The Quick Method To Evenly Coat Wings In Sauce

A dry, bare spot on a supposedly saucy chicken wing is a travesty, and yet it can be tedious and messy making sure yours are thoroughly covered in their yummy coating. You can use your hands to toss the chicken in a bowl, of course, but you'll typically need a few rounds of hand washing afterwards. You can also use tongs, a spoon, or a spatula, but this still risks missing a few spots — and even more time-consuming, you can dredge individual wings through a bowl of sauce.

To accomplish all your wing-saucing goals (evenly coated drumsticks, clean hands, a quick process), try shaking everything up in a big bowl with a lid. Or, if you don't have one of those, use a huge Tupperware container or a bowl with a plate on top. You won't get your hands dirty, and if you've ever shaken up a salad with its dressing in a sealed container, you know how effective this method is for saucing up every inch of your food. After about 30 seconds of solid shaking, you'll be ready to move on and dig in. 

For the most effective shaking possible, it's a good idea to make sure you're using warm sauce. A cold mixture just won't absorb as well into your chicken, and especially since we're not examining each wing in detail here, it's crucial to ensure you've got a melty liquid. Left too long on the fridge or even on the counter, the butter in many sauces (like Buffalo) will congeal, and won't properly incorporate with all of your chicken. In the same token, make sure your wings are warm before shaking them up, since cold skin won't soak up all that tangy goodness.

However, you do want your chicken to rest a little once it's out of the oven or air fryer, so that it can retain all its juiciness. While it's sitting for a few minutes (10 should be the maximum), this is a great time to melt your butter and make your sauce. By the time the wings are ready to be tossed, you'll have a warm, liquid coating for them. Just make sure it's warm, not scalding — if your butter is too hot, it will separate from the rest of the ingredients and may not stick to your wings. Then once you've got toasty wings and a melty sauce, you're ready to quickly shake and eat.