Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

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These baked chicken wings are easy to make and turn out crispy and delicious. Bake them at 400°F for 40 minutes, then leave them in a warm oven for extra crispiness.

Chicken wings are served with ranch dressing for dipping.

Wings are my favorite part of the chicken. The ratio of juicy meat to crispy skin is perfect! I prefer baking wings in the oven because it's a hands-off approach, much easier than frying, and the wings turn out just as good. They have wonderfully crispy skin and delightfully juicy meat.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.

Fresh chicken wings: I usually buy them in trays labeled as "party wings." However, using whole wings in this recipe is fine.
Butter: I typically use salted butter, but unsalted works, too.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Variations

Play with the spices. For example, you can use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika and/or add a teaspoon of onion powder.
Try them with 2 tablespoons of Everything But The Bagel Seasoning! This is my daughter's favorite version.
An easy shortcut: instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil.
After baking, dip them in homemade buffalo sauce to make buffalo wings, as shown in the image below.

Buffalo chicken wings are served with celery.

Instructions

The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Toss the wings in melted butter and sprinkle them with spices. Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.

The raw wings were arranged in the pan and seasoned.

Bake the wings for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy.

The wings after the first 40 minutes in the oven.

If you want the wings extra-crispy, lower the oven temperature to 170°F and keep them in the oven for 30-60 more minutes. Here's what they look like after 30 extra minutes in a warm oven. Gorgeous!

The wings after 30 extra minutes in a warm oven.

Recipe Tips

Whole Wings vs. Party Wings

I usually buy chicken wings labeled as "party wings," as shown in the photo below. This means the whole wings were split into flats and drumettes, with the tips removed.

But you can use this recipe exactly as written to bake the whole wings shown in the image below:

If using whole wings, the steps are identical. This is what they look like after those extra 30 minutes in a 170°F oven:

Whole chicken wings in the pan after an additional 30 minutes in a warm oven.

Pin Feathers are Normal

In the photo above, you can see a pin feather sticking out of one of the wings. That's completely normal! Simply pull it out with a paper towel or kitchen tweezers.

Recipe FAQs

Should I add flour to the wings to make them crispy?

There's no need for flour. The skin crisps beautifully in a hot oven, especially if you keep the wings in a warm oven for 30-60 extra minutes after they're done.

Can you bake wings instead of frying?

Absolutely. Oven-baking makes them just as crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside as frying, and it's a much easier cooking method.

Do you put sauce on the wings before baking?

No. As you can see in this buffalo wings recipe, you bake the wings first, then dip them in the sauce.

How long can I keep the leftovers?

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (like the one shown in the photo below) in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin again.

You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooled wings in freezer bags and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them.

Baked wings are stored in a glass container.

Serving Suggestions

These wings are the perfect game-day appetizer, served with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, as shown in the image below.

I also like to serve them as our main course for dinner, and since I bake them at 400°F, I like to pair them with a side dish I can cook in the same oven, such as roasted asparagus, broccoli tots, or jicama fries.

They also pair well with salads, including cucumber salad, tomato salad, and coleslaw, as shown in the photo below.

Recipe Card

5 from 381 votes

Crispy, golden, and packed with flavor, these baked chicken wings are surprisingly easy to make. You only need a few pantry spices and a hot oven for perfect results.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 380kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

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Video

Ingredients

▢ 3 pounds chicken wings - split, tips removed
▢ 2 tablespoons butter - melted
▢ 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 teaspoon paprika - or smoked paprika

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and fit them with wire racks. You can also use parchment-lined baking sheets and skip the rack.
In a large bowl, toss the wings with melted butter. Arrange the coated wings in a single layer on the baking sheets, not touching each other. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
3 pounds chicken wings, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika
Bake the wings for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy.
For extra-crispy skin, lower the oven temperature to 170℉ and keep the wings in the oven for 30-60 more minutes.
Serve immediately. They pair well with blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Notes

Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
Instead of tossing the wings in melted butter, you can arrange them in the pan and spray them with olive oil.
I typically use split wings, but this recipe works with whole wings as well.
If your oven runs hot, the wings could be ready after 30 minutes.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin again.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place the cooled wings in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers, and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then reheat them.

Nutrition per Serving

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients

Variations

Instructions