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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Can I use Himalayan salt or sea salt or kosher salt instead? Also, can I cook the wings in an air fryer? Would love to make these!
For the salt, that’s fine; you may want to use just a touch more. And regarding the air fryer, I don’t have one so I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work. Please report back if you try it!
Hi again. This is Jim. I had the wings on a rack over parchment. No sticking and clean up was a breeze.
Hi Jenn. I made your wings and they turned out OK. Good flavor but not crispy at all. I tried to follow your instructions to the letter. Would it help to parboil the wings for more than 7 minutes to eliminate more of the fat?
Hi Jim, Sorry you had trouble with these! I think the issue may have been cooking the wings on a rack. If you want to give it another shot, I would try cooking them directly on the sheet pan (no parchment or foil).
Par-boiling sounds like it would effectively aid in achieving crispness. What would you think about adding baking powder to the season mix, per J. Kenji Alt’s advice?
Hi Mike, I don’t think it would hurt, but it’s really not necessary if you par-boil. Hope that helps!
Excellent recipe!! I think Jenn is one of the best chefs there is. I will always look her recipes up and I love her cookbooks. It really has changed the way I cook and serve food to my family and friends. Thanks Jenn!
Regarding these chicken wings….yum yum yum! The second time I cooked them I added ground garlic to the chili, cumin and smoked paprika. Mine also stuck, but I used regular foil. Next time I will use non stick foil. I did notice however, that if you let the wings sit (in between the 15 minutes cooking time and returning them back in for 10 minutes) for a few minutes, that the wings released easier….so I just waited a few minutes, turned them and put them back in for the last 10 minutes. This is an excellent recipe!! Thanks Jenn.
Good morning Jenn, I love your recipe for the chicken wings, but I’ve run out of them, I do have drumsticks could I get away with cooking according to the recipe. Thanks so much I enjoy all your recipes. Fiona
Hi Fiona, you can use drumsticks here; they will just take a few minutes longer to cook. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
So good. The easy buffalo sauce and I had drumsticks. Next time I will do wings. Can’t wait to do them again!
These wings are absolutely delicious! I’d never made wings before but made these for Superbowl Sunday and will never need to look elsewhere for a recipe. My husband isn’t even a fan of wings for the most part but he requested I make these twice last week so he’s definitely a convert thanks to you! Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
Delicious and easy to make
Definitely want to put parchment paper on sheet pan or else your wings will stick
Just made the wings. Superb
I did boil them a couple hours earlier. Turned out really good. Will make them again
These wings have become a staple in our house! They are outstanding, and better than most restaurants. Tip: use parchment paper so they don’t stick.