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, 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 about rest of the year? Baked chicken wings are a popular alternative, but if you’ve tried other recipes, you know they rarely turn out crispy as promised. I have a solution for that! Instead of relying on baking powder, which many recipes use with mediocre results, I parboil the wings before roasting. This step melts away excess fat, ensuring the wings crisp up beautifully in the oven—no frying needed.
To amp up the flavor, I coat the wings in a bold spice rub before baking. They’re good on their own, but if you’re in the mood for classic Buffalo wings, I’ve got you covered with an easy Buffalo sauce. And, of course, no wings are complete without a side of blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.
“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
Bring a big pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a rolling boil, then toss in a tablespoon of salt. Add the chicken wings, let the water come back to a boil, and cook them for 7 minutes.
Drain the wings well in a colander—keep in mind that they’re only partially cooked at this stage.
Spread the wings out on a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet. Grab a wad of paper towels and blot them as dry as possible—this helps them crisp up in the oven. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle on 1 teaspoon salt, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Use a rubber spatula to toss everything together until the wings are evenly coated.
Bake for 15 minutes, then take the pan out of the oven and flip the wings over with tongs. Pop them back in and bake for another 10 minutes, or until they’re crispy all over.
To make the Buffalo sauce, whisk together the butter and hot sauce in a small bowl until smooth. If it starts to solidify as it cools, just warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop to bring it back to a pourable consistency.
Transfer the baked wings to a serving platter and serve with Buffalo sauce, if you like. And if you’re planning ahead—baked wings reheat nicely! Once they’re fully cooled, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to dig in, just pop them back in the oven until they’re hot and crispy again.
Video Tutorial
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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 (235°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large pot, bring 4 qts (4L) 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-in (33 x 46-cm) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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I had mixed results with this one. I followed the recipe exactly, but many of my wing flats stuck to the sheet pan. I’m not sure why, but I lost the skin of several. If I were to make these again I would spray the sheet pan with non stick spray or maybe use parchment paper. On the plus side, the flavor of the wings were perfectly seasoned and the flavor really good without the sauce. I used BBQ sauce as a dip and the flavors were perfect. The skin was moderately crispy, but good.
I will likely try again.
Try using a baking sheet rack or grate and do skin up only. Don’t flip them. It should come out OK.
These wings were excellent, juicy and flavorful. I would definitely make again. I tossed the wings in a bowl with the oil and spices rather than on the pan.
These wings were excellent, juicy and flavorful. I would definitely make again.
These chicken wings were out of this world!!!! I made them for my husband and son on Super Bowl Sunday and they were a big hit. Crispy, tender, so moist, delicious and so easy to make. They added some ranch dressing on the side for that classic taste. I am already being asked when I plan to make them again.. Thanks again, Jen, for a wonderful recipe to add to my list of goodies for parties and get togethers.
Taste was good, texture was good but not particularly crispy. I was surprised at the amount of smoke produced. Fortunately the Jenn-air took care of most of it. I still prefer the charcoal grill.
Can you take skin off before putting in oven ? Thanks
While technically it should work, so much of the flavor is in the skin. In my opinion, that’s what makes them good. 🙂
Made these for the Super Bowl. I have to say that they were fully enjoyed. I added a touch of smoked habanero spice just to give the wings a bit of heat as I wasn’t creating the sauce. I just wanted them baked and not saucy. They turned out perfectly with my main appreciation being that the parboiling of the wings ensured that there were no rubbery chicken parts on the wings after baking. Much prefer baked wings to fried so this recipe is my go-to recipe now. Thanks Jenn!
These are the best wings I’ve ever made. The parboiling makes them so tender and moist. The oven bake is so easy and provides crispy wings with very little work.
Thank you Jen!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make! My husband loved them!
These were so delicious! What a great super bowl menu addition. However, I won’t wait til next year to make them again. Easy, fast and tasty….what more can you ask for. We all loved them. Thank you 😊
These surpassed my expectations. They turned out almost the same as those served up in my favourite pub. My wife loved them and she is somewhat of a connoisseur of chicken wings. I followed the recipe except for letting them bake an extra few minutes. That was more of a convenience than a necessity.
We had celery and carrot slices on the side, just like in the pub, with some blue cheese dressing for a dip. I also mixed up some Buffalo dip for the wings. Just right.
The only small change I might suggest is that would be easier to coat the wings evenly by tossing them with the oil and spices in a large bowl rather than on the pan. I used a USA jelly roll pan to bake them and it cleaned up easily.
I tossed them in a bowl, too. It certainly made for a more evenly coating.
I’ve made several Buffalo wing recipes, in the past, and these by far will be my go to recipe. I always thought you had to fry to get a crispy wing (was never previously satisfied) but maybe the parboiling is the trick?!! So happy I tried this recipe… a new family favorite. 💕🍗