Baked chicken wings are so easy to make, and they come out of the oven crispy and delicious. Simply bake them in a 400°F oven for 40 minutes. There's no need for flour!
Chicken wings are probably my favorite part of the chicken. I find that the ratio of juicy meat to crispy skin is just perfect, more so than in any other chicken part.
I make this recipe often. Cooking wings in the oven instead of frying them is easy and a good choice, and they turn out so wonderfully crispy. My entire family enjoys them and repeatedly asks for them!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these delicious wings. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Fresh chicken wings: I usually buy them in trays labeled as "party wings," already split into flats and drumettes, with the tips removed.
Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. Unsalted butter should be fine too. And you can also simply spray the wings with some oil rather than coat them in butter.
Kosher salt and black pepper: I use kosher salt in most of my recipes. If using fine salt, you might want to use less of it or the dish could turn out too salty.
Spices: I like to use garlic powder and paprika. You can use smoked paprika if you'd like. And onion powder is also very good, in addition to or instead of the garlic powder.
Instructions
How to bake chicken wings? It's easy. In fact, this is one of my easiest recipes, which is why I love it so much. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Toss the wings in melted butter (or even just liberally spray them with oil) and sprinkle them with spices.
Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
Bake until fully cooked, well-browned, and wonderfully crispy!
Recommended side dishes
If you serve baked chicken wings as an entree, rather than an appetizer, you can serve them with lots of yummy side dishes! A few of my favorites:
You can dip them in buffalo sauce to make tasty buffalo wings, but it's not really necessary. They are perfect just as they are, straight out of the oven.
Variations and substitutions
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- You can use any seasoning you like. Some readers told me that they like to use Everything Bagel seasoning. It sure sounds good!
- Instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, you can arrange them in the pan, then spray them with olive oil.
- After baking, dip them in homemade buffalo sauce to make buffalo wings.
Frequently asked questions
Simply bake them in a 400°F oven for 40 minutes. If you want them super crispy, once they're done, lower the oven to the "keep warm" setting (170 degrees F) and keep the wings in the oven for 60 more minutes. This is actually my favorite way to make them. I simply start cooking two hours before dinnertime.
I used to think you needed to flour them to get them crispy. But there's actually no need for flour. The skin will crisp up beautifully in the hot oven.
And keeping them in the oven on the "warm" setting after they're done will crisp them up even more. So I highly recommend this extra step.
Absolutely. I now love this recipe and make it often, but I actually started making it out of sheer laziness. My family loves wings, but I hate deep frying with passion and much prefer baking.
I also prefer to avoid breading, keeping the wings not just gluten-free but also keto and low carb. So I decided to simply season them, then bake them in a hot oven. Surprise! The wings came out of the oven crispy, juicy, and absolutely delicious.
Storing the leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power. Or reheat them in a low oven.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooked wings in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. The day before you plan on serving them, place them in the fridge, to allow them to slowly defrost overnight. When ready to serve, reheat them in the microwave or - better yet - in the oven.
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Recipe card
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lb. chicken wings, split, tips removed
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (if using fine salt, you might want to use less)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and fit the baking sheets with wire racks.
- If your chicken wings are whole, cut the tips off and separate the drumettes and the flats (here’s a good video that shows how to do that).
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the melted butter.
- Arrange the coated chicken wings in a single layer on the wire racks, not touching each other. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Bake the wings until the skin is browned and crispy, about 40 minutes.
- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: For extra crispy wings, bake the wings for just 30 minutes, then leave them in the oven, lower the oven temperature to the "keep warm" setting (170 degrees F), and keep the wings in the oven for 30-60 more minutes.
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NOTES
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 