You Don't Need Dressing For Wings That Are Bursting With Ranch Flavor — Use This Instead

When you think of ranch with chicken wings, you probably just imagine it as the sidecar, the dipping sauce for those precious game day snacks. But if you're a fan of the dressing (and also prefer a less messy wing), you can actually use ranch seasoning packets to coat the fried or baked chicken pieces to load them with that signature salty, tangy, and herby flavor.

The best part of this recipe is how easy it is to make. One of the very best ranch dressings, Hidden Valley Ranch, even has an air fryer recipe for ranch wings on its website that only takes about 30 minutes. All it requires is 2 pounds of chicken wings, 2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix (most brands of ranch packets should actually do), and a tablespoon of olive oil. Hidden Valley Ranch recommends that you toss the wings with olive oil first, coat them in the seasoning, then air fry the wings at 360 degrees for 25 minutes, flipping them once halfway through cooking. Then increase the heat to 400 and continue crisping them for another five minutes. Watch carefully to make sure they don't burn.

First of all, you don't need to buy a fryer or deep-fry your wings on the stove. As mentioned above, air frying or oven-baking your wings at high heat will achieve nearly the same texture as a fried wing. (As an avid wing eater, I can vouch for these methods.) And that oil is key — not only does it allow the wings achieve a crispy skin, it also helps the powdery ranch seasoning stick to the wings. While that Hidden Valley Ranch recipe is a good place to start, you can also play with the amount of ranch seasoning on your wings, too. Some recipes call for a whole packet of ranch seasoning (1 ounce) and up to a ½ cup of oil for 3 pounds of wings. You can also modify the flavor of the seasoning by adding ingredients like smoked paprika, which will give them a subtly smoky flavor.

If the wings still aren't ranch-y enough for your tastes, you can sprinkle on some more seasoning at the end, though I recommend you do that while the wings are still hot — the shiny rendered fat on the wing's surface will help the seasoning stick to the wings. At this point, they should be really flavorful as-is, but if you want, you can always serve them with homemade punched-up ranch dressing on the side. We think they're great all on their own, and chances are, so will your crew.