Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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Skip the fryer and discover the secret to super crispy baked chicken wings. With a simple parboil trick and a spice rub that packs a tasty punch, these wings will become your new go-to for game day or casual gatherings.
I love crispy chicken wings but not always the thought of deep-frying. Grilled chicken wings are a great option in the summertime, but what’s a wing lover to do the rest of the year? Baked chicken wings are a popular alternative, but the problem with most recipes is that the wings are never quite crispy enough. However, my recipe introduces a game-changing approach—parboiling the wings before roasting. This step renders away excess fat and ensures the wings emerge from the oven perfectly crispy. And the spice rub—a blend of salt, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika—gives the wings delicious flavor.
Though the wings are flavorful enough to stand alone, I’ve included an easy Buffalo sauce recipe in case you’d like to serve them Buffalo-style. You can also serve them with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.
Table of Contents
“Super crispy…My husband, who is a wing nut, loved these. This is the only way I will be making my wings from now on.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings: Feel free to choose between drummettes, wingettes (flats), or a combination of both, often referred to as “party wings” in stores.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps to crisp the skin in the oven and allows the spices to adhere to the wings evenly.
- Spices (Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika): Lend a rich, smoky, and slightly spicy flavor.
- Butter: Combines with the hot sauce to create a rich, flavorful coating that adds depth and mellows the heat.
- Frank’s Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce: Gives the wings their classic hot and tangy flavor, essential for achieving that signature buffalo wing taste.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rapid boil. Add the chicken wings, return to a boil, and boil them for 7 minutes.
Drain the wings thoroughly in a colander.
Place the wings on a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet. Using a wad of paper towels, blot the wings as dry as possible.
Drizzle the oil over the wings and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.
Toss with a rubber spatula until the wings are evenly coated.
Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, flip the wings over.
Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until the wings are crispy all over.
To make the Buffalo sauce, combine the butter and hot sauce in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine. It will solidify as it cools; you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop if necessary.
Transfer the wings to a serving platter and serve with the Buffalo sauce, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, baked wings reheat well. I’d reheat them in a 350° oven and start checking them at 15 minutes to ensure they are heated through.
While baking powder is a popular ingredient for achieving crispy skin in baked chicken wings, it’s not necessary if you follow my method of parboiling the wings first. Parboiling helps to render the fat from the skin, which leads to even crispier results once baked. In my experience, parboiling followed by baking yields superior crispiness and flavor.
Sure, drumsticks can be used instead of wings. The boiling time will be the same, but they may take an additional 10 to 15 minutes to bake. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
Video Tutorial
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Skip the fryer and discover the secret to super crispy baked chicken wings. With a simple parboil trick and a spice rub that packs a tasty punch, these wings will become your new go-to for game day or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings
- Salt
- 3 pounds chicken wings, split into drummettes and wings (tips discarded)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Buffalo Sauce (optional)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 6 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or similar brand)
Instructions
For the Chicken Wings
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a rapid boil. Add the chicken wings, return to a boil, and boil them for 7 minutes. Drain the wings thoroughly in a colander.
- Place the wings on a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet. Using a wad of paper towels, blot the wings as dry as possible (wipe off any moisture from the baking sheet, too). Drizzle the oil over the wings and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Toss with a rubber spatula until the wings are evenly coated. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, flip the wings over. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes more, or until the wings are crispy all over. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and serve with the Buffalo sauce on the side, if desired.
For the Buffalo Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and hot sauce. The sauce will solidify as it cools; reheat if necessary.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 499
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Sodium: 546 mg
- Cholesterol: 252 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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My husband loves to BBQ wings – sometimes it works, sometimes…well… I’m intrigued by par-boiling the wings – then having my husband do his BBQ thing. I think they would create a lovely crispy skin which is what I am looking for. Would appreciate your thoughts…
Hi Karen, I haven’t done it with this recipe, but yes, your husband can grill these. You could also give this recipe a try. I hope you enjoy whatever you make!
Just cooked these exactly as instructions yet the chicken totally stuck to the pan and we lost most of the skin. Not sure what I did wrong.
Laura, I’m sorry you had a problem with the wings sticking! Did you use the full amount of oil to toss the wings with the spices? And is your baking sheet very old? Perhaps it’s started to lose its nonstick quality?
Can you freeze the wings after baking? If so, how would I reheat them from frozen? Would I thaw first?
Love all your recipes
So glad you like the recipes! I’ve never frozen these after baking, but I suppose you could. I’d reheat them in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Honestly, these are the best, crispiest chicken wings ever. I can’t believe that parboiling, and then baking would produce this result, and I have baked chicken wings for years using different, time consuming recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m from upstate NY, and we eat a ton of wings…so happy to have this recipe.
Do you think I could boil the day before and refrigerate? The next day I would put in the oven, understanding they’d need more time.
From a food safety standpoint, I wouldn’t recommend parboiling them without baking them right after – sorry!
I love all of your recipes but this one isn’t a keeper for me. The wings weren’t crispy (probably could have baked longer) but the big problem was that the skin stuck to the baking sheet even though there was plenty of oil. I had to scrape them up with a thin metal spatula and lost most of the skin in the process. Very disappointing. I think the deep fryer would just be faster & easier.
Thanks for all of your other fantastic recipes, they are favorites around my house.
I followed this recipe to a tee, and my wings were swimming in oil when I took them out of the oven. The flavor was good, so I may try making them again and spraying them briefly with oil rather than drizzling.
I can’t believe you can have healthy chicken wings! They turned out awesome. I do recommend not baking more than the recipe states. I thought I could crisp them up more by baking an extra five minutes but that just made them a little drier.
These were excellent. I doubled the recipe for my family and all but 5 wings were eaten.
I have never made wings before. I am not a wing person, but these were delicious. I made them for the Super Bowl. My son and husband devoured them. Thank you for sharing the fool proof technique.