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.
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.
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.
Bake the wings for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked through and their skin is browned and crispy.
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!
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:
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
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.
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.
No. As you can see in this buffalo wings recipe, you bake the wings first, then dip them in the sauce.
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.
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
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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.
Scott says
Split the wings. Rubbed them in olive oil. Sprinkled on some Kroger Memphis rub. Baked 40 minutes at 400. Turned the oven off and left the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes. Super moist with crispy skin.
Very yummy!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for sharing your method, Scott. Sounds delicious.
Liberty says
This was so easy to follow. I just melted butter in a bowl and then rolled the wings in it. I ran out of butter with about 6 more wings to go, so I just sprayed them with canola oil spray. I did half with the smoked paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder and the other half I did with Cowboy Butter. I don’t remember which one was which but one was more flavorful than the other. lol. I think it was the garlic powder, paprika one. Very good - fast prep and easy to do when pressed for time. I did do 20 min at 170 after the 40 min at 400*.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Liberty! Thank you for sharing your experience.
RENEE J says
Perfectly crispy. Well flavored.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked these wings, Renee!
Lea Ann says
Served at a dinner party and they were a huge success. I marinated them in the fridge for about 3 hours before cooking.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad these were a success, Lea Ann! Thanks for sharing your method.
Meadow says
The flavor was good but I need to experiment with the timing or temp because my wings came out overdone (dry). I did not split my wings into drumettes/flats and I think if I had done that, they would've dried out even more.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Meadow,
I'm glad you liked the flavor! Thanks for the feedback. I try to write my recipes so that they are as precise as possible, but my readers still often need to make adjustments based on their own kitchen and equipment.
Ellen says
just incredible! fits my gluten-free needs as well as my type 2 diabetic needs. thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I substitute Earth balance butter like substance instead of butter. I never use salt. thank you for this recipe
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Ellen! Thank you for sharing your tweaks.
meredith says
great!!
Caesar says
not usually willing to admit but these wings are better than you know what!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Haha glad you liked them, Caesar!
James says
Awesome recipe! Just make sure wings are at room temp before you toss in butter or else the butter will congeal and the seasoning won’t stick properly!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, James! Thanks for the tip. While this article says 30 minutes out of the fridge is OK, personally, I wouldn't let raw chicken sit out of the fridge for longer than 15 minutes.
Shawn says
This is my go-to recipe! Absolutely the best baked chicken wings. I have my own take on the recipe. I coat them with a dry rub from Kosmos and let them marinate for 30 minutes before baking. Then I sprinkle on a little more rub before placing in a preheated oven. Chefs kiss! Take the authors advice and bake for additional time at the reduce temp. They turn out perfectly every time.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yum! Thanks for sharing your delicious method, Shawn.
Abigail Mondo says
I'm still cooking it but my house smells amazing right now. instead of the butter I used submarine dressing that you get in the deli department at Walmart for $3. all it is is olive oil with some seasoning in it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds great, Abigail! I hope they turn out well for you.