The Easiest Way To Cook Tender Chicken Wings Without Any Kind Of Fryer

Part of what makes chicken wings the perfect all-occasions dish is the personalization that can go into them. You can choose your flavor, whether you prefer them sauced or dry, and even whether they contain bones or not. There's also a level of customization when it comes to how to cook them. It turns out, you don't need a fryer of any kind to make delicious wings — at least not according to chef Dennis Littley, recipe expert at the site Ask Chef Dennis.

"... For chicken wings, if I'm skipping the deep fryer, oven-baking is my top method," Littley says. "I'll toss the wings in a baking powder and seasoning mix (helps with crispiness), then roast them on a rack over a sheet pan at [425 degrees Fahrenheit] until golden and crispy." Roasting chicken wings is a great alternative to frying that has a similar enough texture that you won't feel like you're missing that extra bit of oil. To create extra crispy skin, try pouring boiling water over the wings before drying them. This Peking duck-style technique helps the skin reach an unparalleled level of crispness.

If you're worried about your meat drying out in the oven, Littley has a solution for that. "Steaming them first is a great hack too! It renders out some of the fat so they crisp up better in the oven," he says. Steam them for 10 minutes before cooling and drying them for about an hour to make sure the excess moisture is gone. 

We all know you can make extra crispy air fryer chicken wings by cooking them skin-side up and are now comfortable making them in the oven, but did you know there's yet another kitchen implement you can use? Yes, as unintuitive as it sounds, you can actually use a slow cooker or crock pot to make delicious chicken wings.

Dennis Littley explains: "Slow cookers or crock pots are great if you're going for juicy, fall-off-the-bone wings, just don't expect a crispy skin unless you finish them under the broiler or in the oven." This is a good way to prepare your meal if you have ample time but want to spend less of it actively cooking. These will generally take between two to five hours, depending on quantities and whether you're cooking fresh wings or from frozen. Once they're done, either broil them or bake them at 400 degrees until they've reached the desired level of crispiness.

Finally, toss them in a bowl with your sauce or seasonings of choice. If you're not sure how to best dress your wings, Littley suggests that you "... use a marinade with acid (like vinegar or citrus) and fat (like oil or butter) to help lock in moisture, and always season generously."