Crispy Chicken Wings on the Blackstone Griddle
These crispy chicken wings on the Blackstone get an overnight dry brine with kosher salt and baking powder, then a hands-on cook with plenty of rotating to render the fat and crisp up the skin. In our side-by-side test of 3 prep methods, this one came out on top with the most color and the crunchiest edges. Toss them in your favorite buffalo sauce and you've got fantastic game day wings, right off the griddle.
Servings: 3 people
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings cut into flats and drums, wing tips removed
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon non-aluminum baking powder
- 2-3 tablespoons avocado oil for the griddle
- ¾ cup buffalo sauce your favorite store-bought brand
For serving:
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Celery and carrot sticks optional
Instructions
- Dry the wings. Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. If using frozen wings, thaw them fully and drain them on a cooling rack first.
- Season. Add the wings to a large bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and toss. Sprinkle the baking powder over the wings and toss again until lightly and evenly coated.
- Dry brine overnight. Arrange the wings in a single layer on a cooling rack set over a sheet tray. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight (8–24 hours).
- Preheat the griddle. Heat the griddle to medium heat, about 350℉.
- Add the wings. Add the avocado oil to the griddle, and spread it around with your spatula. Place the wings in a single layer with plenty of space between them, keeping them off the very edge of the griddle.
- Rotate often. After about 2-3 minutes, begin flipping and rotating the wings. Continue turning them every couple of minutes so every side gets contact with the griddle. Move wings to fresh spots on the griddle as needed so the surface can recover heat.
- Manage the zones. When the flats are almost to the proper internal temp, move them to a cooler zone (like around the edges) and keep the drums over the hotter center, since drums take longer to cook. Toss the wings in the rendered chicken fat as it collects instead of adding more oil.
- Cook to temperature. Cook until the wings are golden and the thickest wings reach 185–200°F internal temperature (165°F is minimum, but wings are best at the higher internal temp). Check several wings in different spots with an instant-read thermometer, and pull them as they finish.
- Toss and serve. Toss the wings in your favorite buffalo sauce and serve right away with ranch or blue cheese for dipping.
Video
Notes
- Use kosher salt. Table salt is much saltier by volume. If you must use it, cut the amount roughly in half.
- Go easy on salt. Most bottled wing sauces are already high in sodium, so don't add extra salt to the wings.
- Baking powder, not baking soda. Use non-aluminum baking powder to avoid a metallic taste.
- No baking powder? Skip it and dry brine with salt only. It was a very close second in our test.