These BBQ Crockpot Chicken Wings are incredibly easy to make, come out perfectly tender, and you don’t have to worry about the sauce sliding off of them thanks to the way they’re cooked.

Saucy bbq chicken wings served on an oval platter.

You’ll love these BBQ Wings in the Crock Pot

There is so much to love about these barbecue wings. They’re a hit around here for a lot of reasons.

  • Easy to make – This chicken wings recipe is so easy to make. You just put them in the crockpot, top them with the seasoning and sauce, then let them look.
  • Tender every time – You don’t have to worry about dried out, tough wings with this one. You get tender, pull apart chicken every time.
  • The sauce sticks! – There’s nothing like the sauce just sliding off of wings to ruin the experience. These wings have a thick coating of sauce (thanks to the way they’re cooked) that caramelizes and sticks to them the whole time.

BBQ Crockpot Chicken Wings Ingredients

  • Wings – grab a package of the trimmed wings and drumettes. Sometimes they are referred to as “party wings” on the packaging. This recipe uses fresh chicken wings. You’ll want to thaw them if you purchased frozen chicken wings.
  • Salt – you’ll want to use kosher or sea salt here. Using normal table salt will make it a bit too salty with these measurements.
  • Pepper – Fresh ground black pepper is perfect in this, but standard ground black pepper is fine as well.
  • Garlic powder – Be sure it isn’t expired. It makes a big difference! You can check this by giving it a good sniff test. If it has little to no smell, it’s time to toss it.
  • Barbecue sauce – grab your favorite thick barbecue sauce. Whether that’s brown sugar based or vinegar based, you’ll just want it to be thick.
Ingredients shown are used to prepare bbq chicken wings in the crockpot.

Best barbecue sauce for wings

While the flavor of the barbecue sauce is going to be entirely up to personal preference, you should still look for a thicker sauce. Use your favorite bbq sauce, just make sure it’s thick.

By using a thicker sauce, it will help it stick to the wings rather than just running off.

Some of my favorite barbecue sauces to use are:

Dipping sauces for wings

There are so many options when it comes to dipping sauce for wings! The great thing about these barbecue wings are that you don’t need a dipping sauce for cooling it off or to add flavor. However, if you are a big fan of dipping your wings here are some of my favorites.

Substitutions and Alterations

If you like a sweeter barbecue flavor, you can add a little bit of brown sugar to the seasoning.

If you like a spicy kick, add some cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix when you add the garlic powder.

How to make bbq wings in the crockpot

  1. Place the wings in the slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  2. Top the wings with 1 cup of barbecue sauce.
  3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
  4. Add an additional cup of sauce and toss to coat.
  5. Serve and enjoy!
Raw chicken wings laying inside a crockpot.
Seasoned raw chicken wings inside a crockpot.
BBQ sauce poured over the seasoned raw chicken wings, ready to cook.
Cooked bbq chicken wings inside a crockpot.

Tips & Tricks for the best BBQ chicken wings

  • I recommend patting the wings dry before seasoning them. It will help the seasoning stick to the wings. Just pat them dry with a paper towels before putting the in the crockpot.
  • This recipe works with additional wings as well so you can double or even triple the recipe if needed.

what to serve with bbq wings

These wings make a great appetizer or finger food for a party, but you can also turn them into the main dish for dinner. Try pairing them with:

Carrots and celery laying next to a serving platter of bbq chicken wings.

how to store chicken wings

Allow the chicken wings to cool completely before storing. This will help prevent condensation inside the container.

Place the wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze the wings by placing them in a freezer safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.

If do decide to freeze the wings, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

When you’re ready to reheat the wings, the oven is your best bet. You’ll avoid overcooking them or ending up with a mushy mess.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and cook them for about 20 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and let them cook for 1 more minute to crisp up.

FAQs

Do you put wing sauce on before or after cooking?

With these crockpot barbecue wings, you’ll put sauce on before and after cooking. They’ll cook with some of the sauce in the crockpot that will caramelize and get nice and sticky. Then, after cooking you’ll do another quick coat if needed.

Can I cook a lot of wings in the slow cooker?

Yes! You can stack them up in the slow cooker. Just be sure to give them a quick stir halfway through if you have a lot.

What are party wings?

Party wings are a name people use for the wings that have already been trimmed and sectioned out into wings and drumettes. You can usually find them at your local grocery store or in the freezer section of both Costco and Sam’s Club.

More wing recipes you might like

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Crockpot BBQ Chicken Wings

No ratings yet
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 3 hours
Servings: 4
These BBQ Crockpot Chicken Wings are incredibly easy to make, come out perfectly tender, and you don't have to worry about the sauce sliding off of them thanks to the way they're cooked.

Equipment

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Place the wings in the slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  • Top the wings with 1 cup of barbecue sauce.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
  • Add an additional cup of sauce and toss to coat.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • I recommend patting the wings dry before seasoning them. It will help the seasoning stick to the wings.
  • This recipe works with additional wings as well so you can double or even triple the recipe if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 1363mg, Potassium: 274mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 252IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Hi! I’m Kara!

Kara loves all things food and spending time with her family and dogs. She has a passion for cooking and loves making yummy, family-friendly recipes.

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