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Crispy Fried Buttermilk Chicken Wings

Crispy deep-fried buttermilk chicken wings are not only takeaway fodder, they are quick and easy to make at home, mine are gloriously spicy.

Marinade time aside you can cook a batch of wings for two in around 25 minutes and they are so moreish you might need more!

Overhead crispy fried buttermilk chicken wings with fries and sauce.

Super Crispy and Spicy Buttermilk Wings

I have a huge weakness for chicken wings, I adore them and they make a regular appearance here on my site.

I have everything from Thai inspired chicken wings to peri peri chicken wings and mango and habanero wings to Korean inspired gochujang chicken wings as well as some gloriously sticky honey and sriracha chicken wings.

These delicious wings are all sorts of different and really rather special.

Crispy fried buttermilk chicken wings are often considered the exclusive domain of the good old takeaway.

However, it need not be, cooking them at home is remarkably quick and easy, especially if you have a deep fat fryer.

My wings are soaked in spiced buttermilk and then rolled in a spiced flour mix then fried until perfectly juicy and as crispy as a crispy thing.

The flavours and coating of these wings are also used in my buttermilk fried chicken burger recipe.

And all this in well under half an hour if you do not count the time that the chicken is sat in the buttermilk. Give them a try, you’ll love them!

Close-up crispy fried spicy buttermilk chicken wings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook these wings in another way?

No, there are many ways to cook chicken wings, but there is no way to emulate fried chicken!

Do I have to use a deep-fat fryer?

No, but I think that it is the very best way to do it because it is both safer and much easier to regulate the oil temperature.

Can I fry chicken wings in a pan?

Yes, but do be careful, never overfill the pan with either oil or chicken!

Keep the oil level in the pan below a third full and keep an eye on the temperature with a sugar thermometer.

How many batches do I need to cook the chicken in?

That really does depend on the size of your fryer, I use a large 3.5 litre (3 quart) fryer which will comfortably cook 10 wing portions at a time. You may need to cook less in a smaller fryer or pan.

If you overfill your fryer you will lower the temperature of the oil and that will lead to soggy and greasy chicken.

What type of oil should I use?

If you are asking for the ultimate oil to fry in then generally speaking I would say that it is beef dripping, but on a practical level, it is far from ideal.

As a result, I usually use sunflower oil to fry these wings.

How long with the chicken stay crispy?

If you place it on a cooling rack over a baking tray in a cool-moderate oven it should stay crispy for 20-30 minutes.

Do I really need a meat thermometer?

No, you can cook these crispy wings without one, but I swear by mine, I think that it is the easiest way to cook meat accurately and consistently.

Crispy fried buttermilk chicken wings with fries and sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Crispy deep fried chicken wings need nothing more than some form of potato side and sauces as far as I am concerned.

They are pictured here with some French fries that I cooked in an air fryer, but you could throw them in the deep fat fryer whilst you keep the chicken warm if you like.

But fries ain’t the only chip… you could add air fryer potato wedges, crispy straw potatoes or even chip shop style chips.

You could even go wild and crazy and add sweet potato fries!

When it comes to sauces… well you know what you like, I’m a BBQ sauce kinda guy, how abut you?

Close-up crispy fried spicy buttermilk chicken wings with a bite taken showing juicy meat.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Deep fat fryer or a pan and a stovetop.
  • Bag or Tupperware box to marinate the chicken.
  • 1 Large and 1 small mixing bowl.
  • Measuring jug, cups and spoons.
  • Kitchen tongs.
  • Quick read meat thermometer.
  • An oven and cooling rack if you want to keep the chicken warm whilst you are batch-frying the chicken.
Super crispy and spicy fried buttermilk chicken wings served with fries, salad and BBQ sauce.
Yield: 2 Servings

Super Crispy and Spicy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes

When it comes to finger food fried buttermilk chicken wings are hard to beat, these come wrapped in the crispiest of crispy coatings and plenty of spice!

Ingredients

  • 10 (700-750g Total) Chicken Wings
  • 250ml (1 Cup) Buttermilk
  • 2 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
  • ½ Tsp White Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
  • ½ Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 50g (5-6 Tbsp) Flour
  • 25g (3 Tbsp) Cornflour
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper, Push this up and down as you wish
  • 2 Tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 Tsp Mustard Powder
  • 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken wings into winglets and drumettes.
  2. Mix the buttermilk, salt, pepper and paprika then add the wings, mix and let stand for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
  3. Remove the chicken from the butter milk scraping off any excess and place them in the large mixing bowl.
  4. Mix the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne, thyme, mustard and coriander.
  5. Sprinkle this over the chicken and then stir with a spoon. 
  6. You are not looking to completely incorporate this mix, lumps are good, and they make wonderful crispy chewy bits when fried.
  7. Batch fry the chicken at 170°C or 340°F for approximately 10 minutes. You need the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 72°C or 145°F. I use a large 3.5 litre (3 quart) fryer so can cook this in two batches. HINT: Fry the drummettes and winglets separately, because they will take slightly different times to cook.
  8. Keep the chicken warm in a low to moderate oven (100°C or 212°F) as you fry subsequent batches.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 882Total Fat: 63gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 45gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 3688mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Paul Edwards

Monday 24th of December 2018

I'll try to work wing's into my New Year menu Brian. Just wanted to wish You and family a very merry Christmas. Thanks for the scrumptious food ?Regards Paul.

Brian Jones

Thursday 27th of December 2018

Cheers Paul... Hope you had a great Christmas and have great plans through to New Year!

Christie

Monday 17th of December 2018

These remind me of Nana's fried chicken. So crispy and cooked perfectly. I see these on the table for some game day eats!

Brian Jones

Tuesday 18th of December 2018

Thank Christie, high praise indeed the food of our 'nanas' is always special :)

Diana

Monday 17th of December 2018

Finger food ideas are so handy right now preparing for all the Christmas parties and NYE party! Looks so good!

Brian Jones

Monday 17th of December 2018

I'm not sure I could be trusted deep frying on New Years Eve hahahahahahaaaa

Kelly Anthony

Monday 17th of December 2018

Great tips on frying oil. We don't fry food too often so sometimes I am unsure of which oil to use so thank you for the good information.

Brian Jones

Monday 17th of December 2018

You are Welcome.

kim

Monday 17th of December 2018

Yum! Love this recipe! So tasty and my whole family gobbles it up!

Brian Jones

Monday 17th of December 2018

Thanks Kim

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