How do you fry chicken wings at 400?

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Go ahead and splurge. Deep fry those chicken wings. Here’s a handy guide showing you how.

Deep-frying is the standard way that wings are cooked in restaurants. While we stand by ourselves totally when we say our method for baking chicken wings is just as crispy and way easier, if you really want to go for it, you’ve gotta deep-fry restaurant-style.

It’s actually not very hard to do. If you already own a deep-fryer, well, I’m guessing you know how to use it. If not, you can follow the instructions below for frying wings using your stovetop with a large pot, some oil, and a candy thermometer.

Video: Frying Chicken Wings

Do I Need To Dredge Chicken Wings In Flour?

I’ve kept my fried chicken wings recipe as simple as possible, so I skip the flour coating. I think the wings get plenty crispy without that extra step, but some people love it. 

If you wanted to dredge them first, you could mix up about half a cup of all-purpose flour with a couple teaspoons of seasonings. Try a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika or use one of our fabulous seasoning blends. Toss your wings in the flour mixture before putting them in the hot oil.

Or, be like me, and add the flavor at the end with a great Buffalo sauce.

Tips For Frying Wings

• Use an oil with a high smoke point. You’ll need the oil heated to 350-375°F, so make sure you’re working with an oil that can handle that. Vegetable or canola oil work well, or try peanut oil.
• Work in batches. If you’re making a large amount of wings, avoid the temptation to cook them all as quickly as possible. The temperature of the oil drops when the wings are added, so adding too many at once will affect the cooking time. Plus, you want them to have some space to cook evenly.
• Keep them crisp and warm. Transfer the chicken wings to a wire rack on a baking sheet after frying. If working in batches, you can keep them warm in a 200°F oven.

Here’s how to deep-fry chicken wings at home without a home deep-fryer:

Step #1

In a large pot, pour in 1 and 1/2 inches of vegetable or canola oil. Attach candy thermometer so it’s in the oil, but not touching the pot. Heat on medium to 350°F.

Step #2

Cut 4 wings into drumettes and flaps, if they aren’t already cut. Learn how to cut wings here. Then, once oil is heated, use tongs to lower wings carefully into the oil.

The oil may sputter and spatter. Be careful. The oil temperature will drop when the wings are added.

Step #3

Place a maximum of 8 wing pieces in oil at one time. Try to keep oil at 350-375°F or if temperature keeps rising, take off heat to a cool element for 1 minute. Monitor.

Step #4

Flip wings occasionally until well-browned and internal temperature as read on an instant read thermometer is at 165ºF, about 8-10 minutes.

Step #5

Use tongs to remove wings from oil. Transfer them to wire rack on a baking sheet or a plate with a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Step #6

Toss with sauce.

Step #7

Eat!

Print

• Vegetable or canola oil, enough to fill a pot by 1 and 1/2 inches
• 4 chicken wings
• Sauce (like Buffalo)

1. In a large pot, pour in 1 and 1/2 inches of vegetable or canola oil. Attach candy thermometer so it’s in the oil, but not touching the pot. Heat on medium to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, cut wings into two pieces each. Learn how here.
3. Use tongs to carefully lower the 8 wing pieces into the oil. The oil temperature may drop when the wings are added. Try to keep oil at 350-375°F. If it drops too low, increase heat. If temperature rises, reduce heat. If it keeps rising, take the pot off of heat and transfer to a cool element for 1 minute. Monitor.
4. Flip wings occasionally until well browned and the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165° F on an instant-read thermometer, 8-10 minutes. Place on a plate with a paper towel to remove excess oil.
5. Toss with sauce. Serve immediately.

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This post originally appeared in January 2016 and was revised and republished in October 2022.

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