Using your crock pot to make chicken wings means that they cook up super tender with meat that falls off the bone. And the long, slow cooking time helps them absorb so much sweet and spicy flavor! Chicken wings in all of their tasty and saucy varieties are one of my favorite things to serve at parties. Wings are the perfect party food for New Year’s Eve, football game viewing, or holiday get-togethers. They’re meaty and filling, packed with flavor, and fun to eat with your hands! Whenever I serve these slow cooker chicken wings with creamy homemade ranch dip, they are the first thing to go! These crockpot chicken wings aren’t only an amazing and easy appetizer or party snack though. They’re perfect for dinner too. No matter the occasion, these incredibly flavorful slow cooker wings will fit right in. I have plenty of other chicken wing recipes for you to try as well! Try my perfectly crispy baked chicken wings, or quick and easy air fryer chicken wings. You can make wings in the traditional deep-fried way with my lemon pepper chicken wing recipe, or throw them in the smoker and follow my tips for making the best smoked chicken wings!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to love making Slow Cooker Chicken Wings for several reasons, but the best one is that this method for cooking wings is mostly hands-off! We’ll let the slow cooker do the work of making the chicken wings tender and flavorful, and then quickly broil them at the end to crisp up the skin a bit. You won’t need to mess around with hot frying oil, or the cleanup that goes with deep frying chicken wings, so you can pay attention to more important things, like enjoying your time with your party guests!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these crock pot chicken wings with BBQ sauce:
Wings: Use fresh chicken wings or frozen wings that have been fully thawed. If your wings aren’t already cut into individual pieces, take the time to remove the tops and separate the wingettes from the drumettes. BBQ Sauce: Why use plain BBQ sauce when you can make it even more delicious? Here we will add hot sauce, honey, and spices to store-bought sauce. I’m using Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ sauce, but you can use any sauce that you enjoy. Homemade Ranch Dip: A creamy dipping sauce starts with sour cream, mayo, and milk, and it’s seasoned with fresh parsley, green onion, lemon juice, and simple pantry seasonings.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
Recipe Tips
For super easy cleanup: Line the crockpot with a disposable liner before cooking the chicken wings. Don’t overcook: The wings only need about 2 hours on High in the slow cooker. If you overcook them, they’ll fall apart! Chicken wings are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. The broiling step is important. This is the only way to make slow-cooker wings brown and crispy on the outside. Watch the wings carefully under the broiler, as the sugar in the sauce can burn easily. Instead of this homemade ranch dip, serve your wings with store-bought ranch dressing, or make some homemade blue cheese dressing instead. Prep ahead: The ranch and BBQ sauces in this recipe can be made and kept in jars or containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week!
Storing Tips
Cooked chicken wings can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. They’ll be most delicious if you eat them right away after broiling though!
Variations
If you’d like to make slow cooker wings with different flavors, here’s how:
Buffalo Wings: Toss the wings with buffalo sauce before slow cooking. After broiling, brush with more sauce before serving with ranch or blue cheese dip. Honey Mustard Wings: Toss the wings with your favorite honey mustard sauce before cooking them in the crockpot. Then, follow the recipe as written to finish them.
Can I make slow cooker chicken wings without sauce?
It works best to cook crock pot wings with sauce added to them for flavor. You can adjust the heat of the BBQ sauce by adding more or less hot sauce, or try this recipe with any other grilling sauce that you enjoy. If you’d prefer the wings to be “naked”, season them with salt and pepper and arrange them in the crockpot, cook as directed, and add your favorite dipping sauce later.
Can I make frozen chicken wings in the slow cooker?
You technically can, but I don’t recommend it. It will take twice as long to cook the frozen wings in the crock pot, and you run the risk of having the meat at unsafe temperatures for too long. Thaw your wings in the fridge overnight before cooking them.
How do I separate whole wings?
Ideally, you’ll buy the wings already cut, but in case they aren’t, here’s what you do: You need a sharp knife and a cutting board. Use the knife to cut off the wing tip (that’s the pointy part that doesn’t have any meat on it), by cutting through the joint. Then, find the space in the joint between the other two pieces, and carefully cut them apart. Discard the tips and start cooking!
Make your next party unforgettable with this slow cooker chicken wings recipe! Pin this one – you’re going to want it for football parties and holidays in the future too.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
