Get ready for delicious chicken wings! Crispy and smothered in delicious butter sauce are these Kickin’ Cowboy Butter Wings. Herbs, lemon, garlic, and a little spice are the ingredients of the sauce. Delicious and perfect for dinner or party hour!
Why These Wings Are My Jam
Flavor overload: The Cowboy Butter is a lemony, herby, garlicky heaven with a hint of spice.
Crispy perfection: A trick in plain sight does that crispy skin without a real deep fryer.
Always a crowd-pleaser: When I do these, they’re gone in two shakes.
Sauce is easy: Whip it up at wing-cooking time—no hassle.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the rundown of what you’ll need to do these iconic wings. Complete measurements are on the recipe card below.
For the Wings:
Chicken Wings: Flats and drumettes, patted super dry.
Avocado or olive oil will help achieve that crisp.
Baking powder, and not baking soda, is the cause of crispy baked wings.
Salt and black pepper are timeless seasonings.
Garlic powder and paprika are optional, adding more flavor to the wings.
Inasmuch as the Cowboy Butter Sauce:
The sauce base is unsalted butter.
Flavor is from freshly minced garlic.
Chop the fresh parsley finely.
Optional is fresh thyme leaves or a pinch of dried thyme.
a splash of lemon juice flavor explosion.
Dijon mustard: Provides a burst of flavor.
Spice it up with red pepper flakes.
Red pepper flakes: Turn up or down the heat.
Worcestershire sauce is an option; use halal or omit for umami.
Spice it up further with hot sauce.
Add black pepper and salt to taste.
How to Make These Bad Boys
Get Those Wings Crispy:
Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Parchment the sheet and position the wire rack on top. Ready your batches ahead of time when using an air fryer.
Dry ’em: Dry wings with paper towels—crispiness is important.
Season: Toss wings in oil in big bowl. Whisk together paprika (if using), garlic powder, salt, pepper, and baking powder in separate small bowl, then sprinkle over wings and toss to coat.
Prepare the wings
Oven: Set the wings, not piled on top of one another, on the wire rack. Place them in the oven and bake halfway through, turning, 45 to 55 minutes. That gorgeous golden crispy outside is your prize.
Air Fryer: Put wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket (you may need to do this in batches). Cook, half-way through turning, at 380°F (190°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, turn up the heat to 400°F for the final three to five minutes to get that nice crispy outside.
Whip Up the Cowboy Butter:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the minced garlic and sauté 1–2 minutes until it smells amazing (don’t burn it!).
Take off the heat and add parsley, chives, thyme (if using), lemon juice, Dijon, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire (if using), and hot sauce (if using). Season with salt and pepper.
Toss and Dig In:
Toss crispy wings in a large bowl with the warm Cowboy Butter sauce until well-coated.
Serve right away, sprinkled with extra herbs if you’re feeling fancy. Pass around extra sauce for dipping.
Print
Cowboy Butter Chicken Wings
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- For the wings:
- 2 pounds chicken wings (party wings work best)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- For the cowboy butter sauce:
- 4 tablespoons 1/2 stick butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives (chopped)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- A pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (a little spicy!))
Instructions
- Get the oven ready: Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Put foil on a baking sheet and place a wire rack on top.
- Prepare the wings: If your wings are whole, cut off the tips and separate the wings into two pieces each: the drumette and the flat. Dry the wings with paper towels.
- Season the wings: Sprinkle salt and pepper on the wings. Put them skin-side up on the wire rack in one layer.
- Bake the wings: Cook them in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until they are crispy and cooked through.
- Make the butter sauce: While the wings cook, mix the melted butter, parsley, chives, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper in a big bowl.
- Coat the wings: When the wings are done, toss them in the butter sauce until they are all covered.
Notes
Store leftover wings in the fridge for up to 4 days in a closed container.
Be careful with the cayenne pepper if you don’t like spicy food!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Tips & Swaps
Chicken: Make sure it’s from a halal source if that’s your thing.
Crispy is king: Don’t skip drying the wings or the baking powder—it’s the crunch factor.
Herbs: Fresh is best, but dried works (use about 1/3 the amount).
Spice it up: Taste and adjust red pepper flakes and hot sauce to your liking—or leave out for mild.
Worcestershire: Adds depth of flavor but leave out if halal is unavailable or you don’t want it. A few dashes of halal soy sauce can be used in lieu of umami but will change the ambience slightly.
Lemon: Don’t leave out the freshly squeezed lemon juice—it counterbalances butter’s richness.
Alternative cooking techniques: Grilled wings would pair wonderfully with this sauce—just grill and then toss when crispy.
Make ahead: Make the Cowboy Butter a day or two in advance and store in fridge. Warm gently before tossing with hot wings.
Serve with: Serve with celery, carrot sticks, and a halal ranch or blue cheese dip (read labels).
FAQs : Cowboy Butter Chicken Wings
Can I make these less spicy?
Sure! Skip the red pepper flakes and hot sauce.
Can I use frozen wings?
Yes! Thaw them completely and pat dry before cooking.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes! Make it a day or two early, store in the fridge, and warm up before tossing with wings.