Chicken wings are a beloved appetizer and snack. Their popularity has exploded in recent years, with chicken wings now a staple menu item at bars, restaurants, and sporting events. But with so many methods available for cooking chicken wings, which one results in the absolute best wings? Here we will explore the most popular chicken wing cooking methods and compare their pros and cons to determine which method truly produces the best wings.
What Makes Good Chicken Wings?
Before determining the best cooking method, let’s first define what qualities make for excellent chicken wings. Here are the key factors:
- Crispy skin – The skin should be crispy and crunchy, not soggy or rubbery.
- Tender, juicy meat – The meat should pull cleanly off the bone and be moist and tender, not dry or tough.
- Well-rendered fat – The fat under the skin should be fully rendered and cooked through.
- Seasoned coating – The coating or sauce should infuse robust seasoning and flavor.
- Cooks evenly – The wings should cook evenly, with the meat and skin done at the same time.
Achieving the ideal balance of crispy skin, tender meat, and fully-rendered fat is the key challenge of chicken wing preparation. The cooking method can make all the difference. Next we will compare the most popular options.
Fried Chicken Wings
Frying is hands-down the most common and beloved way to prepare chicken wings. The fried versions served at bars and restaurants have set the expectation for what great wings should taste like. Frying excels at delivering crispy skin and rendering out fat for tender, juicy meat.
How to Fry Chicken Wings
Frying chicken wings involves just a few steps:
- Season wings – Salt, pepper, spice blends
- Coat with flour – Helps achieve crispy texture
- Fry in oil – 350°F for 15-20 minutes
- Toss in sauce (optional)
The two main factors that affect the results are the temperature of the oil and frying time. The oil must be between 325-375°F to properly crisp the skin and cook the meat before burning. And the wings must fry for 15-20 minutes to fully cook through.
Pros
- Achieves crispy skin
- Renders fat for tender, juicy meat
- Can be tossed in flavorful sauce
- Appealing presentation
Cons
- Requires management of hot oil
- Can make kitchen greasy
- Raw chicken raises risk of food-borne illness
- High-calorie with lots of fat
Frying ranks high for delivering the ideal texture and ability to add sauce flavor. But the cons of dealing with hot oil may push home cooks to seek out a simpler method.
Baked Chicken Wings
Baking chicken wings in the oven avoids the hassle and risks of frying with oil. It can still achieve excellent results when the wings are cooked uncovered on a wire rack.
How to Bake Chicken Wings
- Season wings – Salt, pepper, spices
- Place on wire rack over baking sheet
- Bake at 450°F for 40-50 minutes, flipping once
- Toss in sauce (optional)
Baking at a high temp develops crispy skin. A wire rack elevates the wings from the pan so air circulates completely around each wing as it cooks. This is key for even crisping.
Pros
- Avoids hot oil
- Simpler cleanup
- Can achieve crispy skin
- Allows fat to render
- Can toss in sauce after cooking
Cons
- Longer cook time
- Flip wings midway through
- Doesn’t soak up sauce flavor as well
Baking takes more time and attention than frying, but is a viable lower-oil method to make delicious wings with crispy skin.
Grilled Chicken Wings
For wings with a smoky, charred exterior, grilling is a great option. The high direct heat of the grill crisps the skin nicely. Grilling imparts a delicious charred flavor from the smoke and fat drippings.
How to Grill Chicken Wings
- Season wings – Salt, pepper, spices, sauce
- Place on hot grill, flipping occasionally
- Grill for 25-35 minutes
To prevent sticking, use a nonstick spray or brush a thin coating of oil on the grill grates. Cook over direct high heat, moving the wings around to promote even crisping.
Pros
- Delicious charred, smoky flavor
- Crisp skin from grill’s high heat
- Minimal cleanup
- Can incorporate sauce in marinade
Cons
- Risk of sticking to grill
- Hard to cook evenly
- Challenging to handle many wings
For backyard barbecues, grilling chicken wings is a fun and delicious cooking method. The charring and smoke add great flavor. But the potential for uneven cooking makes other methods better suited for larger batches.
Air Fried Chicken Wings
Air fryers promise the crispiness and texture of fried wings without all the oil. The rapid air circulation cooks wings evenly to a crispy finish.
How to Air Fry Chicken Wings
- Season wings – Salt, pepper, spices
- Place in single layer in air fryer basket
- Air fry at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, shaking basket occasionally
- Toss in sauce
When air frying in batches, work in small quantities to allow air circulation to reach all the wings. Periodically shake the basket to rotate their position.
Pros
- Delivers fried texture with less oil
- Crispy skin and tender meat
- Cooks quickly and evenly
- Easy to toss in sauce
Cons
- Smaller capacity than oven
- Must cook in batches for even crisping
- Doesn’t render as much fat
For those looking to reduce oil without sacrificing crunch, air frying is an excellent choice. The wings still come out crispy and can be sauced just like other methods.
Deep Fried vs. Baked vs. Grilled vs. Air Fried
| Method | Crispiness | Juiciness | Flavor | Ease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep fried | Very crispy | Very juicy | Rich frying oil flavor | Moderate, requires oil management |
| Baked | Crispy | Moderately juicy | Neutral oven-baked flavor | Easy, less monitoring |
| Grilled | Crispy and charred | Moderately juicy | Delicious smoky, charred flavor | Difficult, risk of sticking and uneven cooking |
| Air fried | Very crispy | Moderately juicy | Neutral flavor profile | Easy, mimics deep frying |
Other Cooking Methods for Chicken Wings
In addition to the most popular cooking methods covered above, there are a few other lesser-used techniques:
Slow Cooker
Chicken wings can be cooked low and slow in a slow cooker. This tenderizes the meat nicely. However, the skin comes out wet and mushy instead of crispy.
Poaching
Simmering raw wings in water poaches them gently. But like the slow cooker method, this leaves the skin soggy. Poaching does make the meat very tender.
Steaming
A steamer basket can be used to cook wings. This avoids any oil and reduces calories. But again, the result is soft skin lacking crispiness.
Broiling
Broiling in the oven is like an upside-down grilling method. The direct top heat can crisp the skin nicely. But the meat tends to cook unevenly and dry out. Frequent flipping is required for best results.
Pressure Cooking
Modern pressure cookers like the Instant Pot can be used to prepare wings. The pressurized environment tenderizes the meat rapidly. But the skin lacks any crispiness after pressure cooking.
Choosing Your Best Chicken Wing Cooking Method
So taking into account all the popular preparation options, which method ultimately produces the most ideal chicken wings?
Here are some key considerations when picking your preferred wing cooking technique:
- Crispiness – Deep frying and air frying excel here
- Juiciness – Frying is best, baking and grilling are good
- Flavor – Grilled has the best added flavor
- Ease – Air frying and baking are the simplest
- Health – Baked and air fried have fewer calories
Weigh your priorities among these factors. If you must have the crispiest skin go for deep fried or air fried. For extra flavor, grilled can’t be beat. And if you want the easiest cleanup with fewer calories, baked and air fried are your best bets.
The Winner?
Taking everything into account, air frying triumphs as the best overall method for making chicken wings.
Air fried wings achieve nearly identical crispiness and texture as deep fried, while using significantly less oil. The skin gets beautifully crunchy and the meat stays juicy inside. While they lack the rich flavor imparted by frying oil, various spices can season the wings. Air frying also avoids the mess and monitoring of deep frying hot oil.
For home cooks seeking restaurant-quality wings from their kitchen with less effort and oil, air frying is the clear winner. You can toss the finished crispy wings in your favorite wing sauce for finger-licking results. Air frying allows you to indulge in delicious chicken wings anytime with far less guilt and cleanup.
Tips for Maximizing Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Follow these tips when cooking wings in an air fryer:
- Pat dry wings to maximize crispness
- Use baking powder and salt to help dry out and season the skin
- Coat wings lightly in oil to enhance browning
- Air fry in a single layer, avoid overcrowding
- Set air fryer to 400°F, shake basket periodically
- Cook for 20-25 minutes until skin is browned and crispy
The minimal oil and hands-off cooking of air fryers lets you enjoy crunchy, juicy wings minus the mess of deep frying. Satisfy those wing cravings with all the flavor and far less fat.
Conclusion
While deep frying may still reign supreme in restaurants for the ultimate chicken wing texture, air frying offers very comparable results in a much easier and healthier manner. With the ability to produce crispy, juicy wings in your own kitchen with less oil and effort, air fryers are hard to beat. So if you are looking for convenience, lower calories, and less cleanup hassle, then air frying is certainly the best way to prepare wings. Just toss those piping hot air fried wings in your favorite sauce and enjoy the delicious crunch!