36 Chicken Wings That’ll Change Your Appetizer Spread

Chicken wings are the perfect party finger food, from backyard barbecues to game-day buffets. These deliciously different chicken wing recipes take you beyond buffalo sauce.

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Sweet Sriracha Wings

Serve my fiery hot wings on game day or any time friends and family gather. If you don’t like a ton of sweetness, add the honey slowly and taste as you go. —Logan Holser, Clarkston, Michigan

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Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

These fall-off-the-bone tender wings have just the right amount of heat, and the cool blue cheese dressing makes the perfect dip. —Kevalyn Henderson, Hayward, Wisconsin
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Chili-Lime Chicken Wings

Who would have guessed that mixing maple syrup, chili sauce and lime juice would make chicken wings taste so good? Family and guests alike will scramble to ensure they get more than one of these utterly delicious wings - so be sure to make extras! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Bandito Chicken Wings

These golden wings make a mouthwatering hot appetizer. —Gloria Jarrett, Loveland, Ohio
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Buffalo Chicken Wings

Hot wings got their start in Buffalo, New York, in a kitchen. Although there was no game on at the time, today spicy wings and cool sauces are traditional game-day fare. Cayenne, red sauce and spices keep these tangy buffalo chicken wings good and hot, just like the originals. —Nancy Chapman, Center Harbor, New Hampshire
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Sticky Chicken Wings

You'll want to keep an extra stack of napkins nearby once people start reaching for these sweet and sticky wings. The brown sugar marinade makes every bite finger-lickin' good! —Laura Mahaffey, Annapolis, Maryland
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Ginger-Orange Wings

The sweet-and-sour sauce in this recipe was originally for pork spareribs, but my family has always enjoyed it this way. The longer the wings sit in the ketchup, ginger and orange marmalade sauce, the better they taste. They can be served warm or cold. -Lora Fletcher, Lyons, Oregon
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Spicy Butterscotch Wings

We love big-time-spicy chicken wings. I do a caramel sauce to balance the heat, but you could also glaze the wings with melted brown sugar. —Aaron Salazar, Westminster, Colorado
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Nacho Wings

Since I love both wings and nachos, I combined them for the perfect pairing! This recipe earned an award in a wings and ribs contest we held at our summer cottage. —Lori Stefanishion, Drumheller, AB

Also, try out these wing sauce recipes for taking your wings to another level!

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Five-Spice Chicken Wings

Bird is the word when it comes to these wings. They’re baked to a perfect golden brown and hum with mild, delicious Asian spices. Thanks to an overnight marinade, the chicken inside stays tender while the skin maintains that signature crunch. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
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Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings

For a change from spicy Buffalo sauce, try these sweet and sticky wings. There's a good chance they'll become your new favorite! —Susan Seymour, Valatie, New York
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Sweet 'n' Tangy Chicken Wings

I love the convenience of slow-cooker recipes for get-togethers. Start these sweet and sour chicken wings a few hours ahead of time and you'll have fantastic appetizers ready when your guests arrive. —Ida Tuey, South Lyon, Michigan
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Sticky Maple Pepper Glazed Chicken Wings

This is one of my favorite appetizers to make over the holidays! The coarse ground pepper cuts the sweetness of the maple syrup by adding just the right amount of heat. These chicken wings are best fresh out of the oven (they are nice and crispy), but they are also delicious if made ahead and kept warm in a slow cooker. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
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Honey-Barbecue Chicken Wings

These wings get loads of flavor from the slightly sweet honey-barbecue sauce they’re tossed in. They’re just the tiniest bit sticky—exactly the way they should be. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Grilled Wing Zingers

My husband fine-tuned this recipe—and the results were spectacular! These spicy-hot grilled wings help make the party. You can easily adjust the heat level by altering the amount of chili powder and cayenne. The wings take a little time, but they’re worth it. —Angela Roster, Greenbackville, Virginia
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Quentin’s Peach-Bourbon Wings

My father and husband love bourbon flavor, so I add it to tangy wings baked in peach preserves. Stand back and watch these wings fly. —Christine Winston, Richmond, Virginia
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Spicy-Good Chicken Wings

We enjoy eating these chicken wings while watching football on TV, but make them for any special occasion for a crowd favorite! The pepper sauce gives just the right amount of heat.—Della Clutts, New Tazewell, Tennessee
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Peanutty Chicken Wings

A pleasant, mild blend of peanut and curry flavors makes up the sauce for these wings. I doubled the recipe, and was I glad I did! The tasty wings were devoured. —Kristen Proulx, Canton, New York
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Like 'Em Hot Wings

These spicy Buffalo-style chicken wings are wonderfully seasoned. They are an easy, crowd-pleasing snack that disappears quickly. —Myra Innes, Auburn, Kansas
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Tangy Barbecue Wings

I took these slow-cooked wings to work, and they vanished before I even got a bite! The tangy sauce is lip-smacking good. —Sherry Pitzer, Troy, Missouri
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Maple-Glazed Chicken Wings

Some wonderful maple syrup I brought back from my last trip to Vermont inspired my recipe. These wings have been a hit with family and friends. They're very versatile—use them for TV snacks, hors d'oeuvres for parties or showers, or appetizers—or double or triple the recipe and make the wings a main dish you can serve with a salad or corn on the cob on the side. —Janice Henck, Clarkston, Georgia
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Mexican Chicken Wings

I make these spicy appetizers for parties and football games and never have any leftovers. The hot wings contrast nicely with the cool but zippy dip. When the wings run out, we use the extra cilantro dip on tortilla chips. —Barbara McConaughey, Houlton, Wisconsin
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Slow-Cooked Cranberry Hot Wings

Cranberry wings remind me of all the wonderful celebrations and parties we've had through the years. My daughter’s friends can’t get enough of these wings. —Noreen McCormick Danek, Cromwell, Connecticut
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Cola Hot Wings

These delectable wings are so easy to make, and they offer year-round versatility, from summer cookouts to autumn tailgates. My husband likes them so much he'll stand out in the snow to grill them! —Lisa Linville, Randolph, Nebraska
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Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Wings

These slow cooker wings are a fun appetizer for gatherings. I sometimes like to serve the saucy chicken over rice as a main dish. Either way you do it, these Asian-inspired wings will be a hit! —June Eberhardt, Marysville, California
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Zesty Chicken Wings

These spicy barbecue wings are so easy to make. I fix a double batch since my family thinks they're great. You should see them disappear! —Joan Rose, Langley, British Columbia
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Sweet Gingered Chicken Wings

I first tasted this delicious chicken dish when I attended a class on using honey in cooking. When I prepare this recipe for a party, it's one of the first dishes to disappear! —Debbie Dougal, Roseville, California
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Glazed Chicken Wings

I received this easy wing recipe from a cousin on Vancouver Island during a visit there a few years ago. They're an appealing appetizer, but also a favorite for Sunday lunch with rice and a salad. —Joan Airey, Rivers, Manitoba
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Tempura Chicken Wings

When I moved to Kansas City from Texas, I brought many of my mom's best-loved recipes with me, including these saucy sweet-and-sour wings. The recipe is so good it turned a friend who's not a fan of chicken into a real wing lover. —Susan Wuckowitsch, Lenexa, Kansas
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Grilled Cherry-Glazed Chicken Wings

When I take these grilled wings to events, there are never any leftovers! Friends and family love them. —Ashley Gable, Atlanta, Georgia
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Exotic Five-Spice Chicken Wings

Savor the flavors you crave! These distinctive wings deliver a sweet, salty and slightly spicy taste with every bite. —Barb Miller, Oakdale, Minnesota
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Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings

The meat literally falls off the bones of these wings! Spice lovers will get a kick out of the big sprinkling of red pepper flakes. —Sue Bayless, Prior Lake, Minnesota

In case, you’re craving wings and don’t have time for making them at home, here are some chicken wings restaurants to try!

Hazel Wheaton
Hazel is a writer and editor who has worked in the publishing industry for over 25 years in the fields of travel, jewelry arts and food. As the editor of the Taste of Home Christmas Annual (among other titles), she's in the holiday spirit all year round. An enthusiastic baker, she's known for her cookies, cakes and other baked goods. And she still wishes she could cook like her mother.