The Mistake To Avoid When Slow-Cooking Saucy Game Day Wings

A table with chicken wings
A table with chicken wings - Anchiy/Getty Images

One of the most exciting days of the week is when you can sit around with family and friends, playfully argue over the big game, and come together over some delicious food. One of the most popular game day meals is the ultimate showstopper: chicken wings. If you want to keep things from getting heated when your team is in a deficit, the best thing to do is to serve up some hot chicken wings that don't disappoint.

One of the best ways to prepare these wings is by slow-cooking them. Putting your wings in the slow cooker will allow you to spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the game. There's no better way to get all the spices and juices soaked into the meat. Any flavor of your choice will do and you'll be able to fit enough wings to keep everyone satisfied. So, if you want them to come out absolutely delicious, you'll need to avoid some of the common mistakes people make when slow-cooking chicken wings.

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Mistakes To Avoid When Cooking Game Day Wings

Chicken wings with spices
Chicken wings with spices - Rudisill/Getty Images

The first mistake you don't want to make is not having enough wings to go around. Make sure you get at least somewhere around 1 pound of wings per person. Wings are small, and they go fast. Another important thing you'll want to do is season them really well. Add your favorite seasonings and use any sauce of your liking, whether it's barbecue, buffalo, or any other variety. Now, here's another common mistake people make: not browning the wings before they go in the slow cooker. All you need to do is take those seasoned wings, place them in a broiler, and get them nice and brown before you put them in the slow cooker. This will help bring out the flavor and give the sauce a nice caramelized texture.

When it comes to slow-cooking wings, timing is important, but so is temperature. Not only do you want your wings hot, but you also want to make sure they're cooked enough for people to safely eat. Even if you slow cook the wings for four or five hours, make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 F. Once done, you can serve your chicken wings out of the slow cooker or on plates, whatever method you choose.

The Best Sauces For Your Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Chicken wings covered in sauce
Chicken wings covered in sauce - Axel Mel/Shutterstock

Barbecue and buffalo sauces are amazing, but there's room for more choices when it comes to wings. If you want a sauce similar to barbecue with its own unique taste, you'll need to get some mambo sauce. Capital City mambo sauce will give you a fresh and familiar taste straight from Washington, D.C. Another type of sauce to use is mango habanero, which is the perfect blend of sweet and spice.

Sweet chili wings are becoming very popular, so if you like the mix of sweetness and spice from mango habanero sauce, you should give these a try. But don't stop yet. Mix up your sweet chili sauce with some garlic parmesan for a new palette of flavors that'll make you forget all about who's winning the game. Then there's teriyaki, lemon pepper, and many more – whatever floats your boat. As long as you stick to the recommendations in this article, you'll have bragging rights no matter who wins the game.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.