Summer has me craving Fried Chicken Wings (also called Flieten), a German specialty from my hometown Trier. These are crispy, non-breaded chicken wings that are dry-rubbed with an addictive homemade seasoning. The seasoning is heavy in sweet paprika powder with hints of curry, oregano and cayenne pepper and it's SO GOOD! Also check out my baked chicken drumsticks for a super delicious baked chicken alternative!
How To Get Crispy Skin
Deep frying chicken wings is the quickest and easiest way to get evenly cooked chicken wings that are moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. When I first developed this recipe, I was brave enough to deep-fry for the very first time! Now I have become a pro and deep fry anything from homemade fries to German donuts and beer-battered fish! I didn't have a fryer then and still don't have one. Why store another appliance when really all you need is a frying thermometer? It's an inexpensive tool that takes up very little space in a drawer. Another key to success is using a high-quality oil with a high smoking point, such as avocado or peanut oil. The thermometer helps you keep the oil at the right temperature to ensure the skin gets nice and crispy while retaining moisture on the inside.
Tips for Frying Chicken Wings
- Pat Dry The Chicken. The first thing you'll do with your chicken wings is to pat them down with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Taking this step reduces the splatter when they enter the hot oil making it safer for you to fry the chicken.
- Keep Temperature Even. I dial the heat up and down all the time when frying anything. Ideally, your frying oil will be on the higher end of the frying temperature spectrum (350 Fahrenheit or 175 Celsius) when adding the chicken wings, as the cold chicken will cool down the oil by 20 degrees or more.
- Work In Batches. Only fry as many wings as will fit NEXT TO each other in the pot you're using. Ideally you want the wings to be submerged completely in the hot oil, so all the pores close when the chicken first enters the pot.
- Keep Chicken Wings Warm. Turn your oven at 150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (65 to 80 degrees Celsius). Remove finished fried chicken wings using a fresh pair of tongs to avoid food contamination, then transfer onto a baking sheet topped with a cooling grate. After one minute or so, rub the seasoning into your chicken. Transfer to your warm oven until you are done frying all of your chicken.
These tips are also copied at the bottom of the recipe, so when you print it out, you have them handy.
Ingredients
- Chicken wings. For this recipe, you will use the whole wing. Ask your butcher if they don't have them out.
- Sea salt. I typically use pink himalayan sea salt as it has actual mineral value.
- Ground pepper. I grind my own using this pretty mill.
- Ground sweet paprika powder. Not the spicy kind that you would use for goulash, or you'll be spitting heat!
- Ground cayenne pepper. Just a little bit to get a hint of smoke and heat.
- Ground curry powder. It makes everything better. Surprisingly, Germans cook quite a bit with curry powder. Think Currywurst for example.
- Dried oregano. For that herbal note. You won't want to miss it!
- High quality frying oil. This can be any oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado or peanut oil.
Tools
- The make the BEST fried chicken wings, you will either use a deep fryer OR a large pot, a frying thermometer and a splatter guard.
- I recommend using two sets of tongs to avoid food contamination and food-borne illness. The first set of tongs handles the raw meat and the other the fried wings.
- Top a rimmed baking pan with a cooling rack to let access oil drip off. You will also transfer this entire set up to the oven to keep the chicken warm as you cook the remaining chicken in the oven.
- Last but not least, this instant-read thermometer has been a life saver for me. It's pro grade and well worth the money! You'll want your chicken cooked to 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), so it's safe to consume.
Fried Chicken Video
Still wondering how to deep fry the best chicken wings? Then watch this short video and wonder no more. It's so simple and quick!
Click here to watch me make fried chicken wings!
Flieten in Germany
German fried chicken wings are most commonly enjoyed in the summertime, sitting in a Biergarten with a nice, cool beer or Viez, a young apple wine. This regional specialty is extremely popular in the Trier area (my hometown)! Some crazy Flieten fans (that's what these wings are called over in Trier) even wrote a restaurant guide for the best Flieten in the area called the Flietenführer! 😀 So if you ever go visit the oldest city in Germany, make sure to hit up some of those restaurants listed on there!
The BEST Fried Chicken Wings (Flieten)
Equipment
- deep fryer
- large, deep pot
- splatter guard
- rimmed baking pan
- cooling rack
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 10 large chicken wings Ideally the whole wing. If using small ones, double the amount
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 liters frying oil I use avocado or peanut oil, but any oil with a high smoke point will work.
Instructions
- Combine all spices in a small bowl and set aside. You will not season your chicken before frying, but after frying.1 teaspoon ground pepper, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder, ¼ teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Set up your frying station by filling your pot with frying oil (about 3 inches or 7 centimeters from the bottom of the pot would be ideal) and clipping a frying thermometer to it. Heat over high heat until you have reached your ideal frying temperature (325 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Preheat your oven to 150 to 180 degrees and set up a baking sheet with a cooling rack sitting on top of it, keeping it near your frying station.2 liters frying oil
- While the oil heats up, pat dry your chicken. Once the oil is heated to the 350° Fahrenheit (175°C), carefully using the first pair of tongs, submerge the chicken into the hot oil, holding a splatter guard with your other hand to protect yourself from hot oil spraying on you and burning you. Only add in as any chicken wings as you can fit on the bottom of the pan. The temperature will drop a little when adding the chicken to the oil and that is okay. Play with the heat setting a bit to get your oil to stay within the 325° to 350°F range (163°-175°C). Cook chicken for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned to your desired degree and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C) or higher. This INSTANT, professional-grade meat thermometer is worth the money.10 large chicken wings
- Carefully remove the cooked chicken wings using the second pair of tongs, and place it on the cooling rack to allow excess oil to drip off for a minute. Then rub in the dry seasoning.
- If you’re working in batches, transfer the cooked chicken to the warm oven while the next round of chicken fries. Repeat process until all chicken is prepared.
- Traditionally, Flieten are served with slices of rustic farm bread or fries. You can also add a small salad as a side. Guten Appetit!
Video
Notes
- Pat Dry The Chicken. The first thing you'll do with your chicken wings is to pat them down with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Taking this step reduces the splatter when they enter the hot oil making it safer for you to fry the chicken.
- Keep Temperature Even. I dial the heat up and down all the time when frying anything. Ideally, your frying oil will be on the higher end of the frying temperature spectrum (350 Fahrenheit or 175 Celsius) when adding the chicken wings, as the cold chicken will cool down the oil by 20 degrees or more.
- Work In Batches. Only fry as many wings as will fit NEXT TO each other in the pot you're using. Ideally you want the wings to be submerged completely in the hot oil, so all the pores close when the chicken first enters the pot.
- Keep Chicken Wings Warm. Turn your oven at 150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (65 to 80 degrees Celsius). Remove finished fried chicken wings using a fresh pair of tongs to avoid food contamination, then transfer onto a baking sheet topped with a cooling grate. After one minute or so, rub the seasoning into your chicken. Transfer to your warm oven until you are done frying all of your chicken.
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