Home-style Garlic Butter Chicken Wings

These garlic butter chicken wings are straightforward to cook and packed with flavor. Crispy chicken wings are generously coated in a melted butter garlic sauce.

They are great for a busy weeknight supper or as an appetizer for your favorite party!

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A house favorite garlic butter wings

These crispy chicken wings are coated in a satisfying garlic butter sauce. It still provides a touch of the classic buffalo flavor and heat.

Party wings (flats and drumettes) are seasoned with salt and pepper and then baked until evenly crispy. Once they’re nice and crispy, they’re tossed in a garlic butter sauce.

Garlic-buttered chicken wings are a great variation of the original hot wing. Crispy, soft and so succulently saucy.

They’re great on their own as a party appetizer or serve them as part of a larger family meal.

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Why you will come back to this recipe for garlic chicken wings

There is so much to love about these garlic wings! Not only are they crispy and straightforward to cook, but they are coated in a super flavorful sauce.

The garlic butter sauce is a combination of butter, garlic, lemon juice, and buffalo sauce. You get the savory combination of melted butter with garlic and a touch of heat from the buffalo sauce.

They are straightforward to cook with plain ingredients. There are no difficult to find ingredients, and you may already have some on hand.

These wings make a great appetizer with all the dipping sauces or main meal when paired with some tasty side dishes.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings (flats and drumettes) – You’ll want to get party wings for this recipe. Party wings are a combination of flats and drumettes.
  
  You can often find them in the freezer section, at the meat counter, or even in large bags at Sam’s Club.
  
  The method is meant to be used on party wings, but it can also be used on full-size chicken wings.
  
• Coarse kosher salt – we prefer to use coarse kosher salt in our recipes. Not only will this give excellent flavor and crunch, but you won’t find yourself oversalting the recipe.
  
• Ground black pepper – freshly ground is great, but any ground black pepper works well here
  
• Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter will give you better overall control of the salt level in the recipe. You can use salted butter, be more aware of how much salt you’re using to season the wings. You may want to use less.
  
• Garlic – this recipe uses minced garlic. You can use the pre-minced kind for a quick shortcut, or chop it up yourself. Both ways work well!
  
• Lemon juice – Lemon juice is the right amount of acidity when combined with the rest of the sauce. It’ll give it a bright zest of flavor. You can use freshly squeezed (what we prefer) or you can use the shortcut bottled kind.
  
• Buffalo sauce – You’ll want to use your favorite brand of buffalo sauce. Our favorite is Frank’s, but use whatever you prefer.
  
  It’ll lend the well-balanced heat and flavor to the sauce while still being primarily garlic butter flavored.

How to cook chicken wings in garlic sauce

Step 1

Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2

Season the wings with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Step 3

Place the wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake the wings in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Bake them until the internal temperature of 165°F and the outside is crispy.

Step 4

While the wings are cooking, start making the sauce. Start by adding the butter to a saucepan over medium heat until it’s melted. Be sure not to brown the butter.

Step 5

Add the garlic, lemon juice, and buffalo sauce to the saucepan with the butter.

Step 6

Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 7

Remove the sauce from the heat.

Step 8

Add the cooked wings to a clean mixing bowl and pour the sauce over them. Toss to combine until they are fully coated.

How to cook Garlic Butter Sauce for Chicken Wings

1. While the wings are cooking, start making the sauce. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat until it’s melted. Be sure not to brown or burn the butter.
2. Next you’ll add the garlic, lemon juice, and the buffalo sauce to the saucepan with the melted butter.
3. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat until the wings are cooked and ready to be tossed and sauced.

Substitution Options for Garlic Butter Wings

• For the Butter – If you are dairy intolerant, you can sub a vegan/dairy free butter for the dairy butter.
• For the Buffalo Sauce – If you like things a little spicier, try a regular tabasco-style hot sauce. Or you can use your favorite hot sauce. Remember, not all hot sauces are the same.

Tips and tricks for a house favorite garlic butter wings

This chicken wing recipe doesn’t require using a wire rack. We don’t find it necessary, but you can always use one if you prefer.

For extra garlicky wings, add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the salt and pepper mix before dry-seasoning the wings.

Faqs

How to keep leftover wings

Leftover chicken wings should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

These wings also freeze well! To freeze, place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze them. Once frozen, place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

How to reheat leftover wings

To reheat refrigerated leftover garlic butter wings, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the wings on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 20 minutes, covered. Then uncover and place the wings under the broiler for them to crisp up.

You can also reheat the wings in the air fryer on 350° for about 10-15 minutes until crispy and warmed through.

NOTE: You may want to resauce the wings after reheating them.

How to Serve These Buttery Garlic Wings

These buttery garlic wings are great on their own, with some dipping sauces of course. But they’re also great as part of a larger meal. Try them with

• Boursin Mashed Potatoes
• Southern Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Lemon Ricotta Pasta
• Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

Kitchen tools needed to make garlic chicken wings

Baking sheet

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Parchment paper

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Tongs

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Measuring spoons

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Measuring cups

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Saucepan

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Silicone whisk

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Prep 5 minutesCook 30 minutesMakes 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds wings wing and drumettes
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Pat the wings dry and add them to a large mixing bowl.
3. Season the wings with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
4. Place the wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer.
5. Bake the wings in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The internal temperature needs to be 165°F and the outside crispy.
6. While the wings are cooking, start making the sauce. Start by adding the butter to a saucepan over medium heat until it’s melted. Be sure not to brown the butter.
7. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and buffalo sauce to the sauce pan with the butter.
8. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove the sauce from the heat.
10. Add the cooked wings to a clean mixing bowl and pour the sauce over them. Toss to combine until they are fully coated.

Notes

• A wire rack is not necessary for these wings.
• If you want your wings extra garlicky, season them with garlic powder while you’re adding the salt and pepper.