These 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. If you want them extra-crispy, leave them in a warm oven for 30-60 more minutes.
Wings are my favorite part of the chicken. The ratio of juicy meat to crispy skin is perfect, more so than any other chicken part, including chicken drumsticks and crispy baked chicken thighs.
I prefer to bake wings in the oven instead of frying them because baking is a hands-off approach, much easier than frying, and the wings are just as good as fried ones. They have wonderfully crispy skin and delightfully juicy meat.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
Fresh chicken wings: I usually buy them in trays labeled as "party wings." As discussed below, using whole wings in this recipe is fine.
Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. Unsalted butter works, too.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Variations
- Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. I experimented with both versions and liked them equally.
- Add a teaspoon of onion powder.
- Try them with a tablespoon or two of Everything But The Bagel Seasoning! This is my daughter's favorite version.
- Instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, you can arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil.
- After baking, dip them in homemade buffalo sauce to make buffalo wings.
Instructions
Here's an overview of the steps for making this recipe. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below.
Toss the wings in melted butter (or liberally spray them with oil) and sprinkle them with spices. Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack, or skip the rack and use parchment paper.
Bake the wings until they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy, for about 40 minutes.
If you want them extra-crispy, lower the oven temperature to 170°F and keep the wings in the oven for 30-60 more minutes. Here's what they look like after 30 extra minutes in a warm oven:
Serve them immediately, on their own, or with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.
Whole Wings vs. Party Wings
I usually buy chicken wings labeled as "party wings." This means the whole wings were split into flats and drumettes, with the tips removed. But you can use this recipe exactly as written to bake whole wings.
If using whole wings, the steps for baking them are identical. Coat them in melted butter (or olive oil) and spices and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake the wings in a 400°F oven as usual. After 40 minutes, they will be ready:
But if you lower the oven to 170°F and keep them in the oven for 30 more minutes, they will become browned and crispy:
Expert Tip
In the photo above, you can see a pin feather sticking out of one of the wings. That's completely normal. Simply pull it out with your fingers. It will be easier to pull out with a paper towel or kitchen tweezers.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need for flour. The skin crisps beautifully in the 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 them, and it's a much easier cooking method.
No. As you can see in this buffalo wings recipe, you bake them first, then dip the cooked wings in the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
These wings are the perfect game-day appetizer, but I often serve them as our main course for dinner. Since I bake them in a 400°F oven, I like to serve them with a side dish that I can cook in the same oven, such as:
- Roasted asparagus
- Roasted carrots
- Broccoli tots
- Cauliflower tots
- Roasted mini peppers
- Roasted cabbage
- Jicama fries
They also pair well with salads, including cucumber salad, tomato salad, and coleslaw - as shown in the photo below:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to re-crisp the skin.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooked wings in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them.
More Chicken Wing Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika - or smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and fit them with wire racks. You can also use parchment-lined baking sheets and skip the rack.
- In a large bowl, toss the wings with melted butter. Arrange the coated 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 they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy, about 40 minutes.
- For extra-crispy skin, lower the oven temperature to 170℉ and keep the wings in the oven for 30-60 more minutes.
- Serve immediately. They pair well with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Video
Notes
- Instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, you can arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil.
- I typically use split wings, but you can use this recipe to bake whole wings.
- If your oven runs hot, the wings could be ready after 30 minutes.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to re-crisp the skin.
- You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooked wings in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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. 
Shawn
This is my go-to recipe! Absolutely the best baked chicken wings. I have my own take on the recipe. I coat them with a dry rub from Kosmos and let them marinate for 30 minutes before baking. Then I sprinkle on a little more rub before placing in a preheated oven. Chefs kiss! Take the authors advice and bake for additional time at the reduce temp. They turn out perfectly every time.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yum! Thanks for sharing your delicious method, Shawn.
Abigail Mondo
I'm still cooking it but my house smells amazing right now. instead of the butter I used submarine dressing that you get in the deli department at Walmart for $3. all it is is olive oil with some seasoning in it.
Vered DeLeeuw
Sounds great, Abigail! I hope they turn out well for you.
roger
I like this recipe, after cooking the wings for 40 mins at 415, i just shut the oven off and waited 30 mins, thank you..
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it, Roger!