buffalo chicken

Photo: Todd Coleman

The Classic Wing
If there is one ingredient that will give wings the perfect combination of spice and tang, it's Frank's RedHot sauce. This recipe, from cookbook author Katie Workman, whose most recent book is Dinner Solved!, is straightforward and easy to make, and results in wings that'll have you guzzling a cold drink, reaching for a napkin and going back for more. It also includes instructions for making the requisite (and simple!) blue cheese dressing, which is almost as addictive as the wings themselves.

Get the recipe: Buffalo Chicken Wings
ginger lime chicken wings

Photo copyright © 2016 by Sara Remington

The New Spicy Wing
Wings usually get their kick from pepper, but this recipe, from Francine Bryson's new Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen, relies on fresh ginger for spice. The root vegetable's zing works surprisingly well here, especially when you combine the ingredient with other Asian staples, such as soy sauce, garlic, green onions and lime juice. You marinate the wings overnight, then bake them until they're cooked through and crispy. And while they have an Asian flavor, they're versatile enough for almost any menu.

Get the recipe: Ginger-Lime Chicken Wings
harissa chicken wings

Photo courtesy of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

The Surprisingly Familiar Global Wing
Tunisian wings may sound a bit unusual yet there's a familiarity to this recipe from Timon Balloo, executive chef at Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill in Miami. That's because the dish still adheres to the basic rule of wings: Make sure there's an interplay of hot and cool. Here, the hot comes in the form of harissa, a chili-pepper paste; and, the cool is a Greek yogurt-curry-lemon dip. Serve with raw carrot and cucumber.

Get the recipe: Harissa Wings with Cucumber and Yogurt
turkey wings

Photo: Lennart Weibull

The Turkey-Day Wing
Turkey wings are less common but no less delicious than chicken wings. These slow-roasted wings draw on some beloved Thanksgiving flavors, from cranberry (which gets a jolt from chopped habanero chilies) to walnuts (you puree them with sour cream and a dash of honey) to maple and sage (for a sweet-and-savory dip).

Get the recipe: Slow-Roasted Turkey Wings

Photo: Jonny Valiant

The Minimalist Wing
If sauces and marinades are just not your thing, you'll love this ultra-simple rendition, which lets the meat's flavor shine through. Just crank the oven up to 450, sprinkle wings with a liberal amount of salt and pepper and roast them on baking sheets coated with oil until they're browned. Add some cut veggies (this recipe calls for bell pepper and bok choy, but you could also use carrots or cauliflower) at the end of the cooking time for a healthy accompaniment.

Get the recipe: Salt-and-Pepper Chicken Wings with Bok Choy and Peppers