Baked Crispy Chicken Wings – Ridiculously crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and oh-so-flavorful! And the best part? Guilt-free indulgence. Plus, you now have another finger-licking good chicken wings recipe for your collection.
So after years of buying chicken wings at pizza places and restaurants, I finally perfected my chicken wings recipe. Crispy on the outside (even without the breading) and tender-juicy on the inside. Oh, nothing beats that irresistible crisp at first bite!
And since I occasionally need a healthier way to make my family’s faves, this time, they’re baked. Fortunately, these wings hold their crispiness like a pro. My boys were chowing down on these crispy baked chicken wings like there was no tomorrow. Woohoo! Plus, they are so easy to make, and you can include whatever spices match your mood or guests.
The Secret to Crispy Chicken Wings
After reading Alton Brown’s method of achieving crispy chicken wings, I incorporated some of his techniques. Simply let the wings dry in the fridge for about an hour, sometimes overnight. However, if you’re pressed for time, just dry them with a paper towel.
And coating them with oil made a massive difference in making baked chicken wings crispy. And, of course, remember to rotate the pan halfway through baking for even cooking.
Recipe Ingredients
These ultimate Super Bowl chicken wings will surely make a homerun in your heart and tummy. So gather the ingredients, and let’s get kicking!
- Chicken Wings – You can buy whole chicken wings and separate them or buy them already in flats and drumettes.
- Flavor – Herbs and spices make everything better. And you can customize the mix to your tastes. But I used thyme, salt, cayenne, white pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and bouillon powder. 😉
- Oil – This flavor enhancer also gives you crisper chicken wings. Whatever you have on hand will work, but avocado or olive oil is fine if you’re doing paleo.
How to Bake Crispy Chicken Wings
- Wash and Chill – Wash chicken wings and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, then let them sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours or, preferably, overnight. Don’t cover them because you want them to dry well.
- Season – Place the chicken wings in a large bowl with all the spices, then drizzle with vegetable oil. Mix until the wings are well coated. (Photos 1-4)
- Arrange – Line a baking pan with foil, and top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken wings in a single layer. (While the chicken wings are baking, the oil will slowly drip to the bottom of the baking pan.)
- Bake wings until cooked through and the skin is crispy (45-50 minutes), rotating them halfway through (right around 20 minutes in).
- Serving – Take them out of the oven and serve them with your favorite chicken wing sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Breading – While it’s great without seasoned flour, you can still dredge them in flour for extra crispiness. Add the seasonings to ½ cup of flour, mix well, and dredge your chicken wings. Then arrange them on your baking tray and lightly spray them with cooking oil.
- Parts is Parts – Chicken legs and thighs also work great for this recipe. Remember, though, that the thigh and breast parts need longer baking time. 😉
- Fried Chicken Wings – No oven? No problem! Fried chicken wings also deliver a spectacular game-day food trip.
- Sauce – Coat the chicken with a finger-licking good sauce after baking for extra goodness. BBQ sauce, Buffalo, Jerk sauce, or Honey Garlic are all good choices.
- Check out my chicken wing recipe collection for more mouthwatering ideas.
Tips and Tricks
- Add ⅛-¼ teaspoon of baking powder to your spice mix before seasoning your wings. It helps the wings brown beautifully and get crispy.
- For extra crispiness, broil your baked chicken wings until the skin is golden brown. (Keep an eye out so they don’t burn.)
- Flip the wings at least once while baking to keep them crispy.
- The whole chicken is cheaper, so sometimes I buy 3-4 whole chickens when they’re on sale. Then I cut them up and freeze them in freezer baggies. Legs and thighs in one, boneless-skinless breasts in another, and chicken wings in another. Then I make a rich, nutritious chicken broth with the rest. Yum!
Make-Ahead Instructions
This recipe doesn’t lend itself to making it ahead because it’s best hot out of the oven. But you can start the night before since the wings should be refrigerated before baking.
Serving and Storage Instructions
These crispy baked chicken wings are best straight out of the oven. Well, you may need to let them cool enough to not burn your tongue. 😉
If you have leftover wings (which I doubt), they’ll last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days or freezer for 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen, then spread the wings on a baking tray. Reheat in a preheated 350℉/177℃ oven for 10-15 minutes until they’re perfectly crispy wings again.
FAQs
First, dry the skin and let the wings dry even more in the fridge—an hour up to overnight. Then bake it low until the fat starts melting, and then crank up the heat. You can also add a pinch of baking powder and cornstarch to your seasonings before coating the wings.
Personally, 400℉/205℃ is better for wings. But you can start at 350℉/177℃ for a few minutes and then crank it up to 425℉/218℃ (my preferred temperature) for a crispy finish. 165℉/75℃ is the perfect internal temperature for chicken.
No, you should not. We want crispy chicken wings, and covering them will steam them and make the skin soggy.
What to Serve With Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
There are so many ways to serve these happy chicken wings. You can enjoy them as is or with some sauce, such as hot sauce and ranch dressing. And, of course, side dishes like these.
More Fabulous Chicken Wing Recipes to Try
- Baked Jerk Chicken Wings
- Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken Wings
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Conclusion
Spicy, crispy, and super easy crispy baked chicken wings are the best! When do you make chicken wings? Tell me in the comments, or tag me on Facebook. ❤️
This post was first published on January 2017 and has been updated with new content.
Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon bouillon powder (or replace with salt)
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Wash chicken wings and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, then let them sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours or, preferably, overnight. Don't cover them because you want them to dry well.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F/218℃.
- Place the chicken wings in a large bowl with all the spices, then drizzle with vegetable oil. Mix until the wings are well coated.
- Line a baking pan with foil, and top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken wings in a single layer. (While the chicken wings are baking, the oil will slowly drip to the bottom of the baking pan.)
- Bake wings until cooked through and the skin is crispy (45-50 minutes), rotating them halfway through (right around 20 minutes in).
- Take them out of the oven and serve them with your favorite chicken wing sauce.
Tips & Notes:
- Add ⅛-¼ teaspoon of baking powder to your spice mix before seasoning your wings. It helps the wings brown beautifully and get crispy.
- For extra crispiness, broil your baked chicken wings until the skin is golden brown. (Keep an eye out so they don’t burn.)
- Flip the wings at least once while baking to keep them crispy.
- The whole chicken is cheaper, so sometimes I buy 3-4 whole chickens when they’re on sale. Then I cut them up and freeze them in freezer baggies. Legs and thighs in one, boneless-skinless breasts in another, and chicken wings in another. Then I make a rich, nutritious chicken broth with the rest. Yum!
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on
April Scott says
Hi There, down here in New Zealand we know our food, fresh- tasty- or just so dam good…. Today- its the second- love these, adapted just a touch as good cooks do when needed, didn’t have thyme but did have Baggs dry seasoning (smells like a really good chicken stuffing herb mix )also added just a touch of brown sugar to soften the flavour of the extra herbs, So amazing…served with greek yogurt as a side sauce, oh la la So good…and low carb high protein, healthy!
Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
AWESOME! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I am so suprised that these chicken wings are baked and not fried – they look so crisp, golden and crunchy.. not to mention delicious!
Melinda says
I only have one word to describe this – AMAZING! They were the first to go at my superbowl party. Thanks !
Africanbites says
Better than your favorite wing joint? Thanks so much Naomi!
Naomi says
Thanks for a fantastic recipe. We live in a rural location and are always hunting for restaurant quality recipes that we can make at home since restaurants and takeaway are so far away. Made recipe as written except added a few tbsp of flour to the spice blend since the seasoned wings looked a bit too wet. These turned out even better than our favorite wing joint! Will be checking out more of your recipes for sure.
Dana says
I made these and they were really good. However, I almost burned the house down with the amount of oil I used (i think, unless i didn’t dry them out long enough)..either way..they were fantastic!! Make sure to dry them out all the way!! 😀
Africanbites says
Dana sorry to here about your mishap, you are coating the chicken wings with oil- so only use one tablespoon of oil.Don’t forget to line the bottom layer of your baking pan with foil paper. I am glad you are safe and that they were really worth it!
Rosa nateras says
Imma thanks for this recipe looks delicioso im having them tonight for dinner God Bless
Africanbites says
Thanks Rosa . I know you and your family will enjoy it!
Rosa nateras says
Thanks Rosa the Recipe looks Yummy i i’m going to try it
Africanbites says
This recipe is best suited for chicken wings, I never tried it with chicken legs or thighs. If you do…. just increase the spices . Please report back if you make them . Thanks kelsey .
kelsey says
Can i use chicken legs and thigh for this recipe ?
Terrell says
I made these on Friday night and they were awesome! I’m making them again tonight! My family loves chicken wings so this gave me a nice variation that they liked!
Africanbites says
I will work on the pepper recipe … just for you kelsey. Will have it up in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for trying out my recipes.
Africanbites says
Terrell, I am glad your family enjoyed it ! Thanks for reporting back!
kelsey says
I baked the chicken yesterday and it came out really good and tasty. I was worried about the thyme flavor because I don’t like it very much but I was surprised I loved the end results. But next time if I could omit thyme then I will. Thank you so much for making me visit the kitchen frequently. What I am still waiting is the recipe for pepper sauce that could be used to eat roasted fish or chicken. I have tried so many different recipes for pepper but none has satisfied me. But I trust your cooking. So I am still patiently waiting . Thank you once again. You are such a great cook.
Lindsay says
Hi! Quick question about the wire rack (I’m SO not a chef:)…can this be just ANY wire rack?? Like the kind I’d use to cool cookies on? Thank!
Africanbites says
Lindsay, that is what I used. Let me know how it turns out.
Rosa says
Hi Imma, I loved the manner in which you baked your chicken wings it’s so neat. Guest what! I used to bake chicken wings directly on the baking pan with foil and it will not turn out neat as yours did. Am going to bake me some chicken wings this evening with a wire rack. Wish me luck
Thanks Immaculate
Africanbites says
Rosa, am keeping my fingers cross , can’t wait to hear how it turns out. You can do it girl!
Rosa says
Imma, thank you so much for all your hard work. I baked them chicken wings when my mom went out for a walk. She came back saw the wings and asked who came to visit us and brought the wings. I said I bake the wings, she was so surprised and by the time I closed and opened my eyes, you know the rest
Thank you again. You are a blessing and I guest you have strengthened so many marriages with your cooking skills
Africanbites says
Rosa, I wish I could take credit for that! but I can’t. You are such a sweet heart. THANK YOU for reporting back.
Keita Amadi says
I love your site!!! My husband loves your curry goat recipe and today these wings were a success. I will be trying your Okra soup recipe next. My husband is Nigerian and grew up on okra soup. I have yet to find step by step instructions with great reviews!!
ImmaculateBites says
AWESOME! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Am THRILLED!
kelsey says
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.