Southern Fried Chicken Wings Recipe
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When it comes to classic comfort food, few dishes can rival the timeless appeal of fried chicken. And nothing embodies soul food quite like this recipe for Southern fried chicken wings!
This Southern fried chicken wings recipe showcases soul food at its finest. The thoughtfully crafted seasoning blend adds depth and richness to the chicken. At the same time, my signature three-step coating guarantees the perfect crunch.
Easy fried chicken wings
There’s something truly magical about the crispy, golden exterior and the juicy, tender meat that satisfies all cravings. Distinguished by their golden-brown crust, these wings make a unique addition to any table.
These wings showcase exceptional flavor, featuring a blend of savory seasonings wrapped in a crispy, seasoned coating. They are whole wings, flavorful, and fulfilling, served with both the flat and the drumette, rather than being split like party wings.
How to make Southern fried chicken wings
Begin with a homemade seasoning blend that offers the ideal balance of spices for the chicken. Next, my three-step dredging method creates a crispy, flavorful coating that adheres well to the chicken wings while frying.
Seasoning the chicken
- Start by preparing the seasoning blend and rub it all over the chicken.
- Set up a triple-dip dredging station for the chicken.
Battering the chicken
- Coat the wings in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- Dip the wings in a buttermilk and egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off.
- Dip the wings in flour, coating them again.
Frying the wings
- Fry the chicken wings once they are battered.
How to know when fried chicken wings are done
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and use a meat thermometer to maintain a steady temperature while frying the chicken. Maintaining this precise temperature will help prevent both undercooking and overcooking. The chicken is ready when the batter is golden brown.
Serving homemade fried chicken wings
Several soul food sides are popular choices when serving Southern fried chicken. Favorites include macaroni and cheese, Southern potato salad, creamy mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and collard greens.
Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or an afternoon snack, one of these classic dips is sure to add an extra burst of flavor when serving Southern fried chicken wings. Consider options like hot sauce, ranch dressing, honey, honey mustard, ketchup, or barbecue sauce.
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet, 8-10"
- Whisk
- Fried chicken scissor tong
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken wings
- 48 oz peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon seasoning poultry seasoning or all-purpose seasoning/seasoned salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup of buttermilk = ½ cup of milk & ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over each piece of chicken.
- Pour the oil into the skillet until it's approximately 1 inch deep or half full.
- Heat the oil over medium heat or until it reaches 350 degrees F.
- While waiting for the oil to heat up, place 1 cup of the divided flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper in a medium-size mixing bowl or 1-gallon resealable food storage bag.
- Shake (or mix) the sealed bag to combine the ingredients for a homemade poultry seasoning, and set the flour mixture aside.
- Pour the second cup of flour into a second resealable bag (or medium-sized mixing bowl) and set it aside.
- Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in another medium-sized bowl, and set that mixture aside too.
- The chicken wings will go through a 3-step process from here.
- First, place the chicken in the bag (or bowl) of seasoned flour and shake or toss to coat the chicken evenly.
- Second, shake off the excess flour and dip the chicken into the buttermilk mixture.
- Third, transfer the chicken to the last bag (or bowl) of flour and shake or toss until it’s well coated.
- Place the coated chicken wings into the preheated oil, skin-side down, and be careful not to overcrowd the chicken in the oil.
- You can fry a second batch to avoid overcrowding by frying all the chicken at once. Just make sure the hot oil remains at 350 degrees F.
- Cook the chicken pieces for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, occasionally flipping them to prevent excessive browning.
- As the chicken turns golden brown and crispy, remove it from the hot oil and place it in a closed container lined with a paper towel to keep it warm and absorb excess oil. (Until you know how “done” fried chicken looks, use an internal meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, indicating it is fully cooked.) Then, serve right away, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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