These crock pot chicken wings are beyond addictive. They're slow cooked in a spicy and tangy Buffalo sauce until super juicy, then finished in the broiler for extra crispy skin and caramelized sauce. This is the perfect game-day snack minus all the mess and hassle of deep frying!
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My Famous Crock Pot Chicken Wings
These crock pot chicken wings are just like the iconic Buffalo wings we serve at my restaurant, Duff's Famous Wings. My family has been perfecting chicken wings for over 50 years, so you know this recipe has to be good.
The wings are incredibly flavorful right down to the bone, with tender, juicy meat and perfectly crispy skin. They'd honestly be good plain, but the wings are coated in a caramelized Buffalo sauce that's finger-licking good.
They're seriously restaurant-worthy, and cooking wings in the crock pot is unbelievably easy. Just toss in your fresh or frozen wings with the hot sauce and spices, and the wings will be ready in a few hours.
In Buffalo, we always dip our wings in blue cheese. But if you're looking for a great homemade dipping sauce to serve with these crockpot wings, you can make this copycat Wingstop ranch recipe or Texas Roadhouse ranch.
Why This Recipe Works
No frying. Since these chicken wingd are made without any frying, you don't have to worry about the mess from cooking with hot oil. This process is so much easier than deep frying and results in crispier wings than just baking.
Winning combination. These slow cooker Buffalo wings have the perfect amount of heat, and they're so tender and crispy. They're really the perfect chicken wings!
Guaranteed crowd-pleaser. These wings are always a massive hit at parties and get-togethers. I love serving them during football season, and they're also perfect for a casual family dinner.
Ingredients
- Chicken wings- fresh or frozen chicken wings.
- Buffalo sauce- use your favorite kind!
- Brown sugar- an underrated hint of sweetness makes them taste incredible.
- Onion powder and garlic powder- for a little savoriness to balance out the flavors.
If you end up with extra Buffalo sauce, you can use it to make buffalo chicken casserole or crock pot buffalo chicken dip. They're both great party appetizers, just like these chicken wings!
How To Make Crock Pot Chicken Wings
1. Make the sauce: In a bowl, combine the Buffalo sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder. Don't forget to reserve a couple of tablespoons of hot sauce for later.
2. Cook the wings: Add the chicken wings to the crock pot and pour the prepared sauce on top. Give the wings a mix to coat them in the sauce. Seal the crock pot with the lid and cook on low for 3 hours for fresh chicken wings. If you're starting with frozen wings, cook them on high for 3 hours.
3. Broil the wings: Transfer the cooked chicken wings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Preheat the broiler and brush each chicken wing with the reserved Buffalo sauce. Broil them for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through for even cooking.
4. Serve: Plate up your warm chicken wings and serve them with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, and carrot sticks. Enjoy!
My Pro Tips To Make the Best Recipe
- Try other sauces for different variations of these crock pot wings. This recipe would be great with BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, Szechuan sauce, or sweet chili sauce, to name a few ideas.
- You can use storebought or homemade Buffalo sauce for this recipe. You can make Buffalo sauce by simply mixing hot sauce with a few tablespoons of melted butter.
- Broil the wings for even longer if you want extra crispy wings.
- Dip the wings in additional Buffalo sauce to make them even hotter.
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
In the fridge: Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days.
In the freezer: Let the wings cool completely before storing them in a freezer-safe airtight container or ziplock bag. They'll stay good in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Reheating: My favorite way to reheat leftovers is in the air fryer. Just put the wings in the basket and reheat them in the air fryer at 370°F for 5 minutes, flipping halfway. It makes the skin extra crispy! You can also reheat them in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F and arrange the wings in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Or, you can eat the wings cold. They're delicious that way too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook frozen chicken wings in a slow cooker?
Yes! You can actually use this recipe to make some delicious crock pot frozen chicken wings. The trick is to cook them on high for 3 hours, then brush them with sauce and broil until you have crispy skin.
How long does it take to cook chicken wings in a crock pot?
Fresh or fully thawed chicken wings will usually take about 3 hours to cook in a crock pot on low. Frozen wings should be cooked for at least 3 hours on high.
Can I keep chicken wings in the crock pot for too long?
Yes, chicken wings that are left to cook in the crock pot for too long can start to separate from the bone. You generally don't want to slow cook wings for longer than 3-4 hours.
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
- Crock pot Buffalo chicken
- Crock pot chicken casserole
- Frozen chicken in the crock pot
- Olive Garden crock pot chicken pasta
- Crock pot salsa chicken
- Crock pot chicken and rice
- Crock pot Mississippi chicken
Crock Pot Chicken Wings
These crock pot chicken wings are beyond addictive. They're slow cooked in a spicy and tangy Buffalo sauce until super juicy, then finished in the broiler for extra crispy skin and caramelized sauce. This is the perfect game-day snack minus all the mess and hassle of deep frying!
Ingredients
- 2 lb. Chicken wings (fresh or frozen chicken wings)
- ¾ cup Buffalo sauce + 2 tablespoon for brushing
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the sauce; combine Buffalo sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, and garlic powder in a bowl.
- Add the wings into the crock pot and cover with the prepared sauce.
- Stir to coat the wings.
- Close the Crockpot with a lid and cook on low for 3 hours. If you are using frozen chicken wings, cook on high for 3 hours.
- Remove the wings from the crock pot and place them onto a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Preheat your oven broiler. Brush the wings with extra Buffalo sauce and broil for 5 minutes per side or until crispy.
- Serve wings warm with some blue cheese or ranch, celery, and carrots.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
½ lb.Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 16.8gSaturated Fat: 4.6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 5.3gFiber: 0.1gSugar: 4.7gProtein: 65.7g
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