Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings Recipe

I had to share how my Slow Cooker Chicken Wings use just four ingredients to become a game day favorite without any fuss.

I never planned to fall for slow cooker wings, but I did, hard. There is something oddly addictive about a pile of chicken wings bathed in Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce that makes you want to hide them from guests.

I poked around every forum from Buffalo Wild Wings Recipe Crockpot threads to late night Crockpot Recipes Buffalo Wild Wings debates, and even stumbled on a Buffalo Chicken Wings Crockpot Franks Red Hot Crock Pot riff that changed how I think of “easy” wings. They’re messy, bold, and kinda magical, and I can’t wait to show you why they disappear so fast.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I like how easy it is to throw together, even when im tired after school or work.
– I love the sweet and tangy bite that keeps making me grab another piece, its kinda addicting.
– It always turns out juicy inside but with a nice bit of crisp outside, gives good contrast.
– Its perfect for feeding a crowd, people always ask for the recipe, makes me look like I know what I’m doing.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings: lean protein source, helps muscle repair but skin raises saturated fat.
• Chicken wings: great for hearty texture and craveable crispy bites after finishing in oven.
• Frank’s hot sauce: adds vinegar tang and spicy heat, mostly sodium and flavor, few calories.
• Frank’s hot sauce: amplifies Buffalo flavor, brightens richness, makes wings addictive and saucy.
• Unsalted butter: brings creamy richness and mouthfeel, mostly saturated fat so use mindfully.
• Unsalted butter: mellows heat, binds sauce for sticky coating, gives luxurious finish to wings.
• Brown sugar: adds caramel sweetness and slight molasses depth, balances the vinegar and heat.
• Brown sugar: increases browning and sticky glaze, more calories but tastier overall when used sparingly.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 lbs chicken wings (about 1.4 kg)
• 1 cup Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or any cayenne style hot sauce, it’ll do)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar

How to Make this

1. Pat 3 lbs chicken wings dry with paper towels, trim any excess skin or wing tips if you want them neater, then place wings in the slow cooker.

2. In a microwave safe bowl or small saucepan melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, then whisk in 1 cup Frank’s RedHot and 2 tbsp packed brown sugar until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Taste it, adjust the heat in your head, its supposed to be tangy and a little sweet.

3. Spoon out and save about 1/3 cup of that sauce for finishing later, you want some to brush on after crisping.

4. Pour the rest of the sauce over the wings in the slow cooker and stir or toss so they are well coated.

5. Cook on LOW for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the wings are cooked through and juices run clear. Check one with a thermometer if you got one, at least 165 F but many like wings closer to 175 F so the meat pulls from the bone.

6. Preheat your broiler or oven to high broil (or 450 F if you prefer roasting). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and oil it lightly or use a rack.

7. Transfer wings to the sheet in a single layer, brush with the reserved sauce, then broil 3 to 5 minutes per side until edges are blistered and crispy. Watch them close, broilers go from perfect to burnt quick.

8. If you want saucier wings, scrape the remaining sauce from the slow cooker into a small pot, simmer 2 to 3 minutes to thicken, then toss the broiled wings in that sauce.

9. Let wings rest a minute, then serve hot. Any leftover sauce or wings should be refrigerated within two hours and eaten within 3 to 4 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker or crockpot, at least 4 quart
2. Rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for broiling or roasting
3. Wire rack that fits the sheet, for crisping (optional but helpful)
4. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl to melt butter and make sauce
5. Whisk and a heatproof spoon or spatula for mixing and scraping
6. Pastry brush or spoon to baste the wings with reserved sauce
7. Tongs for moving wings to and from the cooker and sheet
8. Instant read thermometer to check doneness (165 to 175 F)
9. Measuring cup and measuring spoons, plus paper towels for patting the wings dry

FAQ

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken wings: swap for drumettes or bone-in chicken thighs cut into chunks, or use boneless chicken pieces if you want less fuss (they cook quicker so watch the time)
• Frank’s RedHot: any cayenne-style hot sauce will do, or try sriracha mixed with a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra tang
• Unsalted butter: use ghee, margarine, or a neutral oil like vegetable or light olive oil; coconut oil works too but it’ll add a sweet flavor
• Brown sugar: honey or maple syrup for a liquid sweetener, or white granulated sugar mixed with a little molasses to mimic brown sugar

Pro Tips

1) Pat the wings bone dry before you start and after the slow cooker blot them again with paper towels, then put them on a wire rack to broil so air can circulate and you get real crisp skin. If you wanna be extra risky sprinkle a tiny pinch of aluminum free baking powder on the damp spots before broiling, not too much or theyll taste odd.

2) Save that 1/3 cup sauce like the recipe says but also scrape and simmer the rest til it thickens, taste it and if it’s too sweet add a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to brighten it up, taste as you go.

3) Use a rimmed sheet with foil for easy cleanup and a light oil coating, broil close and watch them like a hawk cause they go from perfect to burnt fast, flip once halfway through for even blistering.

4) Aim for about 175 F if you want the meat to pull away from the bone, let wings rest a minute before saucing so the juices settle, and refrigerate leftovers within two hours so you dont make anyone sick.