Try our method to achieve extra crispy baked chicken wings every time you make them! It’s a simple recipe with just four ingredients, and they bake to crispy perfection. The chicken skin is so amazingly crisp you won’t believe they’re not fried! And while our wings are great on their own, feel free to toss them with your favorite sauce.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Chicken Wings: Two pounds of chicken wings will feed my family of four with leftovers, but adjust the recipe to feed a crowd. And make it easy on yourself by buying the chicken wings split into drums and flats; I usually buy uncooked chicken wings at Costco.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder, not baking soda, is necessary for crispy baked chicken wings.
- Spices: I keep it simple and only use salt and garlic powder to flavor the dry rub for these wings; this frees you up to use whatever sauce you prefer.
Additions and Substitutions
I use a simple coating for this recipe that combines salt and garlic powder so you can easily pair our oven-baked chicken wings with a sauce of your choice, but feel free to get creative by seasoning the wings with other spices to take the flavor to the next level.
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Lemon Pepper
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
- Smoked Paprika
- Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe
- Dried Parsley
- Blackened Seasoning
How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Pat dry the chicken wings.
Step 2: Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack onto it.
Combine baking powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss.
Step 3: Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Bake the wings for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Flip the wings and bake for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the wings. In the last 10 minutes, you can flip the wings often to ensure both sides have a nice golden brown skin.
Step 5: Allow the wings to cool for 10 minutes, then toss them in a mixing bowl with your preferred sauce.
Expert Tips
- A wire rack allows air to move freely around the chicken wings so the heat can circulate on all sides. If you don’t have a wire rack, I recommend lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat dry the wings to achieve a nice, crispy coating.
- Spread the chicken onto the baking sheet; crowding them causes the wings to steam instead of bake.
- Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the acidity or pH of the skin, which helps the wings become crispy.
- Let the chicken wings rest after roasting them, allowing the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS?
If you love this recipe, try one of these appetizer favorites!
Wings Sauce Options
- Buffalo Sauce
- Garlic Parmesan
- Honey BBQ
- Blue Cheese
- Best Ranch Dressing
- Salt and Vinegar
Serving Suggestions
Crispy chicken wings are an American classic and a family favorite! They are a versatile dish you can serve as an appetizer for game day and gatherings or throw them together for a weeknight meal with one of these sides for wings.
- Carrots and Celery, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Corn on the Cob
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Jalapeño Poppers
- Corn Bread
- Twice Baked Potatoes, Healthy Potato Salad, Roasted Potatoes, French Fries, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, Southern Potato Salad
- Southern Mac and Cheese
- House Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Caesar Salad
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the wings cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Crispy baked chicken wings freeze for 6 months.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°F (176°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get crispy skin on wings?
1. Use a wire rack to ensure the air moves freely around the chicken wings to circulate the heat.
Pat dry the wings to achieve a nice, crispy coating.
2. Using baking powder takes crispy to another level, and there is a reason for it. Baking powder is alkaline and breaks down the bonds of the skin, so it becomes golden brown and crispy.
3. Spread the chicken out on the pan. The wings will steam rather than bake if they are too close to one another on the pan.
4. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes so they dry out and release moisture from the skin.
Can I adjust this recipe to feed a crowd?
This recipe feeds my family of four with leftovers, but if you want to make more for an event, game day, or feed a large family, this crispy chicken wing recipe easily scales up. For every pound of chicken wings, use one teaspoon of baking powder and one teaspoon of salt.
Can these be cooked from frozen?
You will need to use thawed chicken wings to make this recipe, and they should be dry! Frozen wings will release water as they cook, causing them to boil and steam rather than roast.
How long to bake chicken wings in the oven?
I found the sweet spot, and I bake the chicken wings for 30-40 minutes at 450°F (232°C) for crispy, fall-off-the-bone chicken wings every time!
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Small Bowl
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Dry the chicken wings using a cloth to remove excess moisture. Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack onto it.
- Combine baking powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss.
- Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Flip the wings and bake for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the wings. In the last 10 minutes, you can flip the wings often to ensure both sides have a nice golden brown skin.
- Allow the wings to cool for 10 minutes, then toss them in a mixing bowl with your preferred sauce.
- A wire rack allows air to move freely around the chicken wings so the heat can circulate on all sides. If you don’t have a wire rack, I recommend lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat dry the wings to achieve a nice, crispy coating.
- Spread the chicken onto the baking sheet; crowding them causes the wings to steam instead of bake.
- Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the acidity or pH of the skin, which helps the wings become crispy.
- Let the chicken wings rest after roasting them, allowing the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Tara
Thursday 15th of September 2022
Great recipe, thank you for sharing!
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 15th of September 2022
I am so happy you enjoyed them.