Mark Bittman's Foolproof Broiling Technique For Crispier Chicken Wings

Whether you toss chicken wings in bright red Buffalo sauce or prefer them with a sweet glaze, everyone can agree they are best crispy. One of the quickest ways to achieve a crispy exterior is use a deep fryer. Of course, not everyone has a deep fryer on hand, and using a pot filled with oil can be messy. Thankfully, it's not the only way to make a good wing at home. Mark Bittman cooks his wings entirely in the broiler to get the crispiest skin ever. The best part is Bittman's method is incredibly simple, requiring just a single flip.

Turns out this food writer, famous for his slogan, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," knows a thing or two about making a good chicken wing. However, while this method is essentially foolproof, just tossing a bunch of wings under the broiler won't get you there. Crafting the perfect chicken wing takes careful preparation and knowledge of some of the best tricks for using the broiler to cook.

Broiling chicken wings may seem straightforward, but it can be tricky. Before broiling, dry the surface of the wings thoroughly. You can use paper towels, as Bittman does, or lay them out on a wire rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate them overnight, uncovered. Bring them to room temperature before cooking. Remember to leave room between your wings on the baking sheet because crowded wings will steam instead of sear. Toss the wings in oil with a high smoke point and season them while your broiler preheats for at least five minutes.

Before you start cooking, you need to consider the strength of your oven's broiler, which can vary significantly among appliances. Some have only one setting, while others let you vary the temperature. A gas model can be much hotter than an electric coil since it is flame-based and isn't commonly temperature-controlled. Consult your oven's manual to learn how to use yours properly. 

As a basic starting point, Bittman recommends positioning your oven rack about six inches away from the heating element. The cooking process should take about 20 to 25 minutes, and flip the wings once near the midpoint as Bittmad does. Still, be sure to check your wings often and adjust the temperature or distance between the food and the heating element as needed. When the wings are pleasantly crisp, Bittman tosses them with sauce in a bowl and then returns them for a final quick broil.

A perfect broiling technique can result in amazing wings, but there are some other ways to achieve maximum crispiness. To ensure that your wings crisp up nicely and still have lots of juicy chicken to bite into, you should start with good-quality chicken wings. When you're shopping, look for meaty wings with a high meat-to-bone ratio. Chicken wings have a lot of fat, which will render off, resulting in a crispy exterior. If the wings are too fatty or too small, you'll be left with too much crisp and not enough tender meat. 

Another way to ensure you have the crispiest wings ever is to lightly coat them in baking soda and cornstarch to get the exterior of the wings super dry. You want your wings as dry as possible when they hit the oven or broiler. Any moisture on the skin will need to evaporate before the wings start to crisp, and they might be done cooking before that happens if they're still damp when they go in the oven.

If you don't have a broiler or are too afraid of the high-heat technique, you can still get crispy chicken wings in the oven by varying the temperature. To get the crispiest results in a fraction of the time without hot oil, you can use an air fryer for chicken wings. This method is also best for a smaller number of wings.