Crispy Baked Chicken Wings (Master Recipe)

5 from 23 votes

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With this recipe for crispy baked chicken wings, you can make delicious, perfectly crispy and juicy wings, without the mess of frying!

A close up of a plate of crispy baked Chicken wings


Buffalo wings are a popular game day snack, but they’re so messy to make, Even worse, deep frying isn’t the healthiest choice.  But I have good news!

This baked chicken wings recipe will help you make them without a greasy kitchen to clean up.

Another great way to prepare them is on a smoker, like these honey garlic smoked chicken wings.

dipping a baked chicken wing into blue cheese dipping sauce

Video: Making crispy baked chicken wings

To see the recipe made from start to finish, be sure to watch the video located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Buying and prepping the chicken

The first order of business is to shop for the chicken. You’ll want to plan on an average of one pound of bone-in wings per person.

Wings are available whole, with the tips intact, or cut, with tips removed. If you can only find them whole, it isn’t a problem. Just use a sharp knife to cut them at the joint and remove the tips.

Cut again to separate the drumstick from the middle flat piece. (See video for detailed instructions).

photo collage shows how to remove tips from chicken wings

Baking chicken wings

  1. Preheat your oven. Heat oven to 250°F with racks in upper and lower positions.
  2. Mix the spices. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking powder, kosher salt, garlic powder and white pepper.
  3. Remove excess moisture from the wings. Use paper toweling to dry off the wings. This will remove any moisture that could prevent them from becoming crispy.
  4. Coat chicken with spices. Place the chicken wings into a large bowl or zip top plastic bag. Add the baking powder/spice mixture and stir to coat, or close and shake the bag to coat the pieces.
  5. Arrange on pan and bake. Set a wire baking rack on top of a baking sheet and spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray. Then, arrange the chicken wing pieces skin side up in a single layer on the rack. Transfer them to the oven.
making crispy baked chicken wings recipe - coating the chicken with baking powder and spices

How long to bake chicken wings at 425°F

  1. Bake chicken at 250°F. on lower rack for 30 minutes. This slowly renders the fat UNDER the skin.

    Refer to the photo below. This is after baking chicken wings at 250°F for 30 minutes. The skin is slowly rendering fat and drying out for that crispy, crunchy exterior!

    The baking powder assists in drawing moisture from the skin. This is a tip I picked up from America’s Test Kitchen and it works wonderfully to get extra crispy skin without frying!
coated wings on rack in tray
  1. Move pan of wings to the upper rack, increasing the temperature to 425°F.

    Bake chicken wings at 425°F for 45-50 minutes, rotating sheet pan if necessary for even golden brown crispiness.
  2. Remove pan from oven and let the baked chicken wings rest for 5 minutes. Season with your favorite seasoning salt if you like, or serve with sauce of choice.
crispy chicken drumettes and wings - close up

TIP: For EXTRA crispy wings (do this the night before): 

  1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then, set a wire rack on top of the baking sheet.
  2. Arrange the wing pieces onto the rack.
  3. Place the rack, uncovered, for at least 8 hours. Then, before baking, remove from fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
baked chicken wings on a plate

FAQ

Can I use frozen wings to make crispy baked chicken wings?


Yes, but let thaw them completely before preparing them. Putting them into a refrigerator overnight works well.

What should I serve with crispy baked wings?


They’re fantastic as is, or lightly seasoned with celery salt or seasoning salt. Wings are also delicious tossed in Buffalo wing sauce with a side of blue cheese dip or ranch salad dressing.

How do you reheat any leftovers?

Let refrigerated leftover wings come to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a baking sheet with oil or non-stick spray. Arrange the wings on the sheet, about 1-inch apart. Reheat wings for 5-6 minutes.

Enjoy!

platter of buffalo wings with celery, carrots, and blue cheese dipping sauce
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A person holding baked chicken wing

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings + Video

5 from 23 votes
With this recipe for crispy baked chicken wings, you can make delicious, perfectly crispy and juicy wings, without the mess of frying!
Servings: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Heat oven to 250°F with racks in upper, mid and lower positions. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the aluminum free baking powder, kosher salt, garlic powder and white pepper.
  • Remove any moisture from chicken wings using a paper towel, patting dry all over.
  • Place chicken wings in a large bowl or zipper lock plastic bag and add the baking powder/spice mixture. Stir to coat or seal bag and shake to coat evenly all over.
  • Lay the chicken wing pieces in a single layer skin side up on a wire rack sprayed with cooking spray (PAM /Oil) in the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake on lower rack for 30 minutes (this slowly renders the fat UNDER the skin). Move wings to upper rack, increasing the temperature to 425°F and bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating sheet pan if necessary for even golden brown crispiness.
  • Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes. Season with your favorite seasoning salt if you like or serve with sauce of choice.

Video

Notes

  1. If wings are already cut with tips removed (not whole) then use 3.5 pounds. Otherwise buy 4 pounds, remove tips and discard or save for chicken stock. Then using a sharp kitchen knife, split the wing into the drumstick and flat portions. I typically estimate needing a pound of wings per person (taking into account the bone weight).
  2. Optional: For extra crispy wings, follow steps 2-5, then refrigerate overnight, uncovered. The next day, allow chicken pieces to come to room temperature. then follow the remaining steps. 

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 887mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 3mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Appetizers, Dinners
Cuisine: American, Southern
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
A close up of a plate of crispy baked Chicken wings

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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