Cajun Wings
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Turn up the heat with this flavorful Cajun Wings recipe! Juicy chicken wings are coated in a bold, zesty dry rub packed with Cajun spices, then baked, grilled, or air-fried to crispy perfection. The wings are tossed in a creamy Cajun sauce that leaves them bursting with smoky, spicy flavor in every bite! Perfect for game day, parties, or a fun weeknight dinner, they’re easy to make and so delicious!
Why you’ll love these wings
Oh how I love these wings, let me count the ways! They’re coated in an incredibly flavorful dry rub, with just the right amount of spice. They’re cooked until they’re perfectly crispy, then tossed in a sauce that’s both creamy and spicy.
The layers of flavor in these Cajun wings is off-the-charts! The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, while the outside is crispy, saucy, and finger-licking good. Seriously, you won’t be able to eat just one (dozen!!) of these wings. They’re truly amazing!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this Cajun chicken wings recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken wings – I recommend purchasing “party wings” which contain both the drumettes and the wingettes or “flats”, already separated. Otherwise, if you purchase whole chicken wings, you’ll have to separate the drummette, wingette, and tips yourself. The wing tips are mostly cartilage, bone and skin, so you can either discard them, or toss them in the freezer to use for chicken stock at a later date.
- Cajun seasoning – I love this homemade dry rub. It’s a delicious combination of spices including sea salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, mixed with cayenne pepper to add some spice. It’s easy to mix up in 5 minutes and keep in the pantry for up to 6 months. You can also purchase pre-made Cajun seasoning on the spice aisle at the grocery store.
- Baking powder – this is the secret ingredient I use to make the most crispy wings! Just don’t swap it out for baking soda, chemically they don’t do the same thing, and it won’t work. If you don’t have baking powder, just skip it and season the wings without it.
- Cajun sauce – while you could eat the crispy wings with just the dry rub, this sauce takes these wings from flavorful to knock-your-socks-off-good! It’s easy to make with a simple combination of sour cream, mayo, more of the Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and lemon juice.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season the wings. Combine Cajun seasoning and baking powder in a large bowl. Add chicken wings to the bowl and toss until they’re completely coated in the seasoning.
- Cook the wings. In the photo above, I’m baking the chicken wings in the oven. You can also air fry them or cook them on a grill. I give detailed instructions in the recipe card for each cooking method.
- Prepare the sauce. While the wings are cooking, whisk mayo, sour cream, cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and lemon juice together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Sauce the wings. Once the wings are fully cooked, add them to another large bowl. Pour the cajun sauce over the wings and use kitchen tongs, or grab some food-safe gloves and toss the wings in the sauce with your hands. Once sauced, serve the wings immediately while the skin is crispy, the sauce is warm, and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender!
My recommended cooking method for wings
I’ve made wings in the oven, on the grill, in a smoker, in a sous vide, in an air fryer, the list goes on and on. So which cooking method do I use at home and recommend? Well, it depends!
- Cooking for a crowd? Use the oven or grill. It’s the easiest way to cook a lot of wings at one time!
- Want to add a smoky flavor to the wings? Use the grill or a smoker.
- Want to set it and forget it? Use the sous vide.
- Cooking a small batch and want them extra crispy? Use the air fryer.
I have detailed posts for each cooking method, so check them out and pick your favorite! Learn more about sous vide chicken wings, smoked chicken wings, or grilled chicken wings. Check out these posts for air fryer chicken wings or baked chicken wings (coming soon!).
More cajun recipes
Love the spicy, bold flavor of Cajun food? Make all of these recipes at home!
Cajun Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings, party wings – separated drums and flats
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, click link for recipe
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Creamy Cajun Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Cajun hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, click link for recipe
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare the wings.
- Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. Combine 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning and 1 tablespoon baking powder in a large bowl. Add the wings and toss them in the seasoning. Pick a cooking method, either oven, air fryer, or grill.
Cook the wings in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (preferably on convection). Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Place the wings on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil. Place on the middle rack in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Cook the wings in an air fryer.
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F. Place wings in a single layer (not touching) in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip the wings and cook for another 8 minutes at 400°F.
Grill the wings.
- Preheat a grill over medium heat, around 350°F. Once the grill is hot, place the wings on the grill in an even layer (not touching) for 6-7 minutes. Flip the wings and continue cooking for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove them from the grill.
Sauce the wings.
- While the wings are cooking, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and lemon juice together in a bowl to make the creamy Cajun sauce. Set it aside.
- Once the wings are fully cooked, add them to a large mixing bowl. Pour the cajun sauce over the wings and use kitchen tongs, or grab some food-safe gloves and toss the wings in the sauce with your hands. Once sauced, serve the wings immediately.
Notes
- Always make sure to pat the wings completely dry before seasoning them. No matter the cooking method, this will help the skin on the chicken wings get super crispy.
- Never use cold sauce to sauce the wings. If the sauce you’re using has been stored in the refrigerator, take it out before starting this recipe and let it come up to room temperature on the counter.
- These wings have a medium spice level. You can adjust how much hot sauce you use in the creamy Cajun sauce to taste. More hot sauce will make them spicy, omitting the hot sauce will make them mild.
- My recommended cooking method depends on how many wings you’re making. A standard 5.8 Quart Air Fryer will only fit about 1 pound of wings, so if you’re making 2 pounds, as this recipe calls for, you’ll have to do it in two batches. If you’re doubling this recipe for a party and want to make 4 pounds of wings, I recommend using the oven or grill, as you can cook all of them at the same time.
- Only sauce as many wings as you plan to eat in one setting. If the wings haven’t been sauced, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat them in the oven or air fryer. Once they’ve been sauced, the texture won’t be appetizing when they’re reheated.
Nutrition Facts
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