Baked Crispy Chicken Wings – Immaculate Bites

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!

1. Chicken Wings – You can buy whole chicken wings and separate them or buy them already in flats and drumettes.
2. 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. 😉
3. 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

1. 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. 
2. 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. 😉
3. Fried Chicken Wings – No oven? No problem! Fried chicken wings also deliver a spectacular game-day food trip.
4. 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.
5. Check out my chicken wing recipe collection for more mouthwatering ideas.

Tips and Tricks

1. Add ⅛-¼ teaspoon of baking powder to your spice mix before seasoning your wings. It helps the wings brown beautifully and get crispy.
2. For extra crispiness, broil your baked chicken wings until the skin is golden brown. (Keep an eye out so they don’t burn.)
3. Flip the wings at least once while baking to keep them crispy.
4. 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

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

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.