These baked chicken wings are easy to make and so delicious. To maximize crispiness, bake them at 400°F for 30 minutes, then leave them in a warm oven.
Wings are my favorite part of the chicken. The ratio of juicy meat to crispy skin is perfect! I prefer baking wings in the oven because it's hands-off and much easier than frying, and the wings turn out just as good. They have wonderfully crispy skin and delightfully juicy meat.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Fresh chicken wings: I use three pounds of split wings.
- Butter: I typically use salted butter, but unsalted works, too.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Variations
- Play with the spices. For example, you can use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika and/or add a teaspoon of onion powder. If you enjoy spicy food, add cayenne pepper.
- Try them with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning! This is my daughter's favorite version.
- An easy shortcut: instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil.
- After baking, dip them in homemade buffalo sauce to make buffalo wings, as shown in the image below.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Toss the wings in melted butter and sprinkle them with spices. Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake the wings for about 30-40 minutes, until they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy.
If you want the wings extra-crispy, lower the oven temperature to 170°F and keep them in the oven for 30-60 more minutes. Here's what they look like after 30 extra minutes in a warm oven. Gorgeous!
Recipe Tips
Whole Wings vs. Party Wings
I usually buy chicken wings labeled as "party wings," as shown in the photo below. This means the whole wings are split into flats and drumettes, with the tips removed.
But you can use this recipe exactly as written to bake the whole wings shown in the image below.
If using whole wings, the steps are identical. The image below shows what they look like after those extra 30 minutes in a 170°F oven.
Pin Feathers are Normal
In the photo below, you can see a pin feather sticking out of one of the wings. That's completely normal! Simply pull it out with a paper towel or kitchen tweezers.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need for flour. The skin crisps beautifully in a hot oven, especially if you keep the wings in a warm oven for 30-60 extra minutes after they're done.
Absolutely. Oven-baking makes them just as crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside as frying, and it's a much easier cooking method.
No. As you can see in this buffalo wings recipe, you bake the wings first, then dip them in the sauce.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (like the one shown in the photo below) in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin again.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooled wings in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them.
Serving Suggestions
These wings are the perfect game-day appetizer, served with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, as shown in the image below.
I also like to serve them as our main course for dinner, and since I bake them at 400°F, I like to pair them with a side dish I can cook in the same oven, such as roasted asparagus, broccoli tots, or jicama fries.
They also pair well with salads, including cucumber salad, tomato salad, and coleslaw, as shown in the photo below.
Recipe Card
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings - split, tips removed
- 2 tablespoons butter - melted
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika - or smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and fit them with oven-safe wire racks. You can also use parchment-lined baking sheets and skip the rack, but the racks do promote crispiness.
- Blot the wings completely dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss them with melted butter (you can also skip the butter and just sprinkle the blotted skin with the spices; this helps with crispiness). Arrange the wings in a single layer on the baking sheets, making sure they don't touch. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.3 pounds chicken wings, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Bake the wings until they are cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy. Depending on your oven and the wings used, this should take about 30-40 minutes. See the notes section below for more tips.
- For extra-crispy skin, lower the oven temperature to 170°F and keep the wings in the cooling oven for 30-60 more minutes.
- Serve immediately. They pair well with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- If your wings are frozen, please thaw them completely and pat them thoroughly dry before using them in this recipe.
- Instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, you can arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil. Alternatively, skip the oil and simply season the thoroughly dried skin with the spices. This is actually a great way to achieve crispier skin!
- I typically use split wings, but this recipe also works with whole wings.
- When I plan to serve them immediately, I bake the wings for 40 minutes (but please start checking after 30 minutes, in case your oven runs hot). When I plan to leave them in a warm oven, I bake the wings for 30 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 170°F and leave them in for 30-60 more minutes.
- Baking time will depend on the wings' size, water content, initial temperature, and your oven's exact temperature. There's no escaping the need to adjust a recipe like this as you cook.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin.
- You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooled wings in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Caren Nayden says
Absolutely perfect! Thank you for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Caren! I really appreciate the review. ❤️
George says
Amazing flavor. I tried them with and without melted butter and they're crispier without it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I agree, George! Lately I've been skipping the butter, too. Many thanks for the review!
Gloria says
The wings are not crispy. And they almost looked raw on one side.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Gloria, I'm sorry the wings didn't turn out as expected. It's unusual for chicken wings to still appear raw after 40 minutes in a 400°F oven. Is it possible that your wings were crowded on the pan, were especially large, or were still partially frozen when they went into the oven?
Oven temperatures can also vary quite a bit. I would definitely continue baking them until they're fully cooked, and if you have an instant-read thermometer, check that they've reached at least 165°F internally.
Sandra heath says
Love it
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you so much for the review, Sandra!
Laura says
This is my go-to recipe. They are perfect every time!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you so much, Laura! I appreciate the review.