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??
My wings turned out perfect! I added a little paprika garlic powder paper and tossed with some Parmesan cheese .. thank you !
Yum, sounds fab Stefanee! N x
Tonight is the 4th time we are making this recipe – I love fried chicken, but don’t know how to make it (plus, I don’t want the calories!). So this recipe came out perfectly and my husband loves it, too. 🙂 I served it with sautéed Asian style Green cabbage and soy sauce and butter (my recipe.)
Thank you, Nagi, for this great oven fried wings recipe. This recipe is a definite keeper as I have used it already three to four times. I look forward to your recipe books.
This is MY ONLY WING RECIPE because it is the BEST WING RECIPE.
Yes, caps necessary, been using this for years, so freaking good. Thank you for Yummy food science!
Wahooo!!!! 👌
We devoured chicken legs using this recipe tonight. I used a convection oven and they were perfect- no need to bake longer. Crispy, ungreasy chicken!! Thank you!
Perfect Paulette, that’s great to know! N x
Awesome recipe….love all your recipes Nagi
Absolutely perfect! If no one told me, I would swear these were fried but not grease soaked wings. We have stopped buying wings from restaurants because ours (yours) are far superior! Thank you so much!!
Hi Nagi, we are in lockdown again. My husband and I demolished 1kg of your amazing chicken wings to drown our sorrows. He said these were the best wings I have ever made. That’s saying a lot because I make wings ALL THE TIME. Thanks for the recipe xoxo
Oops, I forgot to add the 5 stars.
This Nagi, is a truly delicious recipe! The wings were super crispy as promised and the sauces divine. I made the honey garlic and the honey mustard sauces for the family to dip into. I value your explanations to all parts of the recipe. I’ve lost count of the number of recipes I’ve tried on your site. Each one has been a hit. Being in Lockdown 2.0 here in Victoria, Australia, I’ve gone to town trying several of your recipes each week. Now after the first few bites of each meal my husband correctly guesses each time, “Nagi?” You’ve become the 5th member of our family.
Thanks Nagi, I’ve been using your recipe for 2 or 3 years. The wings are indeed crisp. I have finished them with traditional Buffalo wing sauce many times, however I have switched to a Korean recipe that is also excellent. The baking powder trick makes the wings compatible with many finishing methods.
OMG… these are so easy.. and the best!! My daughter said these are probably the best wings I have ever had.. and she is 38! I followed exactly.. not too salty at all. I added seasoned salt and pepper. So so good.. can not wait to make some more.
WOOT! Sounds like you nailed them Calene! N x
Awesome recipe. I found that no salt required as the baking powder seamed to have some salt in it. When salt used it was too salty. Love this stuff!
I’ve been making wings in the oven for years, but this recipe has taken my efforts to a whole new level! My family was astonished by the crispiness 🙂 Thank you for the detailed instructions–the baking powder plus two different oven temps–genius!
Blown away by how crispy this was, very slight metallic taste to the wings (possibly from the baking powder?) but 1) I had scaled down massively and 2) I ate it plain without any sauce. Recommending to my friends and sis. Reliably excellent as always Nagi 🙂
Hi Sera, sorry you found it had a metallic taste – try using aluminium free baking powder 🙂 N x
What brand of baking powder do you use, Nagi? I have McKenzies and unsure if it’s aluminium free….
I understand less than half of the population actually taste the aluminum. I do and it’s terrible. I have Rumford right now, which I got at Target, but I’m not sure if all of theirs is free of AL. Check the ingredients on the label for any kind of aluminum. It really makes a difference. If you can’t find it locally, Amazon carries some.
Oh that’s a good point, I hadn’t thought of that! Thanks for replying Nagi!
Awesome…loved it. Crispy is what I was looking for and this recipe did the trick. Can you apply A small coating of the Honey Garlic Sauce before placing in oven?
Hi Joe, best to do it after they have cooked so the skin stays crispy – N x
This recipe is perfect and amazing! Thank you for taking the time to be so thorough in your description and the creation of this recipe. This is honestly one of the best AND healthiest chicken wing recipes I have ever come across online. The fact it has no added fats or carbs by dredging in flour is unheard of and the end product is truly remarkable. I have a family of 7 and always split the chicken after the first 30 minutes at 250 degrees amongst my oven and two air fryer since I normally prefer most food air fried and I normally make about 8 pounds of wings. However, by moving the oven rack higher in the oven as recommended, the end product from the oven was just as good as those prepared in the air fryer. Please know that I appreciate your posting of this recipe since it is now my go to with raving remarks from my husband and children. My daughter even commented that the chicken was almost identical to our favorite from America’s Best Wings…our favorite wing place. Of course, this is after I tossed the wings in McCormick Jamaican Jerk seasoning and butter. 😉 hey… Thank you again and I look forward to trying many more of your recipes!
BEST wings EVER. Thank you!!
Amazing! It reminded the kind of wings my mum used to make when i was a kid – she used instant noodles seasoning powder with other stuff and fried the wings.
I used a packet of seasoning (no salt) with 1kg of wings. Next time I’ll double it.
Oh and by the way, those seasoning are leftovers from the noodles i made for mee goreng using your recipe!
These are so easy and really turn out good and crispy. Has become a regular item for me. I just pay dry, toss in baking powder, add some smoked paprika, cumin,garlic and onion powder and some brown erytherol. Thanks so much.
Will this same process work with thighs? Seems like it should. Maybe bake a bit longer. The pre bake to render fat is a game changer
For Chicken Thighs, Jacques Pepin’s recipe is absolutely incredible ad skin is potato chip crispy. https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/08/jacques-pepin-crusty-chicken-with-mushrooms-white-wine-sauce-recipe.html
Thanks for the link!
Hi Carroll, it wont be as crispy with thighs, but yes the same principle will work here 🙂 N x
Actually they DID turn out well and crispy! I cooked them just a bit longer. Happy Camper.