With their juicy meat and crispy, golden-brown skin, chicken wings are one of the most addicting appetizers. Few things are more satisfying than chowing down on freshly-fried chicken wings dipped in a flavorful, spicy sauce. Whether it's buffalo wings on game day or an appetizer to a tasty home-cooked meal, you can't go wrong with a plate of wings. Here's how long to fry chicken wings for the perfect balance of juiciness and crispiness.
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The most important aspect of making chicken wings is how long you fry them, as this is determines how much moisture they retain and how crispy they are. Although each fried chicken wings recipe is different, there is a general rule for how long to fry your chicken wings to achieve this delicate balance.
How Long Do You Fry Chicken Wings?
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The length of time that frying takes depends on the temperature you use. For a higher temperature, you'll fry for less time, while a recipe using a lower temperature will call for a longer frying time. The cook time for fried chicken wings is often less than that of baked chicken wings or air fried chicken wings. Frying also results in the best texture, as the hot oil adds extra crunchiness that's hard to achieve in the oven or air fryer. For even crispier wings, you can make deep fried wings in a deep fryer.
Most fried chicken wings recipe call for a temperature of 350 to 375 degrees F, and you'll typically fry the wings for about 7 to 8 minutes. Make sure to keep the temperature consistent, and allow the crust to turn a deep golden-brown before taking them out of the hot oil. With the prep time and multiple batches, frying chicken wings often has a total time of around 30 minutes, but it depends on the quantity of wings and the individual recipe.
How to Fry Chicken Wings
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If you're using frozen wings, fully thaw them and then pat completely dry before frying. Then, set up your fryer and propane, adding canola oil or vegetable oil into the fryer. Light the fryer and bean heating the oil to the desired temperature. As the oil heats, coat your chicken wings in the coating of your choice. Although there are many options, some popular ingredients are kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, and all-purpose flour.
The best wings are coated with savory and spicy flavors, so think about what your favorite spices are and use them in your coating. When the oil is properly heated, add your wings to the oil, ensuring that the temperature stays relatively constant.
Stir the oil and wings a few times and turn the wings over once or twice to make sure that they're fully submerged in the oil. Then, allow them to cook until perfectly crispy, about 7 to 8 minutes. When they're ready to be taken out, use a slotted spoon to transfer your fried wings to a wire rack inside a sheet pan to allow the wings to cool evenly and drain any extra oil. If you don't have this, use a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet.
Fry in batches to ensure that the pan doesn't become overcrowded. When you're done frying them, you get to do the most exciting part- enjoy them dipped in a delicious sauce. Buffalo wings with buffalo sauce are popular, or you can go with BBQ sauce, teriyaki, ranch or a hot-sauce based option.
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