Crockpot Chicken Wings Recipe

partial overhead view of crockpot chicken wings on a baking sheet with green onions.

No ratings yet

These Crockpot chicken wings are perfect for game day or busy nights! Covered in a sweet, smoky, and spicy BBQ Buffalo sauce, these slow cooker wings are broiled for a crispy finish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

6-Qt Crockpot
Baking Sheet

Ingredients

For the Wings:

4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wing portions thawed if frozen*
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Wing Sauce:

1 cup BBQ sauce **
¼ cup Buffalo Sauce like Frank's RedHot
¼ cup brown sugar

For Serving (Optional):

sliced green onion
ranch dressing

Instructions

Toss the chicken wings with salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken wing portions, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
In a separate bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, Buffalo sauce, and brown sugar.
1 cup BBQ sauce, ¼ cup Buffalo Sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar
Place the chicken wings into the crockpot, and pour half of the sauce mixture over the wings. Reserve the remaining sauce.
Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on LOW; or 2-3 hours on HIGH.
Preheat the oven broiler to high. Set an oven rack in the top third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the wings on the prepared baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until browned and crispy.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Brush with some of the reserved sauce, and broil again for 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped green onion, if desired. Serve with ranch dressing and the remaining BBQ sauce.
sliced green onion, ranch dressing

Notes

*I do not recommend starting with frozen wings. They will release additional liquid as they thaw, causing the skin to become soggy and unappetizing. Instead, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before seasoning and cooking.

**Use your preferred BBQ sauce to create a wing sauce that is a little more spicy, smoky, sweet, or tangy. Whatever you like!

Tips:

Slow Cooker chicken wings can be made with any wing sauce you like!
Bring the wings to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before cooking so they cook through more evenly.
Pat the wings dry before seasoning them. This helps to remove excess moisture and will help the seasonings stick better. Excess moisture is the biggest cause of soggy slow-cooked wings.
Avoid stacking wings too tightly. If your slow cooker is small, cook in batches so the heat circulates evenly. This helps the skin render and sauce thicken better.
To make these wings even spicier, add ⅛ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.
The sauce thickens as it cools, but if it feels too runny after cooking, simmer the reserved half of the sauce on the stove for 5-10 minutes to reduce it before brushing.
Make sure to space the wings out in when broiling to give them room to crisp up.
Always check that the wings reach 165°F internally before serving, even after broiling, to ensure they’re fully cooked.
These wings taste great with a drizzle of extra sauce or a squeeze of lime right before serving to brighten the smoky flavor.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Make-Ahead: You can season the wings up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate them. This gives the spices time to penetrate and makes prep day even easier.

Storage: Store crockpot chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition