To make fried chicken wings, prepare one bowl with flour and another with a beaten egg mixed with a tablespoon of water. If desired, split chicken wings and remove wing tips. Add salt and pepper to the chicken wings first before breading. Dip chicken pieces individually in egg and then follow by rolling the wings in the flour, until well coated. Bread all of the chicken wings before beginning to fry them.

For more flavor, season the flour with onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika or any other seasoning you prefer. To prevent a large mess, place the flour in a covered container and put the wings in one by one, cover the container and shake it to coat the wings and keep your hands clean. Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Sprinkle a little flour in the oil after allowing it to heat over medium high for about five minutes. If the flour quickly sizzles, the oil is ready. If not, wait until it does to begin frying the wings.

To bake chicken wings instead of frying them, use bread crumbs or panko to create a crunchy coating on your wings that is similar to a fried wing, but has less fat. Begin with the same flour and egg wash, except change the order for baking. First, roll the wings in flour, dip them in egg wash and then roll them in breadcrumbs or panko. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the juices run clear and the chicken wings are well browned.

For easy cleaning, line your baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with a non-stick baking spray to prevent sticking and the subsequent losing of coating. When breading the wings, use a plate for rolling the wings in panko or breadcrumbs to allow for the most coverage. Check the internal temperature of wings, using a meat thermometer or kitchen thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature reaches 165 F or greater.