Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
sandravalvassori.com
Forget frying! These ultra-easy Crispy Baked Chicken Wings are a leaner version made without the mess but just addictively delicious. The perfect appetizer for game day or whenever the craving hits!
Servings: 33 wings (approx)
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.
Notes
Chicken Wings: For this recipe 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 tips removed. If all you can find is whole wings, you can split them yourself, or just bake them whole.
Baking powder: The not-so-secret ingredient to achieving crispy 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. In addition, make sure you do not use baking soda which will ruin your wings with a tin flavor.
Butter: Most hot sauces are already really high in sodium so make sure you do not use salted butter unless your hot sauce is sodium-free.
Hot sauce: Frank's hot sauce is not to be confused with Frank's Buffalo sauce which is an already prepared sauce containing other ingredients.