I’m sharing the clever four-ingredient shortcut behind my Slow Cooker Chicken Wings that keeps game day and potluck prep incredibly simple and makes you want to read on.
I’m kinda obsessed with this Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings recipe, mainly because it feels like cheating. With just 4 ingredients it somehow gives you that messy, addictive flavor you want for game days or potlucks, and people always ask how I did it.
I use chicken wings and a bottle of Franks RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce and that’s all you really need to get folks crowding the snack table. I keep it filed under Slow Cooker Chicken Wings, right next to Easy Crockpot Dinners, because it’s simple but somehow way more satisfying than it should be.
Trust me, it disappears fast.
Ingredients
- Protein rich, supplies iron and B vitamins, higher in fat with skin
- Bright cayenne heat, mostly vinegar and peppers, adds tangy spicy flavor with little calories
- Adds creamy richness, mostly saturated fat, helps mellow heat and emulsify the sauce
- Cooling creamy dip, adds tang and richness, helps balance the heat, higher in fat
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 to 4 lb chicken wings (about 24 wings), tips removed
- 12 oz bottle Franks RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened or melted
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing for serving (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat the 3 to 4 lb chicken wings dry with paper towels, trim any ragged bits and separate drumettes from flats if not already done, this helps them cook evenly.
2. In a microwave safe bowl or small saucepan combine the 12 oz bottle Franks RedHot and 1/2 cup butter, heat until butter is melted and whisk smooth, or stir over low heat, either works.
3. Reserve about 1/3 cup of that sauce mixture for tossing after crisping, pour the rest over the wings in the slow cooker and give them a quick toss so theyre evenly coated, you can line the crock with foil or a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.
4. Arrange wings in a single-ish layer if possible but dont worry if they overlap, cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, theyre done when meat is tender and pulls away from the bone.
5. For crispy skin remove the wings from the slow cooker and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, turn your oven to BROIL on high and let it preheat for a minute.
6. Broil the wings 3 to 5 minutes per side until edges are browned and crisp, watch them the whole time because they can go from perfect to burned fast.
7. Toss the crisped wings in the reserved sauce (or brush it on) so theyre glossy and fully coated, if you want extra saucy pour a little of the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan and simmer briefly to thicken then toss.
8. Let wings rest a couple minutes then serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, and dont forget napkins cuz these are messy and addictive.
Equipment Needed
1. Paper towels, for drying wings and cleanup
2. Kitchen shears or a sharp knife plus a cutting board, to trim and separate drumettes from flats
3. Microwave safe bowl or a small saucepan, for melting butter and mixing the hot sauce
4. Whisk or sturdy spoon, to blend the sauce smooth
5. Slow cooker (crockpot), where the wings braise until tender
6. Rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, for broiling crisp skin
7. Tongs, to flip and move hot wings without losing your grip
8. Oven mitts and a small saucepan (optional), mitts for safety, saucepan to reduce extra cooking liquid if you want extra saucy wings
FAQ
Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken wings: swap for 3 to 4 lb drumettes, drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs (same weight). Boneless “wings” work too but they’ll cook faster and can get mushy, so watch the time.
- Frank’s RedHot: use about 1 cup of another cayenne-style hot sauce like Crystal, Cholula or Tabasco. Or use 1 cup Sriracha plus a splash of vinegar for a different heat profile.
- Unsalted butter: you can use 1/2 cup margarine or ghee, or 1/2 cup olive oil for a lighter, nuttier finish. If you use salted butter, cut any extra salt elsewhere.
- Ranch/blue cheese dressing: swap for Greek yogurt mixed with a ranch seasoning packet, plain blue cheese crumbles with a little milk, or just serve with crunchy celery and carrot sticks if you want less sauce.
Pro Tips
1. For crispier skin try tossing the wings in a little baking powder and kosher salt before you cook them, not a lot just a light dusting. It makes the skin puff and get crunchy when you finish them under the heat, and nobody can tell you used a trick.
2. Save some of the cooking liquid and simmer it down with a splash of vinegar or a teaspoon of honey to balance the heat, then brush it on at the end. It gives a glossy sticky coating and the vinegar brightens the hot sauce so it does not taste flat.
3. Use a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet when you crisp them in the oven, that way air gets all around each piece and they brown more evenly. Also dont crowd the pan, if they touch each other they steam, not crisp.
4. If you wanna make them ahead cool completely, keep sauce separate, then reheat in a hot oven to re-crisp and toss right before serving. Wings re-crisp much better than wings thatve been sauced and chilled, and your guests get the hot fresh texture.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings Recipe
I'm sharing the clever four-ingredient shortcut behind my Slow Cooker Chicken Wings that keeps game day and potluck prep incredibly simple and makes you want to read on.
6
servings
679
kcal
Equipment: 1. Paper towels, for drying wings and cleanup
2. Kitchen shears or a sharp knife plus a cutting board, to trim and separate drumettes from flats
3. Microwave safe bowl or a small saucepan, for melting butter and mixing the hot sauce
4. Whisk or sturdy spoon, to blend the sauce smooth
5. Slow cooker (crockpot), where the wings braise until tender
6. Rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, for broiling crisp skin
7. Tongs, to flip and move hot wings without losing your grip
8. Oven mitts and a small saucepan (optional), mitts for safety, saucepan to reduce extra cooking liquid if you want extra saucy wings
Ingredients
-
3 to 4 lb chicken wings (about 24 wings), tips removed
-
12 oz bottle Franks RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (about 1 cup)
-
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened or melted
-
Ranch or blue cheese dressing for serving (optional)
Directions
- Pat the 3 to 4 lb chicken wings dry with paper towels, trim any ragged bits and separate drumettes from flats if not already done, this helps them cook evenly.
- In a microwave safe bowl or small saucepan combine the 12 oz bottle Franks RedHot and 1/2 cup butter, heat until butter is melted and whisk smooth, or stir over low heat, either works.
- Reserve about 1/3 cup of that sauce mixture for tossing after crisping, pour the rest over the wings in the slow cooker and give them a quick toss so theyre evenly coated, you can line the crock with foil or a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.
- Arrange wings in a single-ish layer if possible but dont worry if they overlap, cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, theyre done when meat is tender and pulls away from the bone.
- For crispy skin remove the wings from the slow cooker and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, turn your oven to BROIL on high and let it preheat for a minute.
- Broil the wings 3 to 5 minutes per side until edges are browned and crisp, watch them the whole time because they can go from perfect to burned fast.
- Toss the crisped wings in the reserved sauce (or brush it on) so theyre glossy and fully coated, if you want extra saucy pour a little of the liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan and simmer briefly to thicken then toss.
- Let wings rest a couple minutes then serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping, and dont forget napkins cuz these are messy and addictive.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 340g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 679kcal
- Fat: 58.5g
- Saturated Fat: 21.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.6g
- Polyunsaturated: 13.7g
- Monounsaturated: 23.3g
- Cholesterol: 226mg
- Sodium: 747mg
- Potassium: 642mg
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 53g
- Vitamin A: 553IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
- Calcium: 44mg
- Iron: 2.8mg