Forget frying! These ultra-easy Crispy Baked Chicken Wings are a leaner version made without the mess but just as addictively delicious. The perfect appetizer for game day or whenever the craving hits!
It’s football season and there is no appetizer more crowd-pleasing and loved than chicken wings. Here, we are going with a leaner, easier version of deep-fried chicken wings, and baking them in the oven. They’re super easy to prepare without the messy, fastidious frying to contend with, and they turn out just as crispy, tender and delicious.
Before getting baked, the wings are tossed with baking powder and just a few dried spices – no oil and no butter. Baked in a hot oven, the wings come out with a gloriously crispy, craggy exterior, and meltingly tender on the inside. So crispy, in fact, it will be hard to tell they weren’t fried.
- Why You Will Love These Baked Chicken Wings
- How To Get The Crispiest Wings Without Frying
- Ingredient Notes
- How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Variations On Baking Time
- What to Serve With Chicken Wings
- Helpful Tips And Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing and Reheating
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- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Once baked, I like to toss the wings in a classic, spicy Buffalo sauce then serve them with my best Blue Cheese Dip and raw veggies alongside. Simply divine and absolutely impossible to stop eating.
Why You Will Love These Baked Chicken Wings
- THEY’RE HEALTHIER – It’s no secret deep frying is not the healthiest method of cooking. These chicken wings are baked without the addition of oil or butter which means they will be lower in saturated fat and total calories.
- THEY’RE CRISPY – There is a not-so-secret ingredient to get chicken wings to bake up with really crispy skin—baking powder. I learned this technique years ago from J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats and it works perfectly. Read more about it below.
- THEY’RE TENDER AND NOT DRY – The light coating of baking powder not only ensures the chicken wings are crispy, but it helps keep them tender and moist on the inside, too.
- THEY’RE CUSTOMIZABLE – These crispy chicken wings are great as written, or you could use this recipe as a blueprint to season them with your own spice blend and/or toss them with your favorite wing sauce.
- THEY’RE QUICK TO PREPARE! It will take you less than 10 minutes to get these wings in the oven. How great is that?
- THEY MAKE THE PERFECT APPETIZER – An easy appetizer that is always a huge hit for game-day, or celebrations of any kind—hello Valentine’s Day date night-in!
How To Get The Crispiest Wings Without Frying
- Pat them dry. First and foremost, you want to pat the chicken wings dry until there is no visible moisture left on them. Slimy, wet wings will not crisp up so don’t skip this step.
- Toss with baking powder. The baking powder will draw out moisutre as well as provide a light coating on the wings that will harden and create a crispy exterior. Make sure not to use baking soda which will taste quite awful.
- Hot oven. I adapted this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated years ago and they start the wings in a very low-heat oven, then crank it up towards the end. I don’t notice much difference between baking them in a hot oven for the entirety of the cooking time, so this is what I do.
- Use a wire rack. Cooking the wings on a baking sheet without a rack will leave them sitting in the drippings, which means the skin on the bottom half won’t get as crisp. A wire rack keeps them off the surface so they crisp up all around.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Wings: For these oven-baked wings you will need split chicken wings, sometimes labelled “party” wings. This means the flat part of the wing and the drumettes were separated, and the wing tips removed. If all you can find are whole chicken wings, you can split them yourself with a sharp knife, or just leave them whole.
Baking powder: The not-so-secret ingredient to achieving the crispiest skin on baked chicken wings, is to toss them with some baking powder. Only a small amount is used so you will not taste the baking powder at all. However, it is important to use ALUMINUM FREE baking powder which is available at most grocery stores. If you use a baking powder that is not aluminum free, you will be able to detect a slight metallic flavor in the wings. If you can’t find aluminum free baking powder, use cornstarch which works just as well.
Seasoning and spices: A simple mix of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, makes these wings even tastier. Tip: You can sit the garlic and onion powder if you wish but don’t leave out the paprika. The paprika serves 2 major purposes: Adds color and acts as a filler to get a more even coat with the baking powder.
Optional Buffalo sauce: These baked chicken wings are delicious on their own or make classic Buffalo wings by tossing them in a quick homemade Buffalo sauce (recipe included in recipe card). I like to toss them with just a bit of sauce, then serve the rest of the sauce on the side.
How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Here is a quick overview for the chicken wings recipe. Full instructions and measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set a wire rack inside. Spray the rack with cooking spray, or brush it with a little neutral oil.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, salt and spices.
Step 3: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels then place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle a little of the baking powder mixture over top, toss, and continue sprinkling and tossing until all the wings appear thoroughly coated.
Step 4: Place the seasoned chicken wings on a baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. You may need two baking sheets if you make more than 3 pounds but this will depend on the size of your wings.
Step 5: Bake the wings for 20 minutes, remove from oven and use tongs to flip them (this way your oven isn’t losing heat while you flip them). Return to oven and bake 20 minutes. Flip them one more time and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until they appear browned and crisped.
Step 6: While the wings are baking, make the Buffalo wing sauce (instructions in recipe notes), or your favorite sauce, and blue cheese dip, if you wish.
Step 5: Once the wings are done cooking, transfer them to a large mixing bowl and pour a half of the warm buffalo sauce over the wing. Toss until well coated.
Step 6: Serve the crispy baked wings with more sauce on the side along with carrot and celery sticks, if desired.
Variations On Baking Time
The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your wings. Keep an eye on them after the last flip and if they are starting to look golden brown and a little dry, pull them out.
What to Serve With Chicken Wings
I subscribe to the rule that a Blue Cheese Dip is a must with chicken wings. Particularly if you’re tossing them in a Buffalo sauce. Ditto for a side of carrot sticks and celery sticks.
If we’re having wings as a main course, I will usually serve them a Caesar salad and/or a side of potato wedges.
Helpful Tips And Frequently Asked Questions
Are these baked chicken wings really as good as deep-fried wings?
Baked chicken wings are never going to taste as good as fried. But not only are they far easier and less messy than frying, this recipe will get you pretty darn close to the real deal and I guarantee they will be devoured in minutes.
What if I don’t have a wire rack?
If you don’t have a wire rack, spray a little oil on a baking sheet and do not line it with parchment or foil. Place the chicken wings directly on the sheet pan, with the fattier top side down. Proceed with recipe as written. Note: The wings may stick a little to pan but you can use a metal spatula to get under them and flip them.
Can I use frozen wings?
It is best not to cook any meat in the oven from frozen. Thaw them in cold water, then dry thoroughly before proceeding with recipe. Note: They may need longer to cook if they are still a little cold/slightly frozen.
Are these chicken wings gluten-free?
Yes. Baking powder is gluten-free as are the spices used.
What if I can’t find aluminum free baking powder?
Use cornstarch! In fact, sometimes I use a mix of baking powder and cornstarch – works great.
Can I make these ahead?
Chicken wings are best eaten immediately for maximum enjoyment of all the crispness you achieved. That being said, you can certainly reheat them in the oven and they should crisp up quite nicely, though they may dry out a little.
Storing and Reheating
To store: Leftover chicken wings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat: Once chilled, chicken wings will lose some of their crispiness when reheated but they will still be delicious. For best results, reheat the chicken wings in the oven (or a toaster oven if you have one). Preheat the oven to 400ºF then place the wings on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through. Toss them with a little sauce, if you wish.
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I hope you love these Crispy Baked Chicken Wings. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating at the bottom of the page so I know how you liked it. Thank you!
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds split chicken wings (see notes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder NOT baking soda (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- chopped chives or green onions for garnish (optional)
Optional Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's – see notes)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (see notes)
- 1 garlic clove (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up) and set a wire rack inside. Spray the rack with non-stick spray, or brush it with a little neutral oil.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels then place them in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- Sprinkle a little of the seasoning mix over the chicken wings, toss, and continue sprinkling and tossing until all the wings appear thoroughly coated. Place the wings on the rack, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake the wings for 20 minutes, remove from oven and use tongs to flip them (this way your oven isn’t losing heat while you flip them). Return to oven and bake 20 minutes. Flip them one more time and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until they appear browned and crisped.
- While the wings are baking, make the Buffalo wing sauce (if using). In a medium saucepan heat butter with garlic clove. When butter has melted and you can smell the garlic, add the hot sauce and whisk to combine. Pluck out and discard the garlic clove and set the sauce aside. Prepare blue cheese dip and cut raw veggies, if desired.
- Once the wings are done cooking, transfer them to a large mixing bowl and pour a half of the warm buffalo sauce over the wing. Toss until well coated. Serve immediately with more sauce on the side along with sides of your choice.
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