Succulent, Tender Sous Vide Chicken Wings Recipe

Prep Time	Cook Time	Total Time
5 minutes	2 hours and 5 minutes	2 hours and 10 minutes

For chicken wings, you might never have considered sous vide them. After all, deep-frying is delicious enough, why bother? But trust me, sous vide chicken wings will definitely change your mind. Whether you finish them off in an air fryer, on the grill, or in the oven to get the crispy skin, the meat inside will always stay fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy. So now, let’s take a look at this sous vide chicken wings recipe and get your finger-licking good treat!

Ingredients:

12 chicken wings, drums and flats separated
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish

Equipment:

Why Sous Vide Chicken Wings?

The high skin-to-meat ratio helps chicken wings stay succulent and moist even when fully cooked. However, the drumette connecting the breast is still prone to overcooking and drying out like the breast itself, especially if you prepare a large batch. This is why sous vide cooking is necessary - it ensures all parts reach the same doneness, resulting in tender and juicy wings with every bite.

The downside is that the whole cooking can take 2-3 hours, which may seem lengthy, but this is actually one of its advantages - it means you can prepare in advance. If you have the time, sous vide chicken wings are definitely worth a try.

Sous Vide Chicken Wings Time and Temp

After testing many batches, I found that sous vide chicken wings at 160°F for 2-3 hours is the best combo. The collagen breaks down enough to make the wings tender, but the meat still holds its shape. It pulls cleanly from the bone without falling apart. No chewing required, but also no mushiness.

If you prefer a firmer texture, 150°F for 3-4 hours is also worth trying. The meat has more resistance when you bite into it. Almost snappy, and much like the confit duck. The color stays slightly pink at this temperature, even though the meat is fully pasteurized and safe to eat.

If you like the super tender, ultimately fall-off-the-bone texture, 165°F for 2-3 hours works. The meat looks fully white and familiar to anyone used to traditionally cooked poultry. However, any temperature higher than 165°F risks turning the wings mushy, so stick to the above recommended times.

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How to Sous Vide Chicken Wings?

Actually, the steps to make these sous vide chicken wings are quite simple. Let’s dive into the process and see how easy it can be.

Step 1: Heat the water. Fill your sous vide container with water, attach the circulator, and set the temperature to 160°F. This usually takes about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Season and bag the wings. Put the wings in a vacuum seal bag. Add some salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper, then use your hands to toss the seasoning on all wings evenly. Arrange the wings in a single layer and vacuum seal the bag up.

Step 3: Cook chicken wings sous vide. Lower the bag into the water, making sure it is fully submerged. Set the timer for 2 hours, and you don’t need to check on them neither flip the bag.

Step 4: Chill the bagged wings. If you are cooking ahead, put the bag in an ice water bath for 15 minutes to stop the cooking completely. Then, transfer the bag to the refrigerator, where the wings will keep for 3-4 days.

How to Get Crispy Skin?

Sous vide wings straight from the bag have soggy, grayish skin. Nobody wants that, so you’ll also need the following methods to get the crispy skin. But before all of them, use paper towels to pat the chicken wings completely dry first.

Deep Fry

Heat two inches of oil in a heavy pot to 375°F or 400°F. Use a kitchen thermometer to check. Carefully add the wings in batches. Do not crowd the pot. Fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Air Fryer

Set the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the wings in a single layer. Spray lightly with oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. The skin should be brown and crisp when done.

Oven Broiler

Place the wings on a rack over a baking sheet. Put them under the broiler on high. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Watch closely. Broilers can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.

Finishing Sous Vide Chicken Wings in the Oven

Can You Cook Frozen Chicken Wings Sous Vide?

Yes, you can sous vide chicken wings from frozen directly! This is one of the advantages of sous vide cooking. The only change is time. Frozen wings need about an extra hour. For example, this recipe calls for 2 hours at 160°F, so cooking frozen wings needs 3 hours at the same temperature.

Sauces for Sous Vide Chicken Wings

Once the wings are crispy, sauce them immediately. Hot wings grab onto sauce better than cold ones.

Classic Buffalo

1/2 cup hot sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder. Keep warm until ready to use. Pour over crispy wings and toss to coat.

Garlic Parmesan

4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant. Remove from heat. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley. Toss with the wings immediately.

Honey Sriracha

1/3 cup Sriracha
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour over hot wings and toss. The sweetness balances the heat.

Dry Rub

2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Mix everything together. Sprinkle over hot wings and toss. The rub sticks to the oil on the skin.

Sous Vide Chicken Wings with Sauce on the Plate

A Few Things Worth Knowing

Use enough salt. Underseasoned sous vide wings taste flat because the long cook dilutes the meat's natural flavor.

Do not reuse the bag liquid. It contains raw chicken juices. Pour it down the drain.

Make more than you think you need. Wings cooked this way disappear fast. 12 chicken wings serve two hungry people or four as part of a larger spread.

The temperature on your circulator matters more than the time. A few extra minutes do not matter, but a few degrees higher or lower change the texture completely.

If you are new to sous vide, start with 160°F for 2 hours. This gives you tender wings without any surprises. Once you are comfortable with the method, experiment with other recommended temperatures.

Take a few seconds to pat them dry with paper towels before they go into any finishing method, which can make the skin crispier.