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Home Main Dishes

Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

By:Nagi
Published:3 Jul '16Updated:26 Nov '22
1,562 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

These crispy oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! recipetineats.com

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? 🙂

These crispy oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! recipetineats.com

How to make crispy oven baked wings

Crispy oven baked wings in 3 easy steps:

  1. Pat wings dry with paper towels;

  2. Toss wings in baking powder and salt;

  3. 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. 🙂

These crispy oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! recipetineats.com

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.

These oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! recipetineats.com
These crispy oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! recipetineats.com

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.

These oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! www.recipetineats.com
Honey sauce dipping sauce for wings
These oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! www.recipetineats.com
Honey mustard sauce for wings

Watch how to make it

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These oven baked wings are so crispy, you will think they've been deep fried! You will be shocked how easy these are to make! www.recipetineats.com

Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Appetizer, Party Food
4.83 from 391 votes
Servings6 – 8 as a starter
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 10146
VIDEO above in post. Learn how EASY it is to make SERIOUSLY Crispy Oven Baked Wings! The secret is tossing the wings in baking powder and baking it on low first to render out the fat before increasing the heat to very high to make the skin crispy. Serve these with one of the SAUCES in the notes. Also see FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS below the recipe.

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:

**IMPORTANT** A number of readers have been devastated by accidentally using baking soda / bi-carb soda instead of baking powder! Puh-lease be careful to use baking powder (the stuff you use in muffins and pancakes to make them rise!) – if you use baking soda / bi-carb soda, it will be INEDIBLE!! It is really, really yuck!
Also refer to the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS below the recipe.
1. Wings MUST BE THAWED!!! 
I buy my wings pre-cut. If you have whole wings, you will need to cut them up (recipe doesn’t work as well with whole wings). See here for a step-by-step for cutting up wings.
2. You will notice once the wings come out of the oven that they are smaller than usual. This is because the fat under the skin melts off (renders out) while baking in the low oven.
3. The wings will not bake to a dark golden brown unless you leave them in for 1 hr+. They bake to a golden brown. You will know they are done because the skin will be lovely and crispy.
4. Recipe Source: Recipe for the wings is from Cook’s Illustrated “Meats Book” cookbook. The sauce recipes are my own.
5. To reheat (see FAQ below for more details): Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate. The skin will wrinkle and soften. Preheat oven to 200C/390F. Spread wings out on tray, skin side up, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the skin puffs up so the wrinkles smooth out and becomes crisp again.
6. SAUCES:
* 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 Facts
Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Amount Per Serving (248 g)
Calories 399 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 138mg46%
Sodium 422mg18%
Potassium 280mg8%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 265IU5%
Vitamin C 1.2mg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 248gCalories: 399cal (20%)Protein: 32g (64%)Fat: 28g (43%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Cholesterol: 138mg (46%)Sodium: 422mg (18%)Potassium: 280mg (8%)Vitamin A: 265IU (5%)Vitamin C: 1.2mg (1%)Calcium: 22mg (2%)Iron: 1.7mg (9%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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.


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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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1,562 Comments

  1. Caroline Moore says

    December 11, 2023 at 5:04 pm

    I did your baking powder chicken wings, using the 250/450 oven temp combo.
    Came out quite desiccated, even for the oven crispy wing concept. I love your stuff, but this did not quite work out., Maybe because my wing sections were air dried for a couple of hours pre cooking?

    Reply
  2. D4v1d says

    November 27, 2023 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    Came out perfect – but at 425 you will get smoke from chicken drippings (even after I changed the bottom pan after the 350 step). That’s chemistry. I will make these again, but step two will be lower and slower.

    Anyway, all’s well that ends with a crunch. Five stars.

    Reply
  3. karen Cantwell says

    November 27, 2023 at 1:57 am

    We loved these. I tossed them in a honey garlic sauce. (from a bottle!) The texture of the skin is indeed crispy, like deep fried but healthier. Yay!

    Reply
    • karen Cantwell says

      November 27, 2023 at 1:58 am

      5 stars
      We loved these. I tossed them in a honey garlic sauce. (from a bottle!) The texture of the skin is indeed crispy, like deep fried but healthier. Yay!

      Reply
  4. Tiffany says

    November 14, 2023 at 3:20 pm

    Prior to baking, can you toss the wings in the “KFC Spice Mix” listed in the fried chicken recipe? Do I need to reduce the amount of seasoning because there will be no breading?

    Reply
  5. Jess says

    November 3, 2023 at 10:54 pm

    5 stars
    Made these twice in the space of one week. Both times they worked out fantastically. My mother, who cannot stand chicken wings, even said they were amazing! I got told that next time I make them I have to double the quantity.

    I also made the barbecue sauce from your pork ribs recipe to serve with them… Delicious!

    Reply
  6. Allison says

    September 29, 2023 at 6:09 pm

    I have been making these for years. I add Chinese 5 spice and chilli flakes and they are awesome!

    Reply
  7. Lin says

    August 16, 2023 at 8:37 pm

    Can I marinate my chicken first then coat in baking powder?

    Reply
    • Tiffany says

      November 14, 2023 at 3:23 pm

      Prior to baking, can the wings be tossed in the “KFC 11 SECRET HERBS AND SPICES” mix from the fried chicken recipe? Should the amount of seasoning be reduced because there is no breading?

      Reply
  8. Strach99 says

    July 21, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    Not only the best wings I have ever made, but the best wings I’ve ever tasted. Love your site, Nagi!!

    Reply
  9. John says

    June 10, 2023 at 12:10 pm

    5 stars
    Had another family across today…. They wanted more! Soooo good!

    Reply
  10. Cara says

    May 21, 2023 at 9:42 pm

    5 stars
    Please help – I made these using McKenzie’s baking powder and they were inedible.
    Can I use tapioca or corn starch instead?

    Reply
    • Paul says

      August 17, 2023 at 9:57 pm

      You must have made some kind of error. I used White Wings baking powder which has identical ingredients to the McKenzie’s and the result was great.

      Reply
    • Stacey says

      August 15, 2023 at 6:05 am

      Yes, you can. I wondered the same thing, tried it and WALLAH! Plus you don’t need to worry about too much baking powder.

      Reply
  11. Kenton says

    April 4, 2023 at 2:36 am

    5 stars
    Best wings I’ve ever cooked.

    Reply
  12. Holly Kuchcinski says

    March 28, 2023 at 7:19 am

    5 stars
    Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your recipes.
    And of course, Dozer!

    Reply
  13. Arletha says

    March 23, 2023 at 4:13 am

    5 stars
    Following these instructions, my truly perfect, crispy wings turned out perfectly! Thank you for simplicity and deliciousness all at the same time! Hats off to you.

    Reply
  14. Hiromi Chino says

    March 20, 2023 at 2:55 pm

    5 stars
    They were truly crispy oven baked wings. My husband, who refuses to eat chicken, said he would eat one if I made these and I was so happy that he ate two, and another two the following day. Of course, I ate more than a dozen myself. So good. I love how your recipes are so detailed and well written. For St Patrick’s Day, along with these wings with Ranch Dipping Sauce and Spicy Creamy Dipping Sauce, I made your Irish soda bread, bite size smoked salmon appetizers, and Greek Lemon Potatoes. I’m proofing your No-Knead Yeast Bread, which is truly amazing. Thank you.

    Reply
  15. Joan says

    February 14, 2023 at 10:37 pm

    5 stars
    These are the best wings. This is the only recipe I use. They come out so nice and crispy.

    Reply
  16. Lily says

    February 3, 2023 at 11:17 pm

    5 stars
    Another winner… I was craving chicken nuggets and figured this was close enough. Had a potato that I was worried might start to go off so used it to make your crispy french fries.

    After cutting + boiling potatoes as per french fries recipe I chucked them under the potatoes and cooked them underneath the chicken in the oven.

    Fries caught all the chicken fat and both were absolutely delish and crispy!

    Reply
  17. Angela says

    February 1, 2023 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe! My son said they were better than most restaurants that have wings.
    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  18. Scot Morton says

    January 31, 2023 at 12:45 pm

    5 stars
    Can these cooked wings be frozen without any sauce and reheated?

    Reply
  19. Lori says

    December 7, 2022 at 9:39 am

    5 stars
    Thanks Nagi! just made these again today, perfect as always 🙂

    Reply
  20. Kara Cece says

    November 14, 2022 at 8:01 am

    5 stars
    Finally, awesome crispy without setting off the smoke alarm. I put layer of kisser salt on the foil. I then transferred rack to fresh pan with foil and salt after 20 min in high.

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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