No false promises here – these crispy oven baked wings are SERIOUSLY crispy! You will be gob smacked how easy they are to make. They honestly taste like they’ve been deep fried, with a thin shatteringly crisp golden skin. You can see how easy these are to make and hear how crispy they really are in this cooking video.
These are so good they can be eaten plain. Or toss them in your favourite sauce, or serve it on the side. I’ve provided a selection of sauces for these crispy baked wings in the recipe below!
Truly crispy oven baked wings
This recipe for how to make Crispy Oven Baked Wings is a discovery by the genius folk over at Cook’s Illustrated. Being the food nerd I am, I really enjoy how Cook’s Illustrated explains the science behind why they do things in a particular way.
And I honestly believe this to be one of their most all time most epic recipes, especially because it’s so insanely EASY!!! And today, I’m sharing the secret with you. Are you ready? 🙂
How to make crispy oven baked wings
Crispy oven baked wings in 3 easy steps:
Pat wings dry with paper towels;
Toss wings in baking powder and salt;
Bake at 120°C/250°F for 30 minutes, then at 220°C/425°F for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Yes, that’s it. That’s all there is to it. 🙂
Why this recipe works
In those 3 simple steps are 2 very important things to make these truly crispy oven baked wings:
1. Coat in baking powder – yes, you read that right, baking powder! I won’t go into all the technicalities, but in a nutshell, the baking powder draws moisture to the surface of the skin so it can evaporate, thereby making the skin crispier; and
2. Bake for 30 minutes on low to melt the fat before blasting in a very hot oven to crisp up the skin. There’s a lot of scientific explanations around this and I’ll skip it because I’ll bore you! But basically, the wings are first baked on the lowest shelf in the oven at a very low temperature for 30 minutes which causes the fat under the skin to “melt”, then you move the wings up to the top shelf and crank up the heat which crisps up the skin.
The other tip is ensuring that the wings are dry. If you are organised enough, put the wings on the rack and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. However, I neither have the fridge space nor am I organised enough, so I just dry them using paper towels (see photo below for how I do this).
When these come out of the oven and you tap the skin with your nail, you can instantly “hear” how crispy the skin is. They even look like they’ve been fried! And in case you are concerned, you don’t taste baking powder at all.
Got questions? See FAQ under the recipe card.
You will notice that the wings are smaller than you are used to. That’s because so much of the fat under the skin melts off the wings – you’ll see it all pooled on the tray. So these have the added benefit of reduced calories too!
You can toss the wings in your sauce of choice or serve the sauce on the side. I’ve also shared classic Buffalo Wings using this same method for crispy oven baked wings. For this recipe, I’ve included a few simple sauces that I like to serve wings with: Honey Garlic Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, Ranch Dipping Sauce.
Let’s get stuck into these wings! – Nagi x
PS I’ve now published the Buffalo Wings version! Here it is: Truly Crispy Oven Baked BUFFALO Wings.
Watch how to make it
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Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Crispy Wings
- 4 lb / 2 kg chicken wings , cut into wingettes and drumettes (Note 1)
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA / BI-CARB SODA!!)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Oil spray
Instructions
Crispy Wings
- If you are organised enough, uncover the chicken wings and leave them in the fridge for a few hours to dry out. Otherwise, use a paper towel to pat the wings dry.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.
- Preheat oven to 250F/120C (all oven types – standard/convection/fan).
- Line a baking tray with foil, then place a rack (like a cooling rack) on the foil. Spray the rack with oil spray.
- Place wings in a large bowl or in a ziplock bag. Add the baking powder and salt, then toss to coat evenly.
- Place the wings on the baking tray in a single layer with the skin side up. They should just fit snugly. They will shrink when they cook because the fat renders out so don’t worry if they look too snug.
- Place wings on the lower middle oven rack and bake for 30 minutes.
- Move wings up to the upper middle rack and increase the oven temperature to 425F/220C. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through.
- Remove baking tray from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Toss wings in sauce of choice or serve it on the side to dip / drizzle on the wings, then serve.
Recipe Notes:
* Honey Garlic Sauce: Mix together 4 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp white vinegar (or sub with any other vinegar except balsamic), 2-3 garlic cloves, minced. Use for dipping OR tossing.
* Honey Mustard Sauce: 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup honey
* Ranch Dipping Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp EACH dried dill, parsley, chives, onion and garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste.
* Spicy Creamy Dipping Sauce: 3/4 cup mayo, 1/2 tso garlic powder, 1/8 tsp paprika, 3-4 tbsp sriracha, salt & pepper
* Pink Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp sriracha (or other hot sauce) 7. Nutrition: The nutrition is per serving, assuming 8 servings. Note that the calories is HIGHER than it actually is because so much fat is rendered out (melted) and discarded which is not reflected in the nutrition below. I measured the discarded fat once and calculated that it should be 60 calories LESS per serving (around 1/4 cup fat in total was discarded).
Nutrition Information:
Originally published in November 2014, updated with fresh new photos and step by step photos!
Frequently asked questions
I don’t have a rack. Does this cause a problem? The skin will still be crispy but the bottom of the wings that is in contact with the tray will be oily. This is because the purpose of the rack is to elevate the wings off the tray and allow the chicken fat to drip down.
One way to get around an oily underside is to take the wings out after around 35 minutes during the high temp cooking. Drain the oil out of the tray then return to the oven to finish crisping/browning. You could also drain the excess oil from the wings on paper towels before serving.
Can I make ahead? These stay crispy for as long as the wings are warm, so around 20 – 30 minutes. After that, the skin starts to wrinkle and soften. However, I was shocked how well they reheat! Just allow the wings to cool (uncovered), then cover and refrigerate. Spread wings out on tray, skin side up, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes at 200C/390F. The skin smooths out and puffs up, just like when they were baked fresh. Other than to you (if you’ve made as many wings as me!) and true hard core Wings experts, the difference in juiciness and crispiness is barely noticeable – my friends never notice when I reheat!
The skin stays crispy for around 10 – 15 minutes after tossing in the sauce, then after that they start to soften but not go soggy, up to around 30 minutes. If you reheat after tossing in sauce, they go soggy.
Please do not toss in baking powder then refrigerate or freeze, this won’t work (makes the wings sweat too much to become crispy).
Can I add seasonings? You sure can! It does marginally reduce the actual skin crispiness but a crust forms from the extra seasonings/spices and adds more crunch. I did a lot of testing around this and I can assure you it works really well!
There was a lot of smoke! Help! A few readers have had this problem and I don’t think it’s from the chicken wings because I’ve made a ridiculous amount of these wings (in my kitchen and others) and never had the problem. The problem may be: a) spillage of chicken fat onto the oven burners when transferring from the lower to the upper shelf or b) there already was fat on the oven burners. I can’t think of anything else. While the smoke point of chicken fat is below that of the high oven temperature used in this recipe, the fat is not in direct contact with the heat because it’s shielded by all the wings and diluted by chicken juices dripping into the fat.
You really don’t need to flip? Really! Even if you don’t use a rack, the underside will get crispy.
Can I make this with other cuts of chicken? Yes BUT the crispiness will only work on the skin. So it works best on wings because they are almost fully enclosed by skin. With drumsticks, thighs and skin on breast, they are not fully encased with skin when raw and the skin shrinks while cooking. But the actual technique works super well! For 1 kg / 2 lb drumsticks or other cut of chicken, using 2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt – less than the recipe for wings because there is less skin surface area.
Life of Dozer
No wings for Dozer – cooked chicken bones are dangerous for dogs! How about a Honey Prawn instead??
Annie Murphy says
These look delicious! I’ve been trying to find a chicken wing appetizer recipe like the ones served in the Boston and surrounding area restaurants. Looks like this could be it! I can tell they have garlic in them beyond that? I have no clue.. and they’re not sticky. lol… But, they are delish!
Nagi says
I do hope you try this Annie! This really is an amazing recipe – and the fact that it’s baked is just genius!!! 🙂
Mandy M. says
The idea for baking powder and cooking on a rack was brilliant. I cooked them 10 min shy of directions, they came out perfect! I mixed Walkerswood Jerk with soy sauce and brushed on top. To die for…
Nagi says
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Mandy!! ? N x
Julie says
Hi Nagi! My son has been asking me to make oven baked Frank’s Hot Wings a lot lately for dinner. Tonight I thought I would look up an oven fried chicken recipe. I found yours. We didn’t really want breading, just crispiness. Your recipe worked perfect! They were very crispy and my son loved them! Thank you so much! It was super easy too! I used Frank’s Hot Sauce as usual, but I think next time I am going to try your Honey Garlic Sauce. I know he will love that too! Thank you so much! I don’t eat chicken. I’m vegetarian, but Kyle said they were perfect and very crispy!
Nagi says
Gosh you’re nice, making this for your son when you’re a vegetarian!! 🙂 Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Julie!! I also have a buffalo wings recipe on my site using Frank’s 🙂 Very classic recipe!
Edgar @ GarageGymPlanner says
I just tried it. Gosh, I’ve just muched on the best evening snack in a long time. Considering that it’s simple and fast – and tasty of course, I will give it a 5 star rating. Thanks a ton for sharing! Please throw in more such recipes. Cheers!
Nagi says
YAY! So glad you enjoyed it Edgar!! 🙂
Barbara says
I was so disappointed with these wings – I followed the recipe exactly (YES I used baking powder not baking soda) and the baking powder never browned. I finally brushed them with olive oil and put them back in the oven for 6 more minutes and this helped some. The meat was cooked fine but the skin was awful.
Nagi says
Hi Barbara – I’m sorry you were disappointed. However….if you could see baking powder on it such that you could brush it off, I’m wondering if you used too much?? The dusting is so light, there is definitely not enough to be able to brush off! Also if it never browned, it sounds to me like your oven temperature was not high enough? It seems terribly odd that the wings would never brown!
Tami Adams says
I’ll admit I was skeptical but I was happily surprised. I did half a tray your way and half with seasoned flour. The baking powder was better. My stepmom used to do something similar but she used pancake mix instead of baking powder. As long as I pre-bake the wings, I think I can reduce the high heat time to about 35-45 minutes as the wings I usually get must be a bit smaller than the ones you use.
Over all quite impressed.
Cheers.
Nagi says
So glad I didn’t disappoint Tami! 🙂
Sam says
Would it work to do the first step of cooking the chicken on low, and then coating in a dry rub before fully cooking? If not how should I incorporate the B powder into the dry rub?
Nagi says
Hi Sam! What I do is toss the wings in the baking powder and salt per recipe, then toss in dry rub. 🙂 I did a whole stack of rub seasoned wings in the wings cookbook, and that’s the technique I used. It’s just slightly less crispy. Still very VERY crispy!
Nykki says
So are you saying you did the rub before you put them in the oven or did you cook them in low 1st then toss them in the rub? Sorry I dont understand.
Nagi says
Hi Nykki, I toss in baking powder + salt, THEN rub, then follow the recipe to bake 🙂
Samuel Hooker says
Didn’t have all the ingredients for the sauce but substituted soy sauce with teriyaki added a some red peppers and brown sugar. Thank you for the recipe and have shared this link with others.
Nagi says
Thanks Samuel! I’m so glad you enjoyed this!!!
Amala says
These were really good! A+++. My hubby loved them. I baked them today, he came into the kitchen & said, “Oh, no…not those soggy baked wings of yours again.” Then he tried one right off the rack. He grinned, gave me a thumbs up sign, then said, “Holy cow, these are crispy! They taste like their fried.” Thank you for the recipe!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
WOO HOO!!!! So glad hubby approved!!!?
Jasmere says
I’m amazed at how well these chicken wings came out. It tasted just like deep fried chicken. Definitely keeping this in the arsenal.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Jasmere! I remember the first time I tried this and how amazed I was too!! 🙂
Chanel Herrera says
Nagi! Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband and son cannot get enough of these wings and the delicious sauce. I have a “chicken nugget & hot dogs only” 5 year old so i love to see him eat these wings. I really enjoy cooking your recipes. We will enjoy this again this evening as requested by the family (hubby has submitted an early request for double sauce).
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m so happy to hear that Chanel! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
HathP says
Hi,
First off, these wings come out perfect, crispy, and delicious every time I have made them which is quite a few times. Thank you. Secondly, I found some large skin on, bone in leg quarters. Can I follow the same instructions you think for a similar result or should I adjust time and/or temps? Your help is much appreciated!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Hath, so glad you enjoyed this!!! Yes it will work, I’ve tried other cuts and it works great. I just adjusted the cook time for the 2nd baking time until the chicken was cooked. I haven’t made it with large quarters though, but I’m sure it would work!
HathP says
By the way, your honey garlic sauce is delicious as well! I will be drizzling it on the quarters once cooked. Thanks again.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thank you Hath!! 🙂
Hannah says
Would this work on chicken breasts?? Thanks!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
hi Hannah! Sorry no, it needs skin 🙂
Glen says
Does cornstarch have the same results?
I have both baking powder and cornstarch in my cupboard.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Glen! Stick with the baking powder – cornstarch doesn’t have the same result!
james barger says
Will this work in a commercial convection oven with 6 full size sheet pans holding 40 wings each? I was thinking to much moisture would build up with that many wings in the oven. What’s your thoughts?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi James, terribly sorry but I don’t know! I haven’t tried this in a commercial oven ?
Randy says
This MUST be some kind of a joke. I followed the recipe to the T . Oh my god. Dont do this recipe. Worst i have ever cooked. My fault because i new better.
Mary says
You may have done what I did, not follow the recipe to the tee, so my coating was too thick, which stopped them from browning as they should have!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Randy! Somehow…I suspect….based on your reaction…you used baking soda / bi-carb instead of baking powder…:( Yes it’s disgusting and inedible. It needs to be made with baking POWDER!!!
J-Mom says
Truly crispy oven baked wings ! Thank you !!! Was perfect for the Super Bowl 50 dinner.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
WOO HOO!!!
Dave says
I make wings all the time – but then my brother made a thanksgiving turkey and did a dry brine with baking powder. Gave me the idea to google baking powder wings and I found this recipe. They are in the oven right now and I’m super pumped. I’m pairing it with a garlic cayenne sauce.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hoping you love them as much as I do!! 🙂
Karen says
Perfect wings. Thanks for the post.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thank you Karen! So glad you enjoyed them!!!
Debbie Roberts says
do I have to thaw the wings first, or can I bake them still frozen?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Debbie! Please thaw first 🙂