Tulo

Restaurant-Style Chicken Wings Recipe

A baking powder and salt dry brine pulls moisture to the surface of the skin so it crisps hard in the fryer instead of steaming, and frying the wings twice, once at a lower temperature to cook them through and once hotter to shatter the skin, is the same two-stage method wing joints use to get that lacquered, crackly texture under the sauce.

Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
105 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 3 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, tips removed
  • 2 tsp baking powder (not baking soda)
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 6 cups neutral oil, for frying
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
  • 1 tsp white vinegar

Nutrition per serving

Calories
3148
Protein
14g
Carbs
1g
Fat
349g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels; any surface moisture will keep them from crisping.
  2. 2In a large bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder, salt, and garlic powder until every piece is evenly coated.
  3. 3Arrange the wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
  4. 4Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or deep fryer to 250°F (120°C). Fry the wings in batches for 8-9 minutes, until just cooked through but pale, not browned. Remove to a clean rack.USDA safe minimum for poultry: 165°F (74°C)
  5. 5Increase the oil temperature to 400°F (205°C). Fry the wings a second time, in batches, for 3-4 minutes, until deep golden and the skin is hard and crackly.
  6. 6While the wings fry, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the hot sauce and vinegar. Keep warm.
  7. 7Transfer the fried wings to a large bowl, pour over the sauce, and toss until every wing is coated. Serve immediately.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer

Tips & variations

  • For oven-baked wings, skip frying and bake the dry-brined wings on a wire rack at 425°F (220°C) for 45-50 minutes, flipping once, until deeply browned and crisp.
  • Swap the hot sauce for a dry rub (smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, cayenne) tossed on right after the second fry for dry-rub style wings.
  • A candy or deep-fry thermometer clipped to the pot is worth using here; guessing at oil temperature is the most common reason home-fried wings turn out greasy or burnt.
  • For extra-crispy skin, let the wings air-dry uncovered in the fridge overnight instead of just 1 hour.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate leftover sauced wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400°F (205°C) oven or air fryer for 8-10 minutes to recrisp the skin; microwaving will make them soggy. Unsauced fried wings freeze well for up to 2 months and can go straight from freezer to a 400°F oven.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Removing the wing tips before frying isn't just for looks, they burn easily and contribute almost no meat, so trimming them lets the rest of the wing cook more evenly.
  • Fry in small batches and let the oil come back up to temperature between rounds; overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature and results in soggy, pale wings.

FAQ

Why do restaurant wings taste crispier than homemade ones?

Most wing restaurants dry-brine or air-dry the wings before frying and use a two-stage fry at different temperatures, both of which drive excess moisture out of the skin. Skipping either step is the main reason home-fried wings turn out softer.

Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?

No. Baking soda has a much stronger, metallic taste at the small quantities used here and needs an acid to activate; baking powder is formulated to work on its own and won't leave an off flavor.

What internal temperature should chicken wings reach?

Wings are safe to eat at 165°F (74°C), but many cooks pull them closer to 175-180°F (79-82°C) since the extra time renders more fat out of the skin and joints, making the meat more tender.

Can these wings be made in an air fryer?

Yes. After the baking powder dry brine, air fry at 380°F (195°C) for 20-24 minutes, flipping halfway, then toss in the sauce; the texture is close to fried, though slightly less shatter-crisp.

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