17 Game Day Chicken Wing Recipes So Good You’ll Need Extra Napkins

When we were looking for fun tailgating ideas, we found this interesting poll of everyone’s favorite Super Bowl food on Better Homes and Gardens. No surprise, the second most popular dish was chicken wings. 36% of respondents said it was their favorite Super Bowl food, right behind chips and dips at 40%. (What percentage do you think would pick buffalo chicken wing dip as their favorite?) It got us thinking, we need to do a roundup of the best wing recipes. If you need some tailgating ideas for your Super Bowl spread, here are our 17 favorite chicken wing recipes–ranked by spiciness. 

Before we get into it, if you’re just looking for the classic Buffalo-Style hot chicken wings, check out this recipe. We’ve tried a lot of chicken wings and this is by far our favorite traditional recipe. Check it out and let us know what you think! 

Mild Hot Wings

Not everyone can enjoy the delightful punch of spicy wings, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat something bland. Here are some tailgating ideas that prove mild wings can be as good as hot wings. 

1. Honey Mustard Chicken Wings 

Sweet and tangy, these sticky honey mustard chicken wings will have your taste buds singing. Since they are deep fried, they have the crispiest skin and juiciest interior. Trust us, if you are trying to impress your friends, this is the recipe for you!

2. Chipotle Ginger Orange Grilled Chicken Wings

These chipotle ginger orange grilled chicken wings are super easy to make and are absolutely addictive! They make the ultimate tailgating side, or can be served as a delicious chicken wing dinner. Trust me, this is one of the best chicken wing recipes that you will ever try!

3. Dill Pickle Chicken Wings

At first dill pickle chicken wings may sound a little crazy, until you remember one of the most popular fast food chains uses pickle juice in their recipe. Using a dill herbed brine, these wings turn out moist and flavorful.

4. Orange Honey BBQ

Taking tailgating ideas from Chinese Orange Chicken, these sticky-sweet honey BBQ wings are really tasty. They’re also really versatile with cooking options for the oven, air fryer, and grill, so no matter your set up on game day, you’re covered. You won’t want to miss a drop of this to-die-for BBQ sauce, so make sure to keep extra paper towels on hand for these!

5. Baked Apple Butter Brown Sugar Wings

These are the perfect baked chicken wings to make for a crowd. Made with a sweet blend of flavors—including brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika—they are tasty but mild. For those who want a little spice, they can then add the Sriracha sauce.

ProTip: Grab a box of moist towelettes to have on hand when serving chicken wings. 

Medium Hot Wings

For those who like a bit of kick but not too much, these medium wings are perfect tailgating ideas. They are flavorful and spicy, but won’t have you reaching for the milk.

6. Peach Glazed Chicken Wings

Chipotle and peach bring these glazed chicken wings to life. So tasty they are a bit addictive, these flavorful wingettes come together with a total time of 25 minutes. Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing to bring it all together. Perfect for tailgating.

7. Sticky Hot Chicken Wings

With a spicy garlicky hot sauce and saltiness of the soy sauce, your taste buds will thank you. These sticky wings will go quickly, so better make a second batch! 

8. Baked Firecracker Chicken Wings

Inspired by Chinese Firecracker Chicken, we love these spicy, sticky wings. Topped with scallions and sesame and served with reserved firecracker wing sauce, they are also beautiful when plated.

ProTip: Leave only the bones with this wing-eating method.

Spicy Hot Wings

The heat is dialed up on these wing recipes.

9. Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings

As we know, Korean BBQ is one of the best flavors in the world. These gochujang wings might become your new favorite because they are packed with spices and sweetness, appealing to everyone’s tastebuds.

10. Jalapeno Chicken Wings

This unusual wing recipe uses pickled jalapeños to impart flavor. Combined with hot sauce and spicy seasonings, these hot wings will heat up your tailgate. 

11. Devilishly Spicy Hot Wings

Crisp, spicy, and gluten-free, these hot wings are all about flavor. With a cook time of only 20 minutes, these wings are pan fried in olive oil with simple seasonings of kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne, making them a great tailgating food option. Be careful with these though, the spicy flavor is designed to sneak up on you. Give it a second before you have seconds. 

ProTip: Drink ice-cold water right before you eat wings to numb your mouth slightly and reduce the burn.

Help! I’ve Made A Mistake Hot Wings

For true spice lovers, these hot wings are not for the faint of heart. Keep the milk handy for these hot wings, just in case.

12. 5-Alarm Hot Wings

Made with four of the hottest peppers in the world and served with hot sauce, you may need to call the fire department on these crispy baked chicken wings. (Baking powder is key to the crispiness.) Just make sure to keep the milk within easy reach.

13. Suicide Hot Wings

Using a combination of five different spicy peppers, these fried chicken wings are a serious contender. Though not as spicy as the 5-alarm fire, you’ll still want to be wary. Serve them up with blue cheese dressing for the perfect game-ready finishing touch.

14. Insane Hot Chicken Wings

If you have a super hot sauce you’ve been waiting to use, this is the perfect recipe. Using a standard base recipe, you call dial these wings up as hot as you’d like. 

15. World’s Hottest Wings

You’d think using red chilis, serranos, and jalapeños would be enough spice. However, these daredevil wings also use two kinds of hot sauce and a generous amount of cayenne pepper.

ProTip: To best defend against spiciness, opt for whole milk or keep full-fat sour cream or yogurt on hand.

Vegan Hot Wings

Fan of the wings but not the chicken? Tailgaters with a plant-based diet will love these tasty vegan options.

16. Frozen Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

This recipe uses frozen cauliflower florets to make delicious 4 ingredient vegetarian (or easily vegan) buffalo wings! They’re so easy to make with a prep time of just 10 minutes, and perfect in a pinch since most of us have a bag of cauliflower in our freezers, just waiting for this exact moment to shine!

17. Red Curry Cauliflower Wings

For something truly different, try these red curry cauliflower wings. Using red curry, these spicy wings are so flavorful, you made to need to whip up a second batch. Luckily, they’re also really easy to make and even arguably healthy at 168 kcal and no cholesterol!

Pro Tip: Eat something before consuming hot wings to keep the burn on your tongue and not in your tummy.

Bonus – Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs On The Grill

If you love chicken wings, then we figured you might appreciate this flavorful, easy drumsticks recipe. Juicy on the inside and perfectly browned on the outside, these grilled drumsticks are coated in a delicious garlic Parmesan butter sauce, making them a tasty appetizer for tailgates. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce and sides for a complete meal.

Get More Tailgating Ideas

No matter what your spice tolerance level is, you’ll love these chicken recipes. For more Super Bowl tailgating ideas, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and check out our Amazon Storefront. 

We share tons of fun tailgating ideas, tips, and recipes to help you create a memorable tailgate party. Share in the comments your favorite wing recipe, we’d love to make it!