Easy Slow Cooker Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Chicken Wings (Fall-Off-The-Bone!)
Make incredibly tender Slow Cooker Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Chicken Wings! This easy recipe features wings broiled for crispness, then slow-cooked in a delicious homemade ketchup-based sauce.
Ingredients
(Original recipe doesn’t specify yield, but 12 wings / 2.5 lbs typically serves 3-4 as main, or more as appetizer)
Chicken Wings:
- ▢ 12 whole chicken wings (about 2 ½ pounds)
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt, divided (dash for chicken, remaining for sauce if needed)
- ▢ Dash pepper
Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Sauce:
- ▢ 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ▢ ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ▢ ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- ▢ (Remaining salt from ½ tsp total, if needed)
Optional Toppings:
- ▢ Sliced jalapeno peppers
- ▢ Finely chopped red onion
- ▢ Sesame seeds
Instructions
1. Prepare and Broil the Chicken Wings:
- If using whole chicken wings, prepare them by locating the two joints on each wing. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, carefully cut through each joint to separate the wing into three sections: the drumette, the wingette (or flat), and the wing tip. Discard the wing tips (or save them for making chicken stock). You should have 24 drumette and wingette pieces.
- Pat the chicken wing pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them lightly with a dash of salt and pepper.
- Arrange the seasoned wing pieces in a single layer on a broiler pan (ideally with a rack to allow fat to drip).
- Adjust your oven rack so it is about 4-6 inches from the broiler heat source. Preheat the oven’s broiler.
- Broil the chicken wings for 6-8 minutes on each side, turning once, until they are nicely golden brown and some of the fat has rendered. Watch them very carefully as they can burn quickly under the broiler.
2. Prepare Slow Cooker and Sauce:
- While the wings broil (or just after), lightly grease the insert of your 5-quart slow cooker.
- In a small or medium mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, packed brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, optional liquid smoke, and the remaining salt (start with about 1/4 teaspoon, taste and add more if needed, considering the saltiness of other ingredients).
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together until well combined and smooth.
3. Combine Wings and Sauce in Slow Cooker:
- Once the chicken wings are golden brown from broiling, carefully transfer them from the broiler pan to the prepared slow cooker.
- Pour the prepared sweet and tangy sauce mixture evenly over the wings in the slow cooker.
- Using tongs or a spoon, gently toss the wings in the sauce to ensure all pieces are well coated.
4. Slow Cook:
- Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
- Cook on the LOW setting for 2-3 hours, or until the chicken is very tender and cooked through, and the sauce has thickened slightly and melded with the wings.
5. Serve:
- Once cooked, carefully transfer the hot, saucy Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Chicken Wings to a serving platter.
- If desired, garnish with optional toppings like sliced jalapeno peppers, finely chopped red onion, and/or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately while warm. Have plenty of napkins ready! Enjoy!