings, seasoning and sauces, cooking methods, and any extra tips and tricks he uses.
What type of chicken wings does Bobby Flay use?
When cooking chicken wings, the first decision is what type or cut of wings to use. Bobby Flay prefers to use mid-joint chicken wings, which are the middle segments between the drumette and wing tip. Mid-joint wings offer more surface area for getting crispy skin and for sauce coverage. Flay usually avoids using whole chicken wings. The small drumette section can overcook easily while the skinny wing tips can end up undesirably chewy.
Why mid-joint wings are best:
- More surface area for seasoning, sauces, and getting crispy
- Drumettes and wing tips can over/under cook
- Easier to eat than whole wings
- Uniformly cooks and browns
Flay also likes to look for larger, meatier mid-joint wings when possible. The extra meat provides more luxurious chicken flavor and juicy texture when cooked.
Bobby Flay’s chicken wing seasoning
A flavorful seasoning or dry rub is key to Bobby Flay’s wings. His go-to seasoning blend includes:
- Smoked paprika – for savory depth
- Chili powder – for heat
- Cumin – for earthiness
- Brown sugar – for sweetness and crispy caramelization
- Kosher salt and black pepper – for overall flavor
The spices are mixed together until well incorporated. Flay then drizzles oil over the wings and rubs the seasoning all over to generously coat each wing. The wings then sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to marinate and absorb the flavors.
Why Flay’s seasoning works:
- Smoked paprika adds rich, savory smokiness
- Chili powder builds heat and depth
- Cumin provides an earthy, aromatic note
- Brown sugar helps wings caramelize when cooked
- Salt and pepper seasons throughout
Bobby Flay’s cooking methods
Once seasoned, Bobby Flay uses a two-step cooking method to get perfectly cooked juicy chicken wing interiors with ultra crispy exteriors:
Step 1 – Low and slow baking:
Flay first bakes the wings in a 350°F oven for about 30-40 minutes. The relatively low heat gently cooks the wings through without overbrowning. The drier oven heat also helps further dry out the wing skin so it gets extra crispy.
Step 2 – Quick hot frying:
After baking, Flay quickly fries the par-cooked wings for 2-3 minutes in oil heated to 350-375°F. The short fry blasts the wings at a high temperature to crisp up the seasoned skin without overcooking the meat.
Why the baking + frying method works:
- Low baking cooks wings gently while drying skin
- Short hot fry crisps and browns the seasoned skin
- Two-step method avoids overcooked meat or soft skin
Bobby Flay’s signature chicken wing sauces
The final step for Bobby Flay’s wings is tossing them in a flavorful sauce. Flay has a few signature sauce options he likes to use:
Buffalo Wing Sauce:
Flay’s homemade Buffalo sauce includes Frank’s RedHot sauce, butter, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. The butter smooths out the heat for a rich, mildly spicy flavor.
BBQ Wing Sauce:
For BBQ wings, Flay makes a quick sauce with ketchup, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and smoked paprika. The tangy, smoky, sweet sauce has lots of sticky flavor.
Jalapeño-Lime Sauce:
Flay also has a bright, flavor-packed jalapeño-lime wing sauce. The zesty blend includes jalapeños, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and honey.
Bobby Flay’s extra wing tips
Bobby Flay has a few extra tips he follows for serving up perfect chicken wings every time:
- Let wings come fully to room temp before baking for even cooking
- Make sure oil is between 350-375°F for crispiest wings
- Toss wings in sauce right before serving to keep crispy
- Serve with celery sticks and dipping sauces like ranch or blue cheese
- Keep warm in a 200°F oven if not serving immediately
Conclusion
Bobby Flay’s chicken wings are a balance of crispy skin, juicy meat, and tons of finger-licking flavor. His secret is using flavorful mid-joint wings, a two-step bake and fry method, and tossing the wings in one of his signature zesty sauces. With Flay’s tips like properly heating the oil and tossing wings right before serving, you can have restaurant-quality wings at home. The next time wings are on the menu, do them Flay style for the best results.