These Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Wings are savory, sweet, and spicy! Easy to prepare and cook, they’re perfect for everything from football parties to movie nights.
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“I really can’t stop eating these!” my partner murmured, mouth full, as he nibbled on another grand piano for dinner. Although chicken wings are often served as an appetizer or snack, when I make chicken wings at home, they become the main part of a meal—and often the only thing we eat!
Why cook chicken wings in a slow cooker?
Three reasons: easy preparation, flexible timing and tenderness!
The only thing you have to do to get these wings cooking is to quickly toss them in a spicy rub and hot honey sauce, which you do right in the slow cooker. That’s it! It takes less than 10 minutes. Then turn on your slow cooker and forget about them until they’re done.
The slow cooker also means you don’t have to worry about the wings getting cold or drying out, meaning you have more flexibility when serving. If the people serving you are late, you can leave these wings in the slow cooker for up to an extra hour without a problem.
Most importantly, however, are the chicken wings prepared in the slow cooker super tender. While they don’t have the crispy skin that you get from frying, the soft, juicy flesh more than makes up for it, and you still give them a little crunch by frying them!
How to make your slow cooker wings crispy
How are these different from traditional buffalo wings?
Traditional buffalo wings have a sauce of hot sauce, butter, and spices such as paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. This recipe fortifies the spice blend even more with garlic, onion powder, cumin, and dried parsley.
But it’s the honey, molasses, and brown sugar that really make these wings stand out. The sweetness of the honey softens and balances the hot sauce, while the molasses adds depth and dimension to the sauce.
How long should I cook the wings?
If you cook the wings on high, they’ll be ready in 2 1/2 to 3 hours; If you cook them on low then 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Reducing the sauce (about 10 minutes) and flash frying (5 to 10 minutes) means you’ve made wings in less than 30 minutes of active active time.
Can I use Frozen Wings?
With a few modifications, you can use frozen wings in the slow cooker. Frozen wings are covered in ice, and when they thaw, the ice melts into water. This will result in a diluted, less flavorful sauce if left unattended.
You can fix this in two ways:
- You can defrost the wings beforehand and then prepare them as directed.
- You can cook them while frozen and increase the total cooking time.
If you’re making them from frozen, add an additional hour to the cooking time to allow the wings to properly thaw in the slow cooker, then allow about 15-20 minutes (instead of 10) at the end to reduce the sauce Oven.
Make Ahead Chicken Wing instructions
You can make these wings up to three days in advance. After cooking, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat the wings in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.
And remember, the wings can stay in the slow cooker for up to an additional hour after cooking!
What to serve with these wings
Although I can eat a whole plate of chicken wings on my own, most people aren’t me, so I recommend serving these wings with sticks of celery or carrot. The veggies aren’t just there to make you feel better about eating all those wings; The crisp, clean veg flavor actually helps reduce the fullness of the wings, which is why they’re a great compliment.
Although these wings aren’t particularly hot (the honey helps balance the hot sauce’s spiciness), buffalo wings are traditionally served with a side of creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing to cool the wings slightly. In that case, these creamy dressings also provide a great foil for the gooey-sweet icing!
More delicious chicken wing recipes!
- Pressure Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- Chicken wings with honey mustard
- Chicken wings with miso glaze
- Ginger Honey Chicken Wings
- Chicken wings with bourbon maple glaze
Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Chicken Wings
ingredients
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4 pounds of Party Wings cut down into Flats and Drummettes (See how to cut up Party Wings in this post)
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1 tablespoon brown sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
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1 teaspoon of paprika
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1 teaspoon cumin
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1 teaspoon dried parsley
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1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how spicy you want it
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3/4 cup hot sauce, like Crystal or Frank’s
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1/2 cup honey
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1 tbsp butter, melted
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1 tablespoon molasses
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1 tablespoon chopped chives, optional
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Carrot and celery sticks for serving
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Blue cheese or ranch dressing, for serving
method
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Mix the spices and sprinkle over the wings:
In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Place wings in slow cooker pot. Sprinkle the dry rub over the chicken wings and toss to coat.
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Combine the sauce ingredients, then pour over the wings:
In the same bowl that you used for the spices, pour the hot sauce, honey, butter, and molasses. Stir with a fork, then pour over the wings and toss to coat.
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Cook Wings:
Set the slow cooker to the desired temperature. When high, cook for 2 1/2 hours. When low, cook for 3 1/2 hours.
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Reduce sauce:
Once the wings are done, remove the wings from the pot and pour the liquid into a large saucepan. Simmer over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce is reduced to a thick glaze consistency. While the sauce is thickening, preheat the grill.
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Turn wings in glaze, then grill:
Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Once the sauce has thickened to a glaze, toss the wings in the glaze to brush them, then place on the wire rack.
Grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until wings are crispy. Flip the wings and grill the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes.
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Garnish and serve:
Garnish with chopped chives, if desired. Serve with carrot or celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.
