Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, Perfect For Any Day
Chicken wings are a real classic. Hard to eat just one, and so satisfying to dip in a variety of sauces. We definitely can’t resist ordering them when we’re out, because who can say no to a plate of deep-fried chicken wings? But once we discovered that they’re so easy (and much better for you than deep frying!) to bake up a batch at home, we make them often for weeknight dinners because they’re not just an appetizer. So whether it’s a Game Day or a Tuesday, there’s no better time to make a big batch of quick bake chicken wings!
Save This Oven Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Flavorful, check. Fun to eat, check. Easy, check (no need to pat dry with paper towels!). This recipe requires virtually zero prep time (okay, ten minutes), and then you can zip them into the oven for 45-50 minutes. You’ll have dinner ready with a very minimal amount of heavy lifting. While the wings are baking you can think about all of the delicious dipping sauces you can serve with these crispy oven baked chicken wings. Homemade BBQ Sauce, Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, or Homemade Ranch Dressing are obvious choices, but we also recommend our Tahini Sauce. We always have a bottle of hot sauce around too, for the spice lovers in our family.
What To Serve With Baked Chicken Wings
Beyond the obvious carrots, celery sticks, and dipping sauces, you can make a real meal out of chicken wings by serving them with a side of rice (a fluffy batch of Cilantro-Lime Rice would be delicious) and fresh salad (like this yummy little Broccoli Salad). Or keep the apps flowing, and set the table with a spread of Queso Dip, Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese, and Beef Sliders for all the winning noshes!
How To Bake Chicken Wings
Warm your oven, because that’s where the action takes place! Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.
Prepare your cooking surface: line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack (usually used for cooling) on top.
Add the flavor: in a large bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Add the chicken and toss until they’re fully coated. Our recipe calls for three pounds of chicken wings or drumettes. You can, of course, buy whole wings and separate them into wings and drumettes, or buy a mix of two already prepared. We trust you to choose your favorite here.
Line ‘em up! Arrange the chicken wings, skin-sides down, on the cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, brush the wings with half of the melted butter. Flip the wings over and brush with the remaining butter.
It’s time to bake wings! How long should you cook chicken wings in the oven for? These will bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken is a deep golden-brown and you can see a nice crispy skin.
Tools You’ll Need
And The Winner For Best Chicken Dinner Is…
We’ll let you decide your favorite, but here’s a couple to kick off your taste-testing:
Variations on a wing: There’s Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings. Or if you just need buffalo sauce, make these Baked Buffalo Wings.
Um, Homemade Shake and Bake? Yes please! Or an easy sheet pan Chili-Honey Chicken & Sweet Potatoes w/ Cilantro Yogurt meal always sounds good.
Chicken Empanadas and Homemade Chicken Taquitos for more favorite finger food!
Chicken 101: Shredded Chicken, Perfect Poached Chicken, and Oven Baked Chicken Thighs will all help you with basic chicken preparation.
Just Wing It!
Did you make this recipe? Let’s see those fabulously crispy baked chicken wings. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating! For more recipe inspiration you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.