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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love These Crock Pot Chicken Wings
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Cook Chicken Wings In A Crock Pot
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Crock Pot Chicken Wings
- More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes
- Tools To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
- Crock Pot Chicken Wings (Garlic Parmesan) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
I’m usually a meat-off-the-bones kind of girl, but an easy Crock Pot chicken wings recipe (or some crispy chicken thighs!) can convert even me. And, these slow cooker wings definitely did. Season the wings, coat them with a garlic butter and then let the slow cooker do the work. The garlic parmesan chicken wings are cooked until tender and then crisped up in the oven until golden brown. No deep frying necessary!
I like to make low carb slow cooker recipes year round — the convenience is just impossible to beat. A couple of my favorites are creamy Tuscan garlic chicken, pulled pork, and beef barbacoa. I’ve even modified my popular easy broccoli cheddar soup for the slow cooker after people started asking for it. Try one of these slow cooker recipes next time!
Why You’ll Love These Crock Pot Chicken Wings
- Savory garlic parmesan flavor
- Tender on the inside, crispy on the outside (just like air fryer wings)
- Simple to make in just a few steps
- Just 10 minutes to prep
- Easy to make ahead
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this slow cooker chicken wings recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Chicken Wings – I prefer to get my organic chicken wings delivered right to my door, but any wings that are separated into chicken wing sections will work.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Butter – I prefer grass-fed butter for nutrition and flavor, but you can use any unsalted butter. If you use salted, you’ll need to reduce the sea salt.
- Garlic – I used fresh minced garlic, but you can also use the kind from a jar, or substitute 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of the fresh garlic.
- Parmesan cheese – I recommend shredded parmesan, but grated will also work.
- Green onions – Optional, but they make a great garnish for Crock Pot chicken wings. Chives can also be used.
How To Cook Chicken Wings In A Crock Pot
This section shows how to make chicken wings in a slow cooker with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Season chicken wings. The first thing to do is place the wings in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Make garlic butter. Heat butter and garlic together in a medium bowl or saucepan.
- Coat chicken wings. Pour garlic butter mixture over the wings and stir so they are coated evenly.
- Slow cook. Cook time on High is about 3 hours, or about 6 hours on Low, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Crisp up. Spread cooked wings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and spritzed with cooking spray. Give them a quick broil for about 5 minutes until crispy and golden. This step is key for crispy skin.
- Finish. The last step is to remove the wings from oven and top with shredded parmesan cheese. Broil for another 1-2 minutes, until melted. Garnish. Your delicious chicken wings are ready!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can put raw meat into a slow cooker, you just want to be sure to use the correct cooking temperature and time and cook it to a safe temperature.
Can you use frozen chicken wings in the slow cooker?
Yes, but not directly. Do not place frozen wings right into the slow cooker. There are two problems with this:
- There’s some controversy around whether this is safe. The USDA recommends against it, and while they tend to be conservative, in this case there is no reason to risk it. The reason is that placing frozen chicken wings in the slow cooker may leave them in the “danger zone” temperature (between 40 and 140 degrees F), where bacteria can breed, for too long. So even though the risk of food borne illness probably isn’t huge, it’s best not to risk it.
- The ice crystals will melt and water things down. This isn’t a good thing anyway, since we are going for crispy chicken wings and want the garlic butter sauce to stick.
So, what to do instead? How to make garlic Parmesan chicken wings if all you have is frozen wings?
Simply thaw the frozen chicken wings first. Pat them dry before using in the recipe.
The easiest way to do it is in the fridge overnight, but a few hours in the morning is fine, too. Alternatively, if you’re in a hurry, you can use the defrost function on the microwave.
How do you make chicken wings not soggy?
The best way to get crispy chicken wings in the slow cooker? Finishing them off under the broiler. The slow cooker cooks them so they are nice and tender and then they can crisp up in the oven.
Storage Instructions
Store the chicken garlic parmesan wings recipe in an airtight container the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
If you want to prep these ahead, cook the wings in the slow cooker and then arrange on a sheet pan and refrigerate.
When you’re ready to eat your slow cooker chicken wings, turn on the broiler and finish the remaining steps. On the day of, they’ll take just 12 minutes in the oven set to broil – 5 minutes on each side, then 2 minutes to melt the cheese. It’s a quick appetizer recipe that you can prep ahead.
Can you freeze this garlic parmesan chicken wings recipe?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked wings for 2-3 months.
Reheating instructions:
For best results, heat wings in a 375 degree F oven, until hot. The cooking time will vary slightly depending on wing size.
What To Serve With Crock Pot Chicken Wings
Serve slow cooker wings with celery sticks and carrot sticks along with your favorite dip or dressing: blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, or hot pepper sauce. These sauces also go great with other chicken wing recipes.
More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes
If you like this garlic parmesan chicken wings recipe, you might also like some of these other easy recipes for chicken wings:
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings – A vegetarian option.
And see even more chicken recipes here!
Tools To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
- Slow Cooker – Can’t make the best slow cooker chicken wings without a slow cooker! This is a trusty one that won’t break the bank.
- Sheet Pan – Crisp up the garlic parmesan chicken wings on a sheet pan before serving.
Crock Pot Chicken Wings (Garlic Parmesan)
Learn how to make Crock Pot chicken wings that are actually CRISPY! These garlic parmesan slow cooker chicken wings need just 4 ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Place the chicken wings in the bottom of a slow cooker. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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In a small bowl or saucepan, stir together the melted butter and minced garlic. You can melt it on the stove or in the microwave. If melting on the stove, saute the garlic for about a minute before removing from heat.
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Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the chicken wings. Stir to coat.
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Cook the wings in the slow cooker on High for 3 hours.
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Toward the end, preheat the oven to Broil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and grease well. (Wings will probably stick anyway, but it helps.)
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Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the pan. Broil for about 5 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden.
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Remove the garlic chicken wings from the oven. Top with shredded parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, until melted.
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Garnish with green onions or chives, if desired.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 5 chicken wing pieces (drumettes and flats counted separately)
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
98 Comments
Rebekah
0Hi. If I make 6 lbs of wings do I need to cook longer?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rebekah, Yes, the cooking time would need to be increased.
Candice
0I have large drum sticks. Would these work the same?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Candice, That should work but the cooking time would be longer.
Donna
0I have made this many times and it is always a big hit! It is perfect in every way for me!!
Robyn Herring
0So easy and so yummy! A family fave!
Nancy Ayers
0OMG YUM!!! I messed up this recipe but it turned out so good I have to tell you.
I put a 3 or 4 pound bag of frozen wings, thawed, into my crock pot and drenched them in salt pepper butter and garlic. I meant to leave them on high for like a half hour then turn it down to low, but forgot and left it on high. Once I realized this, the wings were SO done, like almost falling off the bone done, I added about a half cup of Frank’s Red Hot sauce and left on warm til ready to eat. Put them out on foil in my air fryer to crisp them, they were too tender to even be picked up to eat, they were falling apart tender and super delicious!!! I will definitely make these again and pay closer attention to the temp settings so the wings stay intact. LOL.
Christina-Annn
0Hello! You mentioned we can cook the wings ahead of time and refrigerate on a sheet pan. Do we need to cover while refrigerating? And if so, with what (aluminum, Saran Wrap)?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Christina-Annn, I recommend aluminum foil.
Holly Chrysler
0Juicy and yummy I suggest fresh wings over frozen either way great easy recipe.
Amy L Huntley
0Anything Garlic and Parmesan is a favorite. These wings are so juicy and tender!
Natalie
0You can’t beat 4 ingredients & great flavor!! I will be making these a lot more!! They are gone in minutes!!
Kristyn
0I have found a new favorite flavor of wing!! These are incredible, crispy, & addicting!!!
Danette
0How do I know how many marcos I should be consuming? I weigh 200 want to lose 50 lbs on the keto diet I have very little activity daily have a desk job.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Danette, Start here with this macro calculator to help you calculate your macros. Then check out this article about macros to help you learn what macros are and how to fit the right ones into your day. I hope this helps!
Susan
0I’m trying this today for the first time. What exactly is the serving size. I can’t seem to locate it.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Susan, 5 pieces is a serving size. Enjoy!
Julie Rezash
0It was amazing! simple and great flavor ! I use a flat type crock pot so I think that helped them cook evenly!
Kim
0My husband is a wing expert. If wings aren’t cooked to a crispy finish, he complains.
I’m happy to say that he LOVED this recipe. Moist, juicy, tender, and crispy. Winner all around. I had half-frozen wings in the fridge after thawing…cooked them 30 minutes longer to get to 160 degrees. Simply awesome. Thanks, Maya!
Donna Armstrong
0Can this be doubled or would 2 batches need to be cooked? I have made this a few times and love it!!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Donna, Yes, you can double this recipe, but the cook time will need to go a little longer. Plan for 4-5 hours in the crockpot and stir your wings about halfway through the cook time.
Silvia M Sharpe
0Hi. I’m Excited to try out this recipe. However, I have about a pound of wings. (Its 4am and I don’t necessarily want to go out to buy more before trying this recipe) How do you suggest that I adjust time with using such a smaller amount of chicken?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Silvia, Change the servings to 2 and the recipe will match the amount of wings you have. As for the cooking process, line the bottom of the crock pot with your wings and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Enjoy!
Cristy Baker
0AHHH-Mazing recipe!!
Thank you ☆☆☆☆☆
Stephanie Watson
0I have some chicken drumsticks in the freezer that I would like to use with this recipe instead. Any suggestions on how to tweak it??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Stephanie, This recipe will work well with drumsticks. No adjustments to the recipe are needed. The cook time, however, will need to increase to 4-5 hours. I recommend using a thermometer to know when these drumsticks are done cooking.
Brittany
0If I am doing less than 4lbs…probably about 3 lbs, do I need to reduce the amount of butter and garlic? Also what time would you recommend…would 2hrs be ok? Thank you!!! Can’t wait to try this!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brittany, Scale the recipe to 6 servings instead of 8. That will give you a more accurate amount of butter and garlic. The cook time will need to stay the same as written in the recipe.
Julie Rezash
0These were so AMAZING. We grilled them on low under the broiler and just watched them. They were so beautifully golden colored. We were so excited to eat them that we forgot the parmesan cheese. I am making them again tonight as a snack!
Teresa Jenkins
0My wings were overdone at 3 hours. I’m not sure if I did something wrong. I think the recipe is good. Please advise.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Teresa, Did you do less than 4 pounds of chicken wings? It is possible they cooked faster if you used less than the listed amount in the recipe.
Ashley Sauls
0This was one of the most flavorful recipes I’ve tried! I am typically horrible with making chicken wings, but this recipe made my life easier. I’m going to the store to get more because I know it will be a hit with the hubby(who won’t share). Instead of fresh garlic, I used the pre-diced garlic. I also used the finely grated Parmesan which made me feel extra sophisticated. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Lisa
0I was reading comments and someone mentioned using instant pot. I know it has the slow cook option, is there a faster option with the instant pot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lisa, the Instant Pot is both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker (which is a fast method of cooking).
SuziesCorner
0I was hoping for an Instant Pot version at the end. Hmmm… I’m new to the Instant Pot.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Suzie, You can make these in an Instant Pot. Use the slow cook function and follow the directions as written.
Kate
0DELICIOUS!! Crispy outside and they fall off the bone. I’m from Buffalo and these could compete with ANY fried chicken wings. Thank you!!!
Ellen
0Made this for dinner and it was awesome! My hubby who doesn’t really like chicken wings thought they were really good, and kept saying so throughout the meal. I’m definitely going to make these again! Thank you .
George
0When using drumsticks or thighs (bone in) how long should I cook them for and at what setting? I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks !!
Wholesome Yum
0Hi George, I would try on low for 5-6 hours. Test your chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure it has reached 165 degrees F.
Laurel
0Just found your recipe and am going to try it this week. After cooking in the slow cooker, can you freeze the extra for later, then when needed broil them? Would you need to thaw then beforehand?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Laurel, that sounds like it would work. Let me know if you try it. I think you could cook them from frozen and then broil after they are warmed to the correct temp.
Ericka Mccoy
0Thank you!
Audrey
0Broil on hi or low?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Audrey, My oven doesn’t have multiple broil settings, just a temperature. I always set it to the highest, so I’d guess “high”.
Ann
0I’m making this for the first time using chicha thighs instead of wings and since I try to strictly follow keto, I redid the calculations and came up with Calories 394, Carbs 3.1, Fiber 0.6, Fat 30.5 and Protein 52.1. Would their be that much of a discrepancy between the wings and thighs?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ann, Unfortunately I can’t provide nutrition calculations for recipe ingredient swaps. Chicken wings and thighs would have different nutrition info, but carb count would be similar provided it was the same number of servings.
Lisa
0Some chicken parts are injected with liquid to enhance the juiciness. Sometimes that liquid contains sugars or other mixtures that can bump up the nutrient counts.
Rodney
0Thank you for this recipe! I have made these several times since finding this page. Today when I made them, I thought “wouldn’t it be nice to drink this wonderful sauce that’s left”. I didn’t. However, I did get steam in bag broccoli and cauliflower, heated in microwave, and dumped in the sauce. Had to add more seasoning, but it was a great side dish. All that buttery goodness did not go down the drain. This would be great with a variety of veggies. Thank you again for the recipe.
Beth
0I am ready to try this recipe and I’m sure it will be great. Question on the minced garlic, can I just use the minced garlic from a jar? and if so do I need to melt it together with the butter before putting over the chicken? thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beth, Yes, you can use minced garlic from a jar. Follow the same recipe instructions.
Sara
0I never thought about broiling them after, but it totally works! I love cooking them in the slow cooker because it saves so much time. And parmesan + Garlic = LOVE
Melinda Tanner
0This has become one of our weekly favorites!! So easy….and all the picky eaters in the house love it.
Arena
0Can’t wait to make this however I only have boneless chicken thighs. Any idea how much one serving should weigh?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Arena, This sounds delicious with boneless chicken thighs! Usually a serving is about 4 ounces, but it depends on what else you serve it with. I’ve definitely had more than that for meals before.
Chris
0I am trying to figure out how you got the nutrition facts. When I put them into my plan there is so much more of everything then what you have. Is there some kind of special chicken your using?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chris, The nutrition info for ingredients comes directly from the USDA Food Database. No special chicken 🙂
Kathleen Bushey
0Is there a difference in the nutritional value between the wings and drumlettes? If so, how do you count it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kathleen, I’m sure the amount of meat varies very slightly form wing to wing, but overall it’s about the same and I wouldn’t worry about counting them differently.
Kathleen Bushey
0Is it possible to double the recipe and place it in the Crock Pot all together? Can’t wait to try it except that I will also being using thighs because that’s what I have available.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kathleen, Doubling the recipe is fine as long as it all fits in your slow cooker. Same with different types of meat. However, for wings, when you roast them at the end in the oven, they do need to be in a single layer at that time. Multiple layers in the slow cooker are fine.
Alex
0This looks good! Question- can you set crock pot on low for like 6 hours instead?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Alex! Yes, you definitely can!
Ashley
0I’m making these today except with thighs! How long should I cook in the slow cooker? TIA! These sound soooo good
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ashley. You cook the wings for 3 hours on high in the slow cooker. Thank you!
Patricia Bissonnette
0I just made these parmesan chicken wings….Very, very good! I made half the recipe and it was definitely worth the effort! The chicken meat literally fell off the bone! I followed the recipe and crisped them up under the broiler….perfect! The worst thing I can say is due to my ventilation, or lack thereof, my kitchen filled with smoke from the broiler. But that has nothing to do with how yummy these chicken wings were! Really, really yummy & easy!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Patricia! I’m glad you liked them. Sorry to hear about the ventilation issues, but like you said, I don’t think they are related to this recipe.
Cindi
0I’ve been making these for about 30 years! At first, I made them in my oven and lately in my air fryer… they are always a hit…
Dan
0I was wondering the purpose of separating the flats from the drumettes in the list of ingredients. When you put them in the crockpot, add the garlic butter and stir don’t they just get mixed up anyway?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dan, It just means breaking them apart, you don’t have to actually keep them separate.
Karen
0Hi Maya – thank you for the recipe – looks good! I am just wondering if you should only cook a single layer of wings on the bottom of the crock pot? Or can you do more than one layer? Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, More than one layer of chicken wings in the slow cooker is totally fine. Just make sure they are in a single layer in the pan when you broil them after.
Michelle
0How many wings are you cooking in the slow cooker at one time? How big is your slow cooker? I’m asking because I don’t want to overcrowd.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michelle, I have this slow cooker and cook all the wings (4 lb) at once. You don’t need to worry too much about overcrowding because they go under the broiler afterward. Just make sure they are in a single layer when you broil them.
Doreen
0OMG! These are SO tasty! Luckily I had some chicken thighs in the freezer (OK, NOT chicken WINGS LOL!), but as soon as this recipe appeared in my email inbox, I couldn’t wait to try it. So GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN WINGS became GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN THIGHS. But I have to say, the finished result was really, really tasty and SO low in carbs. Thank you Maya! Another winner and so easy! You’re a lifesaver. BTW, I did these in the instant pot as you advised and they turned out beautifully.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Doreen! Great idea to try it with chicken thighs. I’m also glad to hear it worked well in the Instant Pot, too.
Marsala
0Hi Maya. Thank you for this recipe, I’m looking forward to making this! Do the wings need to be thawed before going in the crockpot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Marsala, Yes, it’s best to thaw and pat dry first. The butter/garlic mixture will stick better when they are thawed, and the water from the ice crystals won’t water it down. Also, there is some controversy about whether it’s safe to place frozen chicken directly into a slow cooker, due to the amount of time it would spend in the “danger zone” temperature range and the possible risk of food borne illness. Given both of these reasons, just thaw the wings overnight and pat dry before following the recipe.
Maria Lybrand
0Can these be done in the instant pot? If so, how long do they cook in the instant pot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, I haven’t tried that yet but you definitely can. This is how I would do it. Add a cup of chicken broth to the bottom, then place the trivet inside and the wings on top of that. It’s probably best to mix the garlic butter with the wings separately first before placing them inside. Set the Instant Pot to 5 minutes and then at the end, let pressure release naturally for 5 more minutes before switching to quick release. From there you can broil the same way as the instructions on the recipe card.
Mariessa
0This just doubled my excitement!
Lori
0These look delicious. Can frozen wings be used? If so, is there an adjustment needed for the cooking time? Thanks so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Lori! You can use frozen wings, but thaw them first.