Crock-Pot® chicken wings make a tasty snack or meal for the whole family. Preparing the wings in a slow cooker like a Crock-Pot® means that no tending is required, freeing up time. The vast variety of Crock-Pot® chicken wings recipes available makes it easy to offer up different flavors with a minimum of difficulty.
Cooking in a Crock-Pot® is a simple process, using a low heat and trapped steam to cook food over several hours. Stirring and tending is not required, and in fact, lifting the lid will allow steam to escape, slowing the cooking process. Typical recipes for Crock-Pot® chicken wings require a cooking time of anywhere between 4 – 8 hours.
While the cooking process is similar for most recipes, there are some variations. Many simply call for the wings to be placed in the slow cooker along with the other ingredients and cooked on the low setting for several hours. Others suggest cooking on the high setting for the first hour before turning the heat down for the remaining hours. Some Crock-Pot® chicken wings recipes recommend browning the wings before placing them in the slow cooker to make them crisper.
Chicken wings can be cooked with a variety of seasonings and coatings. Crock-Pot® chicken wings recipes often call for ingredients with strong flavors like onion, ginger, garlic or chili peppers. Herbs and spices may also be required. Cooks may find that even these bold flavors weaken with several hours of cooking, and can adjust ingredients accordingly.
Some wet ingredients are required to generate steam and keep the wings from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Honey, soy sauce, mustard, and ketchup are all commonly used in Crock-Pot® chicken wings. Cooks should be aware that condensation of steam will cause the amount of liquid to grow as the wings cook. This may cause sauces or seasonings to become thin or watery, and some recipes call for an additional hour of cooking with the lid removed to steam away excess liquid.
Typically, all ingredients are added to the Crock-Pot® at once. Ingredients should be stirred thoroughly to ensure the wings are all well coated before closing the lid and cooking for several hours. Some cooks find it difficult to resist the urge to check on the food, but this is a hands-off style of cooking. Peeking under the lid and giving the wings a stir will allow steam and heat to escape, significantly extending the cooking time.