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These crispy baked chicken wings are oven baked until golden brown with crispy skin! Toss with your favorite wing sauce for easy, delicious baked wings!

Crispy oven baked chicken wings with golden brown crispy skin.

This easy recipe will show you how to get crispy baked chicken wings with a thin, crackly skin that’s golden brown and delicious!

These oven baked wings are great as an appetizer, side, or game day meal! Serve them with your favorite wing sauce!

Tips for crispy baked chicken wings:

  • Thoroughly dry the wings – Pat the wings dry with a paper towel and get the front, back, and crevices. Be sure the wings are completely thawed if using frozen wings as they can leak moisture as it continues to thaw.
  • Baking powder – Baking powder is an alkaline which raises the pH of the chicken wings, thus giving the wings a golden brown color when cooked. For more info, read this article by Serious Eats.
  • Salt – Salt helps flavor and draw out extra moisture from the wings, which helps them get that crispy skin.
  • Air dry in fridge – This is optional but you can let the wings further dry out in the fridge uncovered for up to overnight. This also helps the baking powder and salt absorb into the skin.
  • Convection or air fry: Turn on convection mode if your oven has it or you can use an air fryer.
  • Bake on a wire rack: This facilitates air flow under the wings which helps render out the fat from the both the top of bottom sides of the wings, thus giving it that thin, crispy, crackly skin.

How to get crispy baked chicken wings

  1. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel then mix with salt and aluminum free baking powder.
  2. Lay them on a wire rack placed on top of a baking pan. You can further dehydrate the wings by letting them air dry in the fridge up to overnight.
Uncooked chicken wings being placed on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack.
  1. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 50 minutes, flipping half way through. Increase the bake time if your wings are on the larger side.
Crispy baked chicken wings with golden brown crispy skin on top of a wire rack.
  1. The skin should be golden brown and crispy after rendering out the fat. You can tell by the thin, crackly skin.
  2. Toss in a bowl with your favorite wings sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Wing sauce being poured onto crispy baked chicken wings in a metal bowl.
Baked chicken wings tossed with wing sauce in a metal bowl.
Should I flip chicken wings when baking?

Yes, flipping the wings helps crisp up and brown both sides of the wings. Baking them on wire racks helps facilitate air flow as well.

How do you keep chicken wings crispy?

Wait to add sauce until right before serving. Keep them in a single layer as crowding them can cause the wings to steam and get soggy.

Why use baking powder on chicken wings?

Baking powder is an alkaline which raises the pH of the chicken wings, thus giving the wings a golden brown color. 

At what temperature are chicken wings fully cooked?

Chicken wings are fully cooked at 165 degrees F. The temperature should be checked at the thickest part of the wing, avoiding the bone.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please share, rate, or comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

Come find me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram! Share your recipes by tagging @drivemehungry. I love seeing your creations!

Thanks so much for stopping by! ? -Jamie


More appetizers & sides:

Chicken wing sauces:

Crispy baked chicken wings with golden brown crispy skin.
5 from 271 votes
Servings: 4

Baked Chicken Wings – Crispy & Crunchy

These crispy baked chicken wings are oven baked until golden brown with crispy skin! Toss with your favorite wing sauce for delicious oven baked wings!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 lbs chicken wings, about 16 wings and drumettes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • teaspoons baking powder, aluminum free; see Note 1
  • ½ cup wing sauce

Instructions 

  • Thoroughly dry the wings by patting with paper towels. Make sure there's no excess moisture. Add the chicken wings, sea salt, and aluminum free baking powder to a large bowl and mix together well.
    2 lbs chicken wings, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and lay the wings on top. The wire rack facilitates air flow under the wings to crisp them up. Optional: For best results, let the wings further air dry in the fridge uncovered for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
    Uncooked chicken wings being placed on a baking sheet lined with a baking rack.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for about 40 to 50 minutes, flipping half way through. Turn on convection if available. If your wings are larger, increase the bake time until internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is golden brown and crispy.
    Optional: For the last 2 minutes, increase heat to broil for extra crispness; watch carefully as they can quickly burn.
    Crispy oven baked chicken wings with golden brown crispy skin.
  • Toss with your favorite wings sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
    Wing sauce being poured onto crispy baked chicken wings in a metal bowl.

Notes

  1. Baking powder: Baking powder is an alkaline which raises the pH of the chicken wings, thus giving the wings a golden brown color. Use aluminum free baking powder.
  2. Be sure to thoroughly dry the wings as that will help crisp them up.
  3. If you are sensitive to the taste of baking powder, you can rinse the wings with water after 12 hours of it air drying in the fridge with the baking powder and salt mixture. Be sure to thoroughly pat the wings dry before you bake them. 
Chicken wings are fully cooked at 165 degrees F. The temperature should be checked at the thickest part of the wing, avoiding the bone.
Recipe is adapted from Serious Eats.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 1592mg, Potassium: 343mg, Fiber: 1g, Vitamin A: 180IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Jamie from Drive Me Hungry

Jamie

Hi there! I’m Jamie, enthusiastic eater and determined cook! I make is quick and easy recipes that still look amazing and taste delicious. Most of my recipes are perfect for weeknight meals as they're simple and easy to follow.

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Recipe Rating




21 Comments

  1. Toni says:

    5 stars
    I really love this!! So good and amazing! Everyone at my house lovbed how crispy it is!