Pan Fried Chicken Wings
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Pan Fried Chicken Wings are easy to make in small batches while enjoying Game Day with family and friends. In less than 30 minutes, these crispy fried wings will be on your plate with your favorite dip in hand!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's Fast! - no need to prep a smoker or work too hard in the kitchen
- Simple Recipe - easy to prep and make in less than 30 minutes
- Small Batch - great for when you only need a few appetizers for a small party
If you're searching for a quick and easy way to make pan fried chicken wings, this is it! There's not a lot of prep or time involved in this recipe, but it yields great results.
It takes only 10 minutes to prep the chicken wing portions and just 15 minutes to fry them over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
Hosting a party or serving a big crowd? Try my Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings or Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings with your favorite dip like this sassy Chili Aioli!
Whole Wings vs. Frozen
Buying whole chicken wings is more cost effective than purchasing pre-cut pieces. It's also fun to cut them up if you have a sharp knife. However, ask your butcher to do the hard work if dissecting wings isn't your thing.
If you do take the plunge, you'll see there are three sections to each piece. The drumette, the wingette, and the tip. It takes a little practice knowing where to make the cut, so take a moment watch this video before pulling out that sharp knife!
Frozen wings are easy to work with and should be thawed out in your fridge overnight for best results. You will need to thaw and dry frozen pieces completely with paper towels before adding them to a deep fryer or large skillet with hot oil.
Ingredients
Equipment You'll Need
- cast iron skillet or deep frying pan
- large bowl
- baking sheet
- instant-read thermometer
- kitchen tongs
- sharp knife
How to Make Pan Fried Chicken Wings
Cooking chicken wings isn't hard, especially if you use this easy recipe. This delicious chicken wings recipe creates golden brown chicken with crispy skin everyone craves!
- For the dry rub, all you need is some garlic salt and black pepper, or a simple seasoning blend. You could also try my homemade Chicken Wing Rub with cayenne pepper and brown sugar if you're looking for even more flavor.
- Coat each piece liberally with dry rub before adding them to a cast iron skillet with ½ inch of hot oil. The temperature of the oil needs to be 375 degrees F.
- Fry chicken until the juice runs clear which takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes. Flip them over frequently to cook both sides until golden brown. The internal temperature of the wings should reach 165º F.
- Remove pieces from skillet and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
After the wing pieces are fried, immediately transfer them to a large bowl and add the sauce. Mix with tongs and toss well. Place them on a plate and garnish with blue cheese crumbles and celery sticks.
Choosing a Sauce
You know how hard it is to choose a sauce when you go to a restaurant? Well, it's the same way when you make them yourself. There are so many choices!
I narrowed it down to two, and decided to use my favorite sauces from the grocery store to save time: Sweet Baby Ray's Teriyaki Sauce and Frank's Red Hot Sauce.
Frank's Sauce has a real kick to it. Sweet Baby Ray's Teriyaki isn't a spicy sauce at all. It has a sweet and savory flavor that folks love. It's nice to offer two sauces that contrast one another so family members have a choice of hot or mild flavors.
Dips to Serve with Wings
Make your own Homemade Blue Cheese Dip that tastes great with this recipe! It's creamy, cheesy and delicious! Here are some other fun dips to try:
Recipe FAQs
Breading is not necessary, especially when you're coating each piece in sauce after frying.
It depends on whether or not you enjoy smoky flavor. My favorite wings are smoked at a high temperature to create crispy skin. But, pan fried chicken wings are easier to make and cook in minutes compared to hours.
Definitely toss your wings in sauce after frying instead of before. Adding sauce before will make a mess in the pan and cause the oil to splatter all over your kitchen.
Tips for Success
- Make sure each wingette and drumette is throughly free of water before adding any seasoning.
- Keep pieces warm in a 170ºF oven until ready to serve.
- Toss wings in sauce just before serving to keep them crispy after frying.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: heat up wings in an air fryer or in a 400 degrees F oven to crisp them up. Microwaving is not recommended because the skin will become rubbery.
Freezing: You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Game Day Snacks
Looking for a completely different wing flavor for the holidays? Try Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Chicken Wings. If you're looking for more snacks to enjoy on Game Day, give these a whirl...
Recipe Card
Pan Fried Chicken Wings
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
- 12 whole chicken wings (can use frozen if desired)
- 2 Tablespoons garlic salt with parsley (or use your favorite dry rub)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Teriyaki Sauce
- celery sticks to garnish
Instructions
- Cut chicken wings using this guide. Or use a bag of pre-cut frozen wings.12 whole chicken wings
- Sprinkle garlic salt with parsley over chicken wings and coat both sides.2 Tablespoons garlic salt with parsley
- Add oil to skillet and heat to 375 degrees F.¼ cup vegetable oil
- Add chicken pieces one at a time and fry for 15 minutes, turning wings frequently with tongs.
- When wings reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, take them off the heat and immediately toss in your favorite sauce in a large bowl.1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce, 1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Teriyaki Sauce
- Garnish with celery sticks and serve with your favorite blue cheese dip.celery sticks to garnish
Notes
- This recipe makes 24 wings which serves 4 people as an appetizer.
- Make sure each wingette and drumette is throughly free of water before adding any seasoning.
- Keep pieces warm in a 170ºF oven until ready to serve.
- Toss wings in sauce just before serving to keep them crispy after frying.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: heat up wings in an air fryer or in a 400 degrees F oven to crisp them up. Microwaving is not recommended because the skin will become rubbery.
- Freezing: You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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Tried this recipe last night and it turned out great. Crispy and tons of flavor!
Wow. Just wow. I've been craving chicken wings and here they are. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love chicken wings too! Man, are these ever tasty!