Crock Pot Buffalo Wings (Easy Recipe) + Video
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These Crock Pot Buffalo Wings come out tender from the slow cooker, then get a quick broil that turns the sauce glossy and irresistible. Sticky and saucy, with just the right amount of heat and a little sweetness sneaking in. Crock pot hot wings smell incredible. They’re messy in the best way. And somehow… they disappear faster than anything else on the table. Claim the title of best wings at any party with this easy recipe!
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE CROCK POT HOT WINGS
- Dump-and-stir easy. Truly.
- Works with fresh or frozen wings.
- Sweet heat that everyone can handle.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd without babysitting the stove.
- That quick broil at the end? Worth it.
Crock Pot Buffalo Wings
I’ve been making this slow cooker buffalo wings recipe forever. Game days. Family nights. Random Tuesdays when wings just sound right.
You dump everything in the crock pot. You walk away. You let it do its thing.
The crockpot makes them tender… Almost fall-apart tender. Then the broiler steps in and does the real work.
Sticky edges. Bubbling sauce. A little caramelization. Don’t skip that part! That’s where the magic shows up.
These crock pot buffalo wings look like you tried harder than you did. Which… honestly… is my favorite kind of cooking.
SLOW COOKER HOT WINGS RECIPE VIDEO
Want to see how easy this comes together? Watch our quick recipe video 👇
Craving more of that spicy buffalo flavor? You’ve got to try these chicken meatballs. I also have an incredibly cheesy and addictive dip recipe that will be the highlight of any party.
Or, spice up some of the classics like mac and cheese or pasta salad!
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Chicken Wings: Fresh or frozen both work for this slow cooker hot wings recipe. Frozen just needs more time. No thawing drama.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: Use your favorite bottled sauce. Mild, medium, hot… your call. I like Frank’s brand.
- Unsalted Butter: Keeps the sauce rich without tipping it too salty.
- Honey: Softens the heat and helps the sauce caramelize under the broiler.
VARIATIONS
Extra Hot: Use hot buffalo sauce and reduce the amount of honey (or omit it entirely).
Sweet-Leaning: Add another tablespoon or two of honey.
Thicker Sauce: Boil the sauce on the stove for 5-8 minutes before broiling the wings.
Party Cuts: Split wings into flats and drumettes before cooking to make serving a bit easier.
Super Saucy: Brush wings with sauce, broil for a minute, then coat with more sauce and broil again. Repeat until they’re extra sticky and caramelized.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Pile high with celery sticks and cold ranch dressing or blue cheese dip.
- Top with sliced green onions for color and brightness.
- Serve crock pot buffalo wings with crunchy cole slaw.
- Add a big bowl of chips and call it dinner.
- Perfect next to pizza, sliders, or anything grilled.
SLOW COOKER BUFFALO WINGS RECIPE FAQ
Yes. Low for 6-8 hours works great, especially with frozen wings.
You don’t have to… but you’ll want to. That sticky finish makes the whole thing.
Yes, but only if you boil it on the stove first. Because it was cooked with raw chicken, the extra step of boiling helps eliminate any harmful bacteria that may occur.
They’re balanced. The honey keeps things friendly. Choose your sauce heat level wisely.
Slow cooker buffalo wings are best fresh, but leftovers reheat well in the oven or air fryer.
I learned a long time ago that wings don’t need babysitting… just patience.
The slow cooker breaks everything down gently, especially connective tissue in the wings, which is why they come out so tender.
Broiling isn’t about cooking them more. It’s about concentrating flavor. Heat plus sugar equals caramelization. That’s science doing us a favor.
I’ve tried skipping it before. I don’t anymore. When people ask why these slow cooker buffalo wings taste better than expected… that’s the reason.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Don’t overcrowd the broiler pan. Space helps caramelization.
- Spoon sauce after moving the wings, not before. Less mess.
- Watch closely under the broiler. Seconds matter.
- If the wing sauce seems thin, remember it thickens as it bubbles.
- Don’t want to broil? Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry.
- Tongs beat forks here. Less tearing, more control.
TOOLS NEEDED
- 5-quart Slow Cooker: Gives the wings room to cook evenly.
- Rimmed Baking Sheet: Sauce gets bubbly. Rims matter.
- Aluminum Foil: Easy cleanup. No scrubbing later.
- Tongs: You’ll want control when moving those wings.
- Saucepan (Optional): If you want an extra thick and sticky sauce.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Dump everything in the slow cooker
- Fresh or frozen wings both work
- Honey balances the heat
- Broiling matters—don’t skip it
- Sticky sauce comes from caramelization
- Easy crowd food
- Leftovers reheat well
- Minimal effort, big payoff
Crock Pot Buffalo Wings (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings, fresh or frozen (See Notes)
- 1 cup buffalo wing sauce, I use Franks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- MAKE SAUCE: Add 1 cup buffalo wing sauce, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 6 tablespoons honey to a 5-quart slow cooker. Stir until combined.
- ADD WINGS: Add 4 pounds chicken wings and stir until the wings are evenly coated in the sauce.
- SLOW COOK: Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the wings are tender and fully cooked.
- PREP FOR BROIL: Remove the wings from the slow cooker and place them on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon some of the sauce from the slow cooker over the wings.
- BROIL: Set the oven to broil. Broil the wings for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and lightly caramelized. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- SERVE: Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2014. Updated and republished January 2026
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
chicken wings!!!! not "parts is parts". wings come off the chicken, drumettes ….. maybe
I use the same method but homemade sauce with apple cider vinegar , butter , olive oil and cayenne pepper. They crisp up great under the broiler . Also cooks in oven in 45 minutes. I'ts a low carb recipe
Wow I just made these and this is by far the best chicken wings I've ever eaten!
Approximately how many wings is 4 pounds?
Can I use a bbq grill instead of a broiler? I am renovating and don't have an oven yet. We are having a bbq birthday party so the grill would be great if it'll work! and if so… about how long?
I am sure you could use a bbq grill for a broiler (for the last step). Make sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't over cook. I would use the grill with the lid open. Once the sauce is caramelized they are done. Remember if you are looking for a thick coating of sauce (as pictured) you need to cook the sauce down a little and brush it over the wings coat by coat until they reach your desired thickness. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
I'm hoping to make these for an upcoming potluck; however, the last stage of broiling would not be an option .. I need to just use the crock pot. Do you think they would still turn out?
Made these tonight…soooooo gooooood!!
Made these tonight- after just 4 hours on low the wings are done but half of them are unusable because they are falling apart. And they are pale and pasty looking- as if they were boiled- I highly doubt that they are going to look anything like the picture you posted after just putting them in the boiler. Super disappointed that this recipe did not work out
I made them tonight & had a similar problem. Mine didn't fall off the bone, but they were floating in water (used frozen wings) and were pale & pasty looking too. Any ideas what I did wrong?
I had the same problem with them falling apart, but with what was left broiled, they tasted amazing.
Yum! These looks so savory and delicious!
Buffalo wings in a crock — genius! My weekly weekend fare made easy!
Grazie e' Buon Anno
Oh my goodness these look delicious!!
I made these tonight with frozen wings, but when they were done they were floating in water. What did I do wrong?
I am sorry you are having trouble., Did you cook down the sauce after the wings were done? After I prepared mine I placed them on a cookie sheet and cooked down my sauce (boiled on the stovetop until thickened). Then I brushed the sauce on the wings and broiled them, I rebrushed and broiled until the wings were thick and caramelized (about 3 times). You can also add the slurry described in the cooks notes to thicken up the sauce inst4ead of cooking it down. Hope that helps!
Do the wings have to be Frozen?
You can use fresh, but watch your time (they should be done in about 3-4 hours on low or 1 to 2 hours on high). Enjoy and let us know how it goes,
I made these yesterday. I might have overcooked them because besides falling apart they had that dry texture. But they weren't dry. I did reduce the sauce and baste and broil. My husband and I are going to make them again from frozen but do it for a shorter time, throw them on the grill and baste with the sauce. That's how we usually cook the buffalo chicken legs and thighs. That smokey flavor was missing. But thanks for the recipe, now I won't freak if I forget to take the wings out to thaw lol
I was hoping there might have been a homemade recipe. I'm allergic to HFCS, dextrose, and any corn product. Haven't found a decent tasking sauce corn syrup free yet. My kids want me to try this so bad.
Would this recipe still work without broiling/baking the wings first and just cooking them in the crock pot?
I want to double the recipe… How long should I cook them?
Donna, you are the only author I have found that responds to comments – you are to be commended for the extra time, effort and especially patience you expend. I can not believe the repeat of the same question over and over such as 'can I use frozen wings?'; whereas, you were very clear and explicit in your recipe – also the guy who asked about Frank's buffalo sauce vs hot sauce, duh.
98% of sites have 98% of commenters saying 'Gee, looks great' which contributes nothing – at least your skimmers stop to ask a 'duh' question and may revisit your recipe.
Just my analysis from the comments and perhaps personal choice: Julia Childs wrote a cook book providing the basics per chapter then expanded with additions/substitutions. You answered each alternative comment with 'Yeh'.
Donna you provide the basics of selection of meat and means/alternatives of cooking (searing) then you list the possible alternatives of sauce (this was the primary question posed in your comments) – why not your own sauces?
Can I use Chicken Breasts?
We make these all the time, often finishing on the grill instead of the broiler. At my husband's request we included them with our Easter brunch and served them on fine china. Our daughter laughed at this addition – until she tried them. She dubbed them "Easter Wings" and asked to take home some of the leftovers. They've also become a staple for my husband's fishing weekends. Sometimes I make them with boneless tenders (great the next day on salads with a bit of the sauce as dressing). Fantastic and easy recipe!! Thank you!
I want to try these, but If I use frozen, I am concerned that the extra 'water' would make every thing watery?
I would like to know if I could use boneless, skinless breasts or tenders?
I was planning on bringing my crockpot to work and having this as a side dish for our potluck. Unfortunately, I do not have an oven to broil the wings after. Would they still turn out okay?
looks so good but…heard the buffalo sauce can be spicey and since we are in our 70's…that flavor is not the best for us…can you suggest a milder type sauce we can use? thanks
You can use any sauce you want. Same procedure.
Do you have to put them in the oven ?