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 and a spice rub that packs a tasty punch, 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’s a wing lover to do the rest of the year? Baked chicken wings are a popular alternative, but the problem with most recipes is that the wings are never quite crispy enough. However, my recipe introduces a game-changing approach—parboiling the wings before roasting. This step renders away excess fat and ensures the wings emerge from the oven perfectly crispy. And the spice rub—a blend of salt, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika—gives the wings delicious flavor.
Though the wings are flavorful enough to stand alone, I’ve included an easy Buffalo sauce recipe in case you’d like to serve them Buffalo-style. You can also serve them with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing.
Table of Contents
“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
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts 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-inch baking sheet. Using a wad of paper towels, blot the wings as dry as possible.
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.
To make the Buffalo sauce, combine the butter and hot sauce in a small bowl.
Whisk to combine. It will solidify as it cools; you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop if necessary.
Transfer the wings to a serving platter and serve with the Buffalo sauce, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, baked wings reheat well. I’d reheat them in a 350° oven and start checking them at 15 minutes to ensure they are heated through.
While baking powder is a popular ingredient for achieving crispy skin in baked chicken wings, it’s not necessary if you follow my method of parboiling the wings first. Parboiling helps to render the fat from the skin, which leads to even crispier results once baked. In my experience, parboiling followed by baking yields superior crispiness and flavor.
Sure, drumsticks can be used instead of wings. The boiling time will be the same, but they may take an additional 10 to 15 minutes to bake. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
Video Tutorial
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Skip the fryer and discover the secret to super crispy baked chicken wings. With a simple parboil trick and a spice rub that packs a tasty punch, these wings will become your new go-to for game day or casual gatherings.
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 and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large pot, bring 4 quarts 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-inch 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 499
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Sodium: 546 mg
- Cholesterol: 252 mg
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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Comments
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Made these tonight and we really enjoyed them. Very tasty. I did use a silicone baking mat because I had a brand new pan and didn’t want to risk discoloring it on it’s maiden recipe😬. I cooked a little longer at 425 for the first 20 mts., turned over and turned oven up to 450 for about 15 mts.. They still turned out great with these changes. Made the Buffalo sauce with butter and Moore’s wing sauce as well as a Gorgonzola dipping sauce.
Hi Jenn,
Do you think roasting these in a 425 convention oven (on a wire rack) would yield the same crispy results as boiling first, then baking?
Thank you,
Debbie
Hi Debbie, I’ve actually tried baking wings that way and I don’t think they come out nearly as crispy. Hope that helps!
Hello,
I prefer my wings with a sweeter honey-garlic or barbecue-type sauce as opposed to the traditional hot sauce included in your recipe.
Will these sauces still work in conjunction with the blend of spices used to flavour the wings?
Hi Al, The spices here would work really well with a bbq-type sauce.
Can you do this technique boil first then bake with the air fryer? I just got one and I’m excited to use it!
Hi Tasha, I don’t have an air fryer so I’ve never tried it, but it should work. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it!
Ever tried it with foil lined baking sheet (less clean up) – any down side with that approach when it comes to browning them? Excited to try, thanks for so many winning recipes Jenn!
So glad you like the recipes! I haven’t tried this with foil but it should work. Just be careful not to tear the foil when you’re tossing everything together on the baking sheet. Hope you enjoy!
I made these for the first time tonight for Super Bowl and they were awesome. Wish I had made more. Your recipes never disappoint. I lined my sheet pan with heavy duty foil and then crinkled more of it and put the wings on the crinkled foil. They were crispy and the extra fat was in the divots in the foil. I lost a little of the spices in the divots. Next time I’ll mix the wings, oil and spices in a bowl. A bowl is a lot easier to clean than a sheet pan. Thank you!
My family’s a little obsessed with fried chicken and I’m a little exhausted by the process of the traditional route; this is the next best thing. Fast, flavorful, moist. So good! I choose to cook mine on a cooling rack set on a foiled baking sheet, convection setting, 25 degrees lower than whatever she has posted. Perfect. Every. Time. I’m hoping to use this cooking method with Alton Brown’s Thai Chili Wing recipe izzz gonna be tasty.
I was wondering about the baking sheet too! Thanks for clarifying.
These look terrific…….can’t wait to make them on Super Bowl Sunday!!
The picture looks like a ridged baking sheet. I’ve never seen one and want to know if I should put them on a rack?
Hi Virginia, It only has slight ridges – it is not necessary to put the wings on a rack; they will crisp up better directly on the baking sheet.
Hi Jenn,
Can I parboil the wings ahead of time? I’ll have a lot of balls in the air on game day!
I wouldn’t recommend it from a food safety standpoint — sorry!
3 lbs. of chicken wings, “split”…what does the “split” Mean? thank you
Hi Bridget, Sorry for the confusion. I have updated the recipe to be more clear — it means split into drummettes and wings (sometimes they come whole rather than cut at the joint).
I usually steam my chicken wings for 10 min or so prior to baking. Would parboiling instead of steaming change anything?
Hi Anna, I think it would have the same effect.
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe! We are making it today. Would setting the oven to a convection bake setting yield a crispier wing? If so, do you have a suggestion for temp & time?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, I think convection would work well. I’d lower the temp by 25°F; cook time should be about the same. Please LMK how they turn out!
They were terrific! We’ll definitely make them again and again.
Thank you so much for posting the recipe and for answering my question.:)