No false promises here – these crispy oven baked wings are SERIOUSLY crispy! You will be gob smacked how easy they are to make. They honestly taste like they’ve been deep fried, with a thin shatteringly crisp golden skin. You can see how easy these are to make and hear how crispy they really are in this cooking video.
These are so good they can be eaten plain. Or toss them in your favourite sauce, or serve it on the side. I’ve provided a selection of sauces for these crispy baked wings in the recipe below!
Truly crispy oven baked wings
This recipe for how to make Crispy Oven Baked Wings is a discovery by the genius folk over at Cook’s Illustrated. Being the food nerd I am, I really enjoy how Cook’s Illustrated explains the science behind why they do things in a particular way.
And I honestly believe this to be one of their most all time most epic recipes, especially because it’s so insanely EASY!!! And today, I’m sharing the secret with you. Are you ready? 🙂
How to make crispy oven baked wings
Crispy oven baked wings in 3 easy steps:
Pat wings dry with paper towels;
Toss wings in baking powder and salt;
Bake at 120°C/250°F for 30 minutes, then at 220°C/425°F for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Yes, that’s it. That’s all there is to it. 🙂
Why this recipe works
In those 3 simple steps are 2 very important things to make these truly crispy oven baked wings:
1. Coat in baking powder – yes, you read that right, baking powder! I won’t go into all the technicalities, but in a nutshell, the baking powder draws moisture to the surface of the skin so it can evaporate, thereby making the skin crispier; and
2. Bake for 30 minutes on low to melt the fat before blasting in a very hot oven to crisp up the skin. There’s a lot of scientific explanations around this and I’ll skip it because I’ll bore you! But basically, the wings are first baked on the lowest shelf in the oven at a very low temperature for 30 minutes which causes the fat under the skin to “melt”, then you move the wings up to the top shelf and crank up the heat which crisps up the skin.
The other tip is ensuring that the wings are dry. If you are organised enough, put the wings on the rack and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. However, I neither have the fridge space nor am I organised enough, so I just dry them using paper towels (see photo below for how I do this).
When these come out of the oven and you tap the skin with your nail, you can instantly “hear” how crispy the skin is. They even look like they’ve been fried! And in case you are concerned, you don’t taste baking powder at all.
Got questions? See FAQ under the recipe card.
You will notice that the wings are smaller than you are used to. That’s because so much of the fat under the skin melts off the wings – you’ll see it all pooled on the tray. So these have the added benefit of reduced calories too!
You can toss the wings in your sauce of choice or serve the sauce on the side. I’ve also shared classic Buffalo Wings using this same method for crispy oven baked wings. For this recipe, I’ve included a few simple sauces that I like to serve wings with: Honey Garlic Sauce, Honey Mustard Sauce, Ranch Dipping Sauce.
Let’s get stuck into these wings! – Nagi x
PS I’ve now published the Buffalo Wings version! Here it is: Truly Crispy Oven Baked BUFFALO Wings.
Watch how to make it
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Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Crispy Wings
- 4 lb / 2 kg chicken wings , cut into wingettes and drumettes (Note 1)
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA / BI-CARB SODA!!)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Oil spray
Instructions
Crispy Wings
- If you are organised enough, uncover the chicken wings and leave them in the fridge for a few hours to dry out. Otherwise, use a paper towel to pat the wings dry.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions.
- Preheat oven to 250F/120C (all oven types – standard/convection/fan).
- Line a baking tray with foil, then place a rack (like a cooling rack) on the foil. Spray the rack with oil spray.
- Place wings in a large bowl or in a ziplock bag. Add the baking powder and salt, then toss to coat evenly.
- Place the wings on the baking tray in a single layer with the skin side up. They should just fit snugly. They will shrink when they cook because the fat renders out so don’t worry if they look too snug.
- Place wings on the lower middle oven rack and bake for 30 minutes.
- Move wings up to the upper middle rack and increase the oven temperature to 425F/220C. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through.
- Remove baking tray from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Toss wings in sauce of choice or serve it on the side to dip / drizzle on the wings, then serve.
Recipe Notes:
* Honey Garlic Sauce: Mix together 4 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp white vinegar (or sub with any other vinegar except balsamic), 2-3 garlic cloves, minced. Use for dipping OR tossing.
* Honey Mustard Sauce: 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup honey
* Ranch Dipping Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp EACH dried dill, parsley, chives, onion and garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste.
* Spicy Creamy Dipping Sauce: 3/4 cup mayo, 1/2 tso garlic powder, 1/8 tsp paprika, 3-4 tbsp sriracha, salt & pepper
* Pink Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp sriracha (or other hot sauce) 7. Nutrition: The nutrition is per serving, assuming 8 servings. Note that the calories is HIGHER than it actually is because so much fat is rendered out (melted) and discarded which is not reflected in the nutrition below. I measured the discarded fat once and calculated that it should be 60 calories LESS per serving (around 1/4 cup fat in total was discarded).
Nutrition Information:
Originally published in November 2014, updated with fresh new photos and step by step photos!
Frequently asked questions
I don’t have a rack. Does this cause a problem? The skin will still be crispy but the bottom of the wings that is in contact with the tray will be oily. This is because the purpose of the rack is to elevate the wings off the tray and allow the chicken fat to drip down.
One way to get around an oily underside is to take the wings out after around 35 minutes during the high temp cooking. Drain the oil out of the tray then return to the oven to finish crisping/browning. You could also drain the excess oil from the wings on paper towels before serving.
Can I make ahead? These stay crispy for as long as the wings are warm, so around 20 – 30 minutes. After that, the skin starts to wrinkle and soften. However, I was shocked how well they reheat! Just allow the wings to cool (uncovered), then cover and refrigerate. Spread wings out on tray, skin side up, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes at 200C/390F. The skin smooths out and puffs up, just like when they were baked fresh. Other than to you (if you’ve made as many wings as me!) and true hard core Wings experts, the difference in juiciness and crispiness is barely noticeable – my friends never notice when I reheat!
The skin stays crispy for around 10 – 15 minutes after tossing in the sauce, then after that they start to soften but not go soggy, up to around 30 minutes. If you reheat after tossing in sauce, they go soggy.
Please do not toss in baking powder then refrigerate or freeze, this won’t work (makes the wings sweat too much to become crispy).
Can I add seasonings? You sure can! It does marginally reduce the actual skin crispiness but a crust forms from the extra seasonings/spices and adds more crunch. I did a lot of testing around this and I can assure you it works really well!
There was a lot of smoke! Help! A few readers have had this problem and I don’t think it’s from the chicken wings because I’ve made a ridiculous amount of these wings (in my kitchen and others) and never had the problem. The problem may be: a) spillage of chicken fat onto the oven burners when transferring from the lower to the upper shelf or b) there already was fat on the oven burners. I can’t think of anything else. While the smoke point of chicken fat is below that of the high oven temperature used in this recipe, the fat is not in direct contact with the heat because it’s shielded by all the wings and diluted by chicken juices dripping into the fat.
You really don’t need to flip? Really! Even if you don’t use a rack, the underside will get crispy.
Can I make this with other cuts of chicken? Yes BUT the crispiness will only work on the skin. So it works best on wings because they are almost fully enclosed by skin. With drumsticks, thighs and skin on breast, they are not fully encased with skin when raw and the skin shrinks while cooking. But the actual technique works super well! For 1 kg / 2 lb drumsticks or other cut of chicken, using 2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt – less than the recipe for wings because there is less skin surface area.
Life of Dozer
No wings for Dozer – cooked chicken bones are dangerous for dogs! How about a Honey Prawn instead??
Can I use chicken breasts and cut into strips for the same effect? I just hate the bones in chicken wings
Hi Iry! Doesn’t work with breast, need the skin!
Initially I questioned the amount of baking powder vs 4 lb wings, and end results. I tried it, they were GREAT and
will use recipe again. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you had faith and gave it a go and LOVED IT!!! 🙂
These are every bit as good as you claim. Why would you ever buy take out wings again?. I used a Garlic Hoi Sin Sauce to toss them in. Finger licking good!
Glad you enjoyed it Barbara! Thanks for letting me know! N x
It’s interesting to learn what baking powder can do to crisp up the chicken in the oven… gotta try this as I hate deep frying chicken in my kitchen!
You must! This is a game changer!! <3
AMAZING !!!! After baking up so crispy, i threw them on the grill for about 5 min. They were Awesome!!! I will make these a lot!! Cannot wait to share wirh friends sbd family!
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Hillery! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know! N x
They were nice and crispy but……………the family complained about them tasting bitter. So I dipped my finger in a little baking powder and that was the culprit. I thought I finally found away to bake crispy wings. I don’t see how you can coat 4lbs of wings with only 2tbsp of powder so I did add 2 more tbsps. Also, 30 min. at 250 did absolutely nothing. Am I missing something? I used honey garlic teriyaki sauce. Everything was good but they did have a slightly bitter taste even when tossed in the sauce. I will keep on experimenting.
Oh no!!! Definitely do not add more than 2 tbsp of baking powder!!! I know that doesn’t sound like much but I PROMISE – it is the perfect amount to crisp them up. Any more and you DO get that bitter taste!!! Please follow the recipe!!! <3
Can these be done in a convection oven? If so a what temp and for how long.
Hi Jocelyne! Yup, sure can, follow the recipe, it just might be that you need to cook it for longer during the second phase at the higher temperature. Just wait until it is crispy!! 🙂
Nagi, thanks so much for sharing! I love ATK and your sauce sounded so unique, just what I was looking for… easy and flavorful. So I gave this a go last night, and I am forever in your gratitude 😀 Your sauce made me feel like I was travelling and tasting some exotic food ahaha Really good! And I was in a rush cooking them, didn’t dry the wings, just cut them up and threw them in the bag to coat, still came out crispy w/o a wire rack but in a cast iron pan. My 6yo son eats everything plain, and loved these wings. Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!!! That sauce of yours has me like pudding in your hands, I completely trust your food judgement now, this was the first recipe of yours I tried, but definitely not the last!
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Elizabeth! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know! ATK rules!! N x
Hi
Looking forward to trying this wing recipe tomorrow, just wondering are the nutrition figures for just the wings or do they include the honey soy sauce as well?
Thanks
Hi JG! Just for the wings 🙂
I don’t have a rack, will it still work just in a foiled pan?
Hi Krystle! The bottom won’t be as crispy because it is sitting in the fat, but it will still be crispy for the sides and top! 🙂 Definitely still worth making without a rack!
I made these wings tonight Nagi……I was skeptical but I followed your directions exactly and ended up with perfectly crispy chicken wings. I also made your dipping sauce which was delish……and I made sure there was Frank’s Hot Sauce for the hubby. He ended up with a dipping bowl of hot sauce and your sauce too and thanked me very much for dinner!
I will make this on a regular basis……it is that good!
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Denise Tarantino Gaze
Hi!
I would really like to try these as my grandma loves her chicken wings but she can’t have fried food. I feel like this is a great alternative.
My question to you is that heard corn starch makes for a really crispy coating. Do you think mixing both would make it extra crispy goodness?
Hi Jeannette! That’s what I used to use 🙂 I promise, this is SO much better!
YAY!!! Glad you trusted me!!! 🙂
I am invited to participate in a chicken wing contest. Does this method of baking keep the meat moist in addition to crispy?
YES IT DOES!!!! 🙂
I know you already know this but.. These Wings were Awesome!! My husband we gaga over these. I love wings but I hate frying anything in my kitchen as its just too messy with oil spatter and all. This is way healthier anyway.. My 8 yr old son says mom, It’s all about the Crispy Skin. With a side of Crispy Sweet Potato Fries this was a hit. Thanks for this recipe. Now we don’t have to order wings. PS. My only thing now is figuring out how to scrub the stuck stuff off the wire rack.
I go GAGA over these too 🙂 And clearly your 8YO has sensational taste!!! 🙂
Thanks so much for the great recipe. The meat was a little dry and I’d lov e the crust to me a little more crispy. Any suggestions on my effort to get it perfect?
Hi Eric! Did you pat the wings completely dry?? That’s the key to ultra crispy wings! 🙂
I am going to try these and I can’t wait. I have been trying to stay away from fried foods but fried chicken is my favorite! I was wondering if these would work or chicken thighs as well? If so, what adjustments should be made?
This is the only way I will EVER make chicken wings from this day on! I followed your instructions exactly and they were perfectly crispy and golden. We loved them!
Woo hoo!!! SO GLAD you loved it – thanks for letting me know! N x
I tried these today to practice for our upcoming Super Bowl party. I only made 12 wings (1.4 lbs). They were amazing except for two things…they had a slight taste of baking powder and were a little overcooked, even though I only had them at 425 for 35 minutes. I’m sure the first problem was because I didn’t reduce the BP amount for so few wings, but I’m not sure about the cooking time on high heat. Any ideas? (I didn’t rotate them halfway through either.)
Hi Connie!! The baking powder taste is definitely because you didn’t reduce the amount of powder used even though you used less wings. And actually, that’s the same for the cook time too! The less you have in the oven, the faster it cooks 🙂
Tried this tonight! I think maybe our wings were smaller than normal, I thought that as I was preparing them but still cooked for the amount of time you suggested… Bad idea! The skins got quite dark, turned to almost jerky/leather. Oh well. This sauce, though……. Oh my. I found myself a new bath soap. Seriously, I want to bathe in it. So good! We decided we are going to use this sauce to dip any crab rangoons or dumplings we may make in the future, and any other food that we could think of!
Gosh – they must have been teeny tiny wings to get that dark!!! 🙁 Glad you loved the sauce though! Yes, it is a great all-rounder / Asian sauce!
I’m not generally one to comment on web sites, but I tried this tonight and it worked. For all those who are wondering about trying it with a rub instead of a sauce, it does work. I tossed ours with Old Bay tonight and they were delish.
So glad you loved it Birma!! Thank you!!! N x
Like a couple of other recipes of yours that I’ve tried, these are great Nagi – my husband loved them too and they will definitely be on regular rotation here. I have a medium sized toaster oven which tends to let a lot of the heat escape so I find it hard to get anything crispy – these worked beautifully. Thanks, Nagi
So glad you loved it Maggie!! Thank you for letting me know!! N x
Hi I’m making these right now! I made them 1 time last year and they rocked! Will apple cidar organic vinegar work for the sauce? And garlic powder instead of minced cloves?! I don’t have time to go to the store. Thanks!
Hi Lauren! the apple cider is fine 🙂 I’d taste it first without garlic powder, if you think it’s yum, skip the powder. I fear it will be a pin to whisk in!