Chicken Wings

You'll find wings sold two ways: whole wings (three sections still connected) and party wings (already split into flats and drumettes with the wing tip removed). Party wings save you 10 minutes of knife work, but whole wings are cheaper per pound. If buying whole, use kitchen shears to cut through the joints, it's faster and cleaner than a knife. Flats cook faster than drumettes, so if you're mixing both on the same tray, check the flats first. Fresh wings keep 1-2 days in the fridge. For freezing, spread them on a sheet pan to freeze individually first, then bag them. This way you can pull out exactly the number you need without defrosting a frozen brick.

Chicken wings are one of the easiest proteins to cook at home once you learn the only trick that matters: dry skin. Pat them bone-dry with paper towels, toss with a light coat of baking powder (not baking soda), and you'll get shatteringly crispy skin from the oven or air fryer, no deep fryer required. Whether you're roasting a sheet pan for game day or smoking a batch low and slow, every method on this page gets you to the same place: crispy outside, tender meat that pulls clean off the bone.

Wings are safe at 165°F, but most people prefer them cooked to 190°F where the connective tissue breaks down and the meat pulls off the bone easily. At 165°F they're safe but can be chewy around the joints. The higher fat content of wings means they stay juicy even at higher temps. No thermometer needed for most people: when the skin is crispy and the meat pulls away from the bone, they're done.