The crispiest chicken wings baked in the oven. The skin is deliciously crisp and salty, with tender meat on the inside. No deep frying required!
Smother in sauce (yes, they still stay crisp even with the sauce on) to make bbq wings, buffalo wings or sticky Asian-inspired wings.
Or eat as they are - they're totally moreish without any sauce!
I've shared a few recipes for crispy chicken wings smothered in sauce, but it occurred to me that I've never shared the basic recipe for wings without the sauce.
Don't ask me why, because these wings are so amazingly tasty on their own. If ever I'm making them with the sauce, at last 5 or 6 ALWAYS get swiped before I can sauce them up.
The taste without the sauce kind of reminds me of salt and pepper chicken - without the chilli heat. In fact you could totally just fry up a few sliced chillies and a sliced onion to put on top and they would be salt and pepper chicken wings (writing that down for later - totally doing that next time.......).
📋 What do we need?
Four simple ingredients.
PLEASE see my notes in the recipe card regarding baking powder and why only baking powder will do, and why you should go for aluminium-free baking powder.
🔪 How to make crispy chicken wings
**Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.**
- We start by carefully cutting each wing into a mini wing and a drumette. You probably noticed before when eating wings that some wings are thinner pieces with a consistent thickness (mini wing) and some are meatier on one end (drumette).
- Once we've sliced up the wings, we dry them off - to ensure crispier wings. Then toss them together with a mixture of salt, pepper and baking powder.
- The wings are baked on a wire wrack (so the fat can drip off underneath - we don't want greasy wings) - first at a lower temperature to render the fat, then at a higher temperature to crisp up that skin.
Look how golden and crispy they come out!
🍽️ What to serve them with
Why not serve them as a party food with:
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Sesame Prawn Toast
- Cheesy Potato Croquettes
- Baked Asian Style Cauliflower Wings
- Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
I won't tell you how quickly our little family of four can get through FORTY of these wings (but it doesn't stretch into hours....).
Want to upgrade those wings with a sauce? Try one of these:
Yes, just be sure to use gluten-free baking powder and you're good to go.
Yes. If you're using a gas oven, be sure to rotate the tray after the initial cooking time so that the wings cook evenly. Also keep a close eye on the wings, as gas oven temperatures can fluctuate more than electric fan ovens. You may only need to cook at a higher temperature for 20-30 minutes.
No, I wouldn't recommend that. The bone in the chicken and the fat of the skin helps to keep the chicken juicy. Using boneless chicken would result in chewy, dried chicken. Try my recipe for baked chicken tenders instead.
📺 Watch how to make it
🍲 More fantastic crispy chicken recipes
- Baked
- Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Parmesan in a rich tomato sauce
- Crispy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Fried
- Crispy Fried Chicken
- Crispy Chicken Pakora
- Korean Fried Chicken
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Wings:
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) chicken wings
- 2 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder (It has to be baking powder - NOT baking soda - see further notes on baking powder below
- ½ tsp salt - make sure it's regular table salt
- ½ tsp pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F and place a rack on a large baking tray.
- Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette.
- Dry the wings with paper towels, then place in a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Note - it's important to dry the wings first so they only get a light coating.
- Place in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It's fine for them to be touching. Discard any remaining coating once tossed together.
- Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F and rotate the tray for even cooking. Cook for a further 45-50 minutes until the wings are lightly golden and crispy.
- Take out of the oven to cool slightly befor serving.
Video
✎ Notes
After doing a little research, it seems that some people can be sensitive to the taste of sodium aluminium sulfate - which can be an ingredient in some baking powders. People who are sensitive to it notice a bitter taste. If you are sensitive to it, you may have noticed certain cakes taste bitter. However, cakes contain a lot less baking powder then this recipe, so you may not have noticed it before and still been sensitive to it. My tips would be to:
- Thoroughly dry the wings before dusting with the baking powder - so they only get a light coating.
- Measure the amount of baking powder used exactly, and discard any excess left after tossing together with the wings.
- Use aluminium-free baking powder - make sure it has no aluminum sulfate in it.
She got the original recipe from Cook's Illustrated "Meat Book" cookbook (fyi - this is an affiliate link, and incidentally, I've got a copy of this book, and it's awesome - so much info on how to perfectly cook meat). Nutritional information is per wingette/drumette (approx 40 wings in this recipe)
Nutrition
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Tique says
Wings came out so crispy in the oven! Perfect recipe! If you want that crunch without the oil, this is your recipe!! Glad I tried it out my kids and family loved it!
Sandy Proulx says
Totally awesome recipe … so simple to make too. The wings were very crispy, golden brown and delicious! Many thanks!
Gerald Hercules says
I don’t think want to sound disrespectful, but this is the worst recipe I’ve come across. It is very unhealthy and costly for such a small item to cook. First of all, the combination of the ingredients and the ratio is non proportionate. The Baking powder combined with the salt make the Chicken very salty, which is very unhealthy, and the time it takes to cook including the cost of fuel is extremely expensive for such a small item, which in a true sense should only take 20/30 minutes to cook.
Should go back to learn the art of cooking in a healthy and efficient way.
Jon says
Thanks god I ignored this review and made the wing because they were amazing! This guy is a troll. Must like soggy, limp wings.
Followed the recipe exactly and they were crispy and tasty. I'm guessing this reviewer is the type that comes to a party as a plus one and inspects your medicine cabinet.
Follow the recipe, make the wings, add some extra seasoning and live your live happy. Not like this guy.
Heather says
Don't want to sound disrespectful???? That ship sailed when you posted your comment. You don't like the recipe? Move on!!!!!
Sandy Proulx says
I didn’t find the recipe salty at all and my taste buds are VERY alert to overly salty foods. In fact, this chicken wings recipe is PERFECT as is and totally delicious! I cooked half that amount of wings so I cut the ingredients in half, of course. I’d rather eat crispy, BAKED wings than deep fried. Glad I didn’t read your review before I made them. Bravo Nicky! I’m definitely going to share your awesome recipe!
Greg Le Grand says
Do I move the wings to a different oven rack after the 30 min?
Sandy Proulx says
In the video, Nicky said to move the oven rack to the middle of the oven after 30 minutes. She didn’t mention it in the detailed, written recipe though.
Lau says
I’m glad my instinct kicked in and I loved them after the 30 minutes to middle oven rack. Should be in written directions. I did not even notice a video🤷🏻♀️