ng Recipes This is perhaps the classic American wing cooking method, used by fast food and home cookers alike. Though it is not a great option for those on a calorie diet, this method provides crispy wings that can be paired with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable for the perfect dinner. Or you could make these as part of a platter for a dinner party or even birthday with side dishes like chips and dip. You can do this on a stove top or via an electric, plug-in fryer with flour, chicken and baking powder. It's also good to have a wire rack and some paper towels for the excess grease.

Baked Chicken Wing Recipes

Going for a healthier option? Baked chicken may be your best bet, though you should always check the nutrition facts to be sure. With baked chicken, you don't have to worry about the grease pat down that you do with fried chicken and gluten-free becomes much simpler. You will need a nonstick baking sheet and an oven, plus maybe a large bowl for mixing spices and sauces.

Slow-Cooker Wing Recipes

Perhaps the easiest chicken wings are made in a slow cooker. You can add everything listed in the recipe notes to the slow cooker at once, then set cook on low all day. It takes little to no work and cooks while you are gone.

Grilled Chicken Wing Recipes

Grilled chicken wings are a great option for game day or a weekend get-together. Grilled chicken retains the fire-cooked taste with great flavors and rubs, like steak, but you eat them with your hands like a frank or hamburger. For this iconic cooking method, you will need either an electric, wood or charcoal grill, plus maybe a grill brush and grill tongs. Tinfoil, plates and large mixing bowls could come in handy, too.

The History of the Chicken Wing

Fried chicken was first brought into America in the early 1800s by the Scots, who began deep frying their chicken in the Middle Ages. From that point on, fried chicken became a staple food in the Southern USA. It wasn't until the mid-1960s that another American staple was created, the Buffalo wing. At the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, an employee was creating a late night snack by cooking chicken wings in a spicy hot sauce for her child and his friends. This new wing recipe was such a hit with them that it was added to the menu the next day and became the Buffalo chicken wings that everyone knows today.

Creating Variety in Your Meals with Healthier Baked Chicken Wings

Contrary to popular belief, a chicken wing can be created in a healthy manner and can be used in place of the chicken breast to create variety in meal planning. To get the flavor and satisfaction of other wing recipes, you can even create crispy baked chicken wings and add a wing sauce or dipping sauce so that you keep the healthier benefits of baked chicken. To create the best wings no matter the flavor, start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, you will ensure that you fully cook the wings without letting them dry out in the oven by leaving them in too long. Then bake for 45 minutes to ensure that they are cooked through.

When it comes to creating sauces, the best bet for newcomers is to look at recipe ratings online to see what others say and find the sauce with the flavors that best suits their palate. Each baked wings recipe will use a different mixture of spices to create a unique flavor that can either be baked into the wing or used as a dipping sauce on the side. Look into recipes that have black pepper and hot sauce (such as Frank's) for spicy American-style wings. Or try soy sauce and garlic powder for Asian-style wings. The possibilities are almost endless.

Unique Chicken Wing Recipes

Try all of our healthy and cheat-day chicken wing recipes, from basic Buffalo wings to more complex grilled chicken wings, which might require more preparation and some skill working a grill.

Barbecue Chicken Wings

Though arguably best cooked on a grill, many people do just fine baking these in an oven. For a comprehensive meal, it's easier than you think. Start by going to Yummly to pick your preferred barbecue style and flavor. Then grab your list and head over to the grocery store where you can get your favorite summertime vegetable, as well as some corn and all the things that you will need for you your main course. A great tip for any recipe is to season the wings with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice before you put them into the oven for added summer flair. With your vegetable and main course, add a starchy side like mashed potatoes to please just about anybody. For general steps, check out Yummly's bank of great options!

Recipe Variations and Pointers

Many chicken wing recipes that have sauces can be made with different parts of the chicken. Though the recipe might say baked chicken wing, you can try the sauce with a chicken breast or chicken thigh. Or why not try the whole chicken? If you want a recipe you can see prepared step by step, you’ll find plenty of recipe videos that you you through the process.

If the sauce at the end of the recipe is not your style but you like everything else, you can substitute a buffalo sauce or even Asian style sauce. But no matter what sauce you choose, make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked and golden brown in color.

Make sure you’re armed with the right tools. If you are cooking the wings in sauce, a baking sheet can be replaced with a pan and a wire rack, which assures the wings won’t come out soggy.