These slow cooker chicken wings are simmered in the crock pot in a savory sauce, then broiled to crispy perfection. The ultimate appetizer or game day snack!
You can never have too many hearty appetizer recipes for game day. Some of my favorites include spinach dip, bacon wrapped jalapenos and crock pot chicken wings. These tender bone in wings are so good, sometimes I make them for dinner. When I do, I like to serve them with honey cornbread and black bean and corn salad.
I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up our game day snacks, and these slow cooker chicken wings definitely fit the bill. Crockpot chicken wings are incredibly easy to make and they’re perfect to eat while tailgating or watching the game at home with family and friends.
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker Chicken Wings Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need chicken wings, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Slow Cooker Chicken Wings?
Place your wings in a slow cooker and season them with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Pour the sauce over the chicken wings and toss the wings in the sauce. Cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, or low heat for 4-5 hours. Remove the wings from the crock pot and place them on a baking sheet. Broil until the wings are crisp. Brush the chicken with extra sauce from the slow cooker, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Wings
- Choose party style wings which have the drumette already separated from the flat. I find this style easier to eat than whole wings.
- You can make your own homemade BBQ sauce, or use your favorite store bought option.
- Slow cooker chicken wings will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the wings in the oven until they are crispy.
- This recipe works well in a 4 quart or 6 quart slow cooker.
- For the crispiest wings, place an oven proof wire rack on top of the sheet pan. This allows for air to circulate all around each chicken wing for an ultra crispy texture.
Quick Tip
Don’t have a slow cooker? You can make this recipe in the oven too. Season the wings with salt and pepper, then bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes. Brush the sauce over the wings, then broil for 3-4 minutes or until crispy.
Recipe FAQs
I prefer to bake or slow cook chicken wings. You can bake the wings to make them crispy, or else let them simmer in the slow cooker to tenderize the meat, then broil them in the oven to get a crispy outer coating.
The crock pot is a great method to cook chicken wings and keep them moist and tender. The chicken wings cook in a covered pot of sauce, which mean they will not get dry at all.
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Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as written, but it’s easy to customize the flavors to suit your taste.
- Protein: This recipe works with other types of protein such as meatballs, chicken thighs or little smokies. If you use meatballs or smokies, you can skip the broiling step.
- Sauce: Feel free to add more ingredients to the wing sauce! Some great options include smoked paprika, chili powder, a dash of soy sauce or hot sauce.
- Dipping Options: Serve the wings as is, or offer a dipping sauce such as homemade ranch dip, ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.
Slow cooker chicken wings are the best way to have a hearty appetizer with minimal work involved!
More Game Day Recipes
Baked Buffalo Wings
1 hr 5 mins
Lemon Pepper Wings
35 mins
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
25 mins
Bacon Deviled Eggs
30 mins
Bacon Wrapped Pickles
25 mins
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Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings party style
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Place the chicken wings in the slow cooker. Season then with the salt and pepper.
- Place the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken wings. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the wings from the slow cooker and place them on a sheet pan coated in cooking spray.
- Preheat the broiler. Broil the sheet pan of wings for 3-4 minutes or until crispy and browned. Flip the wings and broil the other side for another 1-2 minutes.
- Brush some of the sauce from the slow cooker onto the broiled wings, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Choose party style wings which have the drumette already separated from the flat.
- You can make your own homemade BBQ sauce, or use your favorite store bought option.
- Slow cooker chicken wings will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the wings in the oven until they are crispy.
Great recipe! The moist, fall-of-the-bone wings. It was one of the first things to disappear at our gathering last night 🙂 As always, thanks for the recipe.
This recipe is amazing. The wings turned out perfect and the bbq sauce was so easy to make.