Keto Chicken Wings Recipe (EASY + NO FRYER NEEDED)

These Keto Chicken Wings are easy and perfectly crispy without a fryer! Ready in just about 30 minutes!

If we could only ever eat one food for the rest of our lives, there would be a lot of options to consider, but crispy Keto Chicken Wings would definitely be on our shortlist.

Not just any chicken wings though, they’d have to be saucy, spicy, and so messy we need a change of clothes on stand-by.

These Keto Chicken Wings meet all those criteria without any of the junk that the typical wing joint sneaks into this incredibly simple meal. Toxic vegetable oils, factory-farmed chicken, and don’t even get us started on the ingredients in the sauces.

The blue cheese in this recipe is what really makes it drool-worthy, and it’s also a super nutritious component of the meal. Blue cheese is a good source of protein, potassium, and calcium, but it’s the moldy blue veins that run through it that really pack a healthy punch.

Not only do these wings have blue cheese sprinkled on top but there’s also blue cheese *IN* the sauce. These are definitely a blue cheese lovers’ dream come true.

Side note: have you tried our Keto Buffalo Chicken Soup?

Back in our college days, there was a local restaurant that ran a special on Monday nights for 25 cent wings. They were in heavy competition with the Mexican restaurant that offered 25 cent tacos and usually, we ended up at one or the other. Regardless, we could feast like royalty for $10, and if we wanted to throw in a pitcher of PBR, $15.

It has been years since we ate like that. The last time we stopped in, we ordered a dozen wings (each) and a side of waffle fries to split. By 10 o’clock that night we thought we were going to die, heartburn, nausea, indigestion, upset stomach, where’s the Pepto? Nothing like that to worry about with these Keto Chicken Wings, just make sure you’ve got plenty of napkins.

Let’s get to some Q&A for these wings:

Are chicken wings keto?

Yes, chicken wings are perfect for the keto diet! They have a great fat to protein ratio, especially when you add in a bit more fat like the butter that’s in the sauce or the extra bit of oil used to pan fry the wings.

Ingredients in keto chicken wings

For this recipe we’re using:

• 2 lbs chicken wings – this comes to about 16
• 1/4 cup lard or coconut oil, or avocado oil, for frying
• Salt and pepper

SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot
• 1 ounce blue cheese

We don’t find that a baking powder salt mixture is necessary as the oil + the dry chicken creates the perfect crunch.

How to make keto buffalo chicken wings

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
2. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add in the lard (you can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, schmaltz, or algae oil)
4. Arrange the wings in a single layer cooking about 3 minutes per side or until the skin starts to crisp
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes flipping once or twice for even cooking
6. Make the sauce by melting the butter, hot sauce, and cheese together until smooth – you can do this on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl
7. Transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with the sauce – garnish with extra blue cheese to serve

How can I make these keto friendly chicken wings not spicy?

You can use a milder buffalo sauce, we use Franks RedHot that we find to be not spicy at all. If you’re really sensitive to spice opt for a non-buffalo style sauce like a keto BBQ sauce, lemon garlic pepper, or even a dry wing tossed with your favorite spice blend – tandoori chicken wings anyone?

Can I use an air fryer for these low carb chicken wings?

You can! To cook these keto chicken wings in an air fryer follow these steps:

1. set the air fryer to 360° F and cook for 12 minutes
2. flip and cook another 12 minutes
3. flip again and increase the heat to 390° F and cook until the skin is super crispy about another 7 minutes

Can I use a baking sheet instead of a skillet?

You can but we wouldn’t recommend it, we find that the wings dry out before the skin gets crispy when baking wings on a sheet pan.

Flats or Drumsticks?

The true question for the wing connoisseur! We personally love flats but some folks like drumsticks. This is totally up to you.

Let us know what team you’re on in the comments! #teamflats or #teasmdrumstick

If you like one or the other just ask the nice folks at the butcher counter to only give you the kind you like. The cooking process is the same so no worries there.

Do I have to put blue cheese in the buffalo wing sauce?

Nope, totally optional! Feel free to leave it out and you’re left with a delicious and sugar free classic style buffalo sauce.

Are crispy chicken wings healthy?

We think so! Not only are they a good source of protein and fat when cooked at home with cleaner ingredients. Serve these wings up with some celery sticks or a large side salad #balance

Can you store and reheat chicken wings?

Yes! Store the wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat simply place under the oven broiler set to 500° F. Broil for 3-4 minutes per side until reheated and crispy.

Tools we used for this low carb keto recipe

• Cast Iron Skillet [budget option, heirloom splurge option]
• Tongs

What is the nutritional information for these crispy wings?

As always, you can find the full nutritional breakdown including the carb count (total carbs and net carbs) at the bottom of the recipe card. You can find the serving size/yield at the top of the recipe card. You should always double-check your specific ingredients as different brand’s ingredients may have different values.

To get a specific serving size you’ll want to weigh the final dish then divide by the number of servings. We can’t provide this information as your cooking style will vary from ours as well as the brand ingredients you choose to use.

Remember, there is not a keto food list you have to stick to at all times. Keto isn’t a food group, it’s a nutritional state. Just keep your carbs to 5%-10% of your daily calories and you’re set!

Are wings still too messy?

We hear ya, sometimes you just want the buffalo flavor without all the hassle of wings. We have just the recipes  ↓

• Buffalo Chicken Tenders
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Soup
• Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Avocados
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Fat Bombs
• Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Keto Chicken Wings

These Keto Chicken Wings are perfectly crispy without the need for a fryer! Served up with a low-carb buffalo blue cheese sauce!

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate Pin Recipe

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30-minute, gameday, keto, low carb

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 348kcal

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken wings about 16
• 1/4 cup lard or coconut oil, avocado oil, or algae oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot
• 1- ounce blue cheese + more for topping

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425° F
• Pat the wings dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add in the lard (you can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, schmaltz, or algae oil)
• Arrange the wings in a single layer cooking about 3 minutes per side or until the skin starts to crisp
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes flipping once or twice for even cooking
• Make the sauce by melting the butter, hot sauce, and cheese together until smooth – you can do this on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl
• Transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with the sauce – garnish with extra blue cheese to serve

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Keto Chicken Wings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 115mg38%

Sodium 1109mg48%

Potassium 209mg6%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 522IU10%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 57mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

*

Nutritional values are estimates only and do not include carbs from sugar alcohols.

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