Nashville Hot Chicken Wings with Craggy Crust

Nashville Hot Chicken Wings

These bone-in drumettes and flats get their craggy crust from a pressed-on flour coating and a rest before frying. After they cook, a thin layer of cayenne-spiced oil is brushed over the ridges rather than tossed with the wings. The result is a reddish finish that leaves the fried coating visible, served with pickle chips on top and soft white bread beneath or beside the pile.

Serves 4. Allow at least 4 hours to marinate, about 25 minutes of active prep, a 10-minute coating rest, and 25 to 35 minutes to fry in batches.

Ingredients for Nashville Hot Chicken Wings

Wings and marinade

• 2 lb chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats (900g)
• 1 cup buttermilk (240g)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided

Coating and frying

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (30g)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Neutral high-smoke-point oil, such as canola oil, enough to fill the pot to a depth of about 2 inches

Hot-oil finish and serving

• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• About 1/2 cup pickle chips (75g)
• 4 slices soft white sandwich bread (100g)

The hot-oil finish uses 1/3 cup of the frying oil after the wings are cooked; no separate sauce oil is needed. The salt amount assumes coarse kosher salt, not fine table salt.

How to Fry Nashville Hot Chicken Wings

1. Marinate the wings: Stir together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the wings, coat them, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Coat the wings: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let excess marinade drip off each wing, then press it firmly into the flour mixture. Work the coating into irregular ridges and cover any bare patches.
3. Rest the coating and heat the oil: Set the coated wings on a wire rack for about 10 minutes so the dredge can adhere. Meanwhile, heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Keep the oil well below the rim.
4. Fry in batches: Carefully lower a few wings into the oil, leaving room around each piece. Fry uncovered, turning gently as needed. Start checking the first batch at about 8 minutes. Most batches take 8 to 10 minutes, but large wings may need longer. The crust should be crisp and deep golden brown, and the thickest part of the largest wings should reach at least 165°F (75°C) without the thermometer touching bone. Let the oil return near 350°F before adding the next batch.
5. Drain and reserve oil: Transfer cooked wings to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let excess oil drip off for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully measure 1/3 cup of warm frying oil for the finish, leaving dark crumbs behind.
6. Mix the hot oil: Combine the cayenne, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small heatproof bowl. If the measured oil is smoking or extremely hot, let it cool briefly. Carefully whisk it into the spices until evenly mixed.
7. Brush and serve: Brush or spoon a thin layer of seasoned oil over the hot wings, reaching the crust’s ridges without soaking them. Pile the wings onto a paper-lined tray with the white bread visible beneath or beside them. Place pickle chips on several wings and serve warm.

How to Keep the Crust Craggy

Let excess buttermilk drip off before dredging: the wings should be damp enough to hold flour, but not covered in a slick layer of marinade. Press the coating on firmly, then give it 10 minutes to adhere before frying.

Drain fried wings on a rack so steam does not collect underneath. Brush the spiced oil on gently rather than tossing the wings; a thin coat colors the crust without breaking its ridges. For another approach to fried-wing coating, see these crispy fried chicken wings.

Frying Temperature and Doneness

Small batches help the oil stay near 350°F. If it drops too far, the coating can turn greasy; if the crust darkens before the chicken reaches 165°F, check the oil temperature and keep frying until the thickest pieces are cooked through. Wing size and oil-temperature recovery affect the time, so do not rely on crust color alone.

For less heat, replace up to 2 teaspoons of the cayenne with additional paprika. Keep some cayenne for the hot-oil finish.

Serving and Reheating

Keep the pickle chips on top of the wings and the soft white bread visible when serving. Ranch dressing can be offered separately as an optional cooling dip.

Refrigerate leftover wings promptly in an airtight container for up to 3 days; store extra pickles and bread separately. Reheat the wings on a baking sheet in a 375°F (190°C) oven until hot throughout. The crust will not be as crisp as it was fresh from the fryer.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per serving (1/4 of the recipe, including bread and pickles): 780 calories, 32g protein, 50g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 290 calories, 12g protein, 19g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. These are estimates; the amount of coating and frying oil retained by the wings can vary.