After many experiments I finally was able to make my baked chicken wings extra crispy on the outside and very tender and most on the inside. They taste just like deep-fried wings, only without the oily mess and added calories. Actually, they taste better than deep-fried. Try these extra crispy baked chicken wings, you’ll know what I am talking about.
Extra crispy skin and moist, tender interior is the holy grail of chicken wings. That’s the reason why deep-fried Buffalo chicken wings are so widely popular. No other chicken wing recipe is as cloned and copied as the original Buffalo wing recipe.
I am big fan of Buffalo chicken wings and visit Duff’s Famous Wings or Anchor Bar a couple of times a year when I visit Buffalo. In an effort to replicate the famous wings at home I deep-fried chicken wings and used the original sauce. They came out perfect, just like at the restaurant, but the pain of dealing with hot oil was a big turn off. My kitchen smelled like burnt oil, the stove and the surrounding area were covered with oil droplets. The cleaning was a pain in the neck. Then I had to find a container to store strained oil. I was too cheap to throw it out after one cooking session. A deep-fryer would help with some of these issues but I refuse to buy one as that would encourage unhealthy eating.
I knew the solution would be baked chicken wings. What I needed to find was a way to bake them such that they would come out just as crispy as deep-fried. I figured out how to bake amazingly flavorful and crispy enough chicken wings, I posted about it in my How to Bake Chicken Wings post, but they are not like deep-fried.
I experimented with different temperatures, convection, with and without oil, but couldn’t get what I wanted. The solution was prompted by Serious Eat’s The Food Lab: In Search of the Best Oven-Fried Buffalo Wings article. Similar approach is used in the Cook’s Country Oven-Fried Chicken Wings recipe.
What the recipes in the above links suggest is tossing wings in baking powder to help with browning and crisping up the skin. Then baking for 30 minutes at 250F, followed by 40 minutes at 400F. Using baking powder was genius. It really does help. While I generally liked the results I had a couple of issues. One issue was that the wings would come out a tad too dry inside. Another issue was the crispness – the wings weren’t quite as crispy as deep-fried. Finally, I could not stand the length of baking. Seriously, over an hour to bake a couple of dozen wings?
What worked to get extra crispy baked chicken wings
To make a long story short, after a few experiments, I did the following:
- Baking powder stayed. It helps a lot with getting a nicely browned, crispy skin.
- Dry chicken wings with a paper towel before tossing in baking powder.
- Stopped salting the wings before baking. Salt draws out moisture and prevents crisping and browning.
- Bumped the baking temperature to 425F convection. High temperature significantly helped reduce baking time. Convection did it’s magic with crisping up the skin and quickly removing moisture from the skin.
After tossing chicken wings in baking powder (1 tablespoon per 2 pounds of wings) and baking for only 30 minutes at 425F convection I got these beautifully crisp chicken wings:
Another time I baked them for 40 minutes. I liked the result better. These baked chicken wings had a thicker crust and more crispiness. Here is a picture of a wing baked at 425F convection for 40 minutes:
The interior of the wings was still tender and really moist and juicy.
Serving the wings
To serve, toss the wings in your favorite Buffalo wing sauce. In the picture below I am using the famous 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce and a couple of minced garlic cloves. I also add 2 teaspoons of salt as I do not salt before baking. While I like wings with this sauce, they do taste a bit too rich for my taste.
My favorite sauce is the Duff’s Hot Sauce with a little bit of melted butter. About 1 tablespoon of melted butter per 1/3 cup of Duff’s wing sauce, plus 1 teaspoon of salt. That’s enough for 2 dozen wings.
Or just a little bit (2-3 tablespoons) of plain Duff’s hot sauce and some salt, like this:
After tossing baked chicken wings in sauce or sauce and butter mix they will become less crispy. If you want optimal crispiness serve them with a wing sauce on the side.
You may also like my Killer Baked Chicken Wings, they taste like grilled Buffalo wings and take less than 45 minutes from start to finish.
Update on March 9, 2017
I stopped using a cooling rack as it’s a major pain in the back to clean it afterwards. I now bake directly on the baking sheet lined with foil and parchment paper. The difference is barely noticeable. The bottoms come out a little greasier, but also crispier due to contact with a hot baking sheet.
Update on August 14, 2017
Every now and again I see an email or a comment on social media that the recipe did not work and that the wings tasted like crap because of the baking soda. Dah! DO NOT USE BAKING SODA! It’s not the same and can’t be used as a substitute in this recipe. The recipe calls for BAKING POWDER!
This is a tested recipe and it works exceptionally well. I’ve made it at least 2 dozen times with great results. As was mentioned above, this recipe uses a modified version of the approach proposed by The Food Lab: In Search of the Best Oven-Fried Buffalo Wings article. A similar approach is used in the Cook’s Country Oven-Fried Chicken Wings recipe, which also uses baking powder.
Also remember to check out my Buffalo-Style Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe. It’s the bomb! Those baked drumsticks taste just taste just like my extra crispy chicken wings. Heck, they even look like oversize chicken drummettes.
Perfect for parties, game days and more!
Baked Chicken Wings - Extra Crispy, Like Deep-Fried
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings (tips removed, separated into wingettes and drumettes)
- 1 Tbsp BAKING POWDER (whatever you do, do NOT use baking soda)
- 1-2 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- Favorite Buffalo wing sauce for tossing or serving on the side
- Or a mix of favorite hot wing sauce and BBQ sauce, my new favorite
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F
- Dry chicken with a paper towel really well. Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle baking powder over the wings. Toss until all wings are evenly covered in baking powder.
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack (see note) on top and spray with Pam or rub with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Lay the chicken wings on the rack, leaving space between the wings.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven. Turn the heat down to 425F and set the mode to convection.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the wings are nicely browned and crisp.
Season with salt. Serve hot, tossed in Buffalo sauce or with the sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes
While a cooling rack helps with getting the melted chicken drain off the wings, it's a major pain getting it cleaned afterwards. I stopped using a cooling rack and bake the wings on parchement paper. I don't notice much difference, if any.
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Barbara says
So how would cook if do not have convection oven?
victor says
Convection is a requirement in this recipe as you get better results – as in noticeably crispier skin and a shorter cooking time. You can even easily get away without baking them on a wire rack. However, if you don’t have a convection oven try the method below originally suggested by America’s Test Kitchen. You should get somewhat similar results.
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Arrange wings in single layer on a wire rack placed over a backing sheet. Bake wings on lower-middle oven rack for 30 minutes. Move to upper-middle rack, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees, and roast until the wings are golden brown and crisp, 40-50 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove sheet from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer wings to a bowl with wing sauce of your choice, toss to coat, and serve.
I swear by my method though 😉
Kim says
I use the parchment paper and they came out extra crispy, the best oven fried wings I have ever had and taste
victor says
Thank you for the feedback, Kim! Glad to hear you liked my recipe.
Jason says
Crispy and FANTASTIC!!
Melad says
This is a great recipe for crispy baked wings. The only thing I would suggest is that I would preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the wings for about 20 minutes. This will allow the fat under the skin to slowly break apart at the low temperature. At that point, I would crank up the heat to 425 for 30 min to get the extra crispy skin.
ELaine says
Did fine in my oven , pre heated to 450 put wings in reduced heat to425 baked for 60 minutrdy they were crispy tender just delicious! Did not trim wings left them whole they were very good and more to chew!!
Jack says
Made these wings as per the instructions and they came out perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing. Never had Duffs wings sauce before but bought it for this recipe and liked it a lot.
Jen says
This is my go-to recipe for wings now. I love the simple and mess-free approach, and the wings were terrific.
victor says
Glad to hear that. It’s the most used wing recipe at our house. I still grill or smoke wings every now and again, but, like you said, the simplicity of these wings and the results are hard to beat.
Louise says
What if you don’t have a convection oven
victor says
This recipe is designed for convection oven. Without convection, try this recipe: http://ifoodblogger.com/how-to/bake-chicken-wings-to-perfection/. It’s really good too. If you really want to try this one without convection, please refer to the second comment from the top where I described the method.
Gloria A. says
These wings came out perfect just as pictured. We did not use sea salt but regular salt, pepper & a little onion powder. Baked at 450 for 40 minutes, then 350 for an additional 40 minutes. Delicious and crispy!
Michelle Nations says
These wings were perfect. I flipped them after 20 minutes but didn’t change anything else. THANK YOU for using parchment paper.
After I made wings this way, tried it with legs. It was deee-licious!
Thank you for sharing and for doing all the experimentation (so I didn’t have to.)
Jeremy says
I must admit I was skeptical about this recipe but I am glad I tried it. These wings are 100% legit. Super easy to make and my buddies now think I am a master chef.
Thomas R. Lewis says
Can you u see receipt in an Air Fryer
victor says
I’ve never used an air fryer but it sounds like a good alternative to a convection oven. Perhaps try with a very small batch first and see how it goes.
Marilyn says
These look delicious , I really prefer dry wings, have you ever tried to baste them with the wing sauce or add anything to the baking powder? I would still like them crispy but flavored . I have bought Sam’s rotisserie chicken wings and added wing sauce as they were cooking in the convection and turned out great.
victor says
What a coincidence! I just posted another recipe – http://ifoodblogger.com/killer-baked-chicken-wings/ – and it’s exactly what you are talking about. Try it, it’s my favorite for now. The wings, of course, lose some crispiness because of the sauce but nothing like a fairly soggy-skinned plain baked wing. I think you will appreciate these. Check out the video, at the end you can see how they look coming out of the oven.
Laura says
I just made these – I’ve been craving wings but whenever I eat the fried ones it messes with my stomach. I did exactly what this recipe said but I only baked mine for 35 mins in the 425 convection. I then tossed on a little sea salt- even those plain were amazing. I put a few for me into my fav buffalo sauce. I’m soooo keeping this recipe in my rotation!
victor says
Thank you for the feedback Laura and glad to hear that you liked my recipe. Interestingly, my stomach also doesn’t like deep fried food and that is the primary reason I searched for a way to make healthier crispy, like-deep-fried wings.
JM says
I was a little skeptical about the baking powder on my wings but decided to try your recipe anyway on a small batch. The results were great. I also used Duff’s hot sauce. I made 6 dozen wings again yesterday (in 2 batches) for a party and got tons of compliments and requests for the recipe. I gave them your website so expect a bump in traffic soon, lol.
victor says
Awesome! I appreciate that.
COLETTE Carson says
Will the wings turned out crispy if I season the baking powder with garlic powder and black pepper?
victor says
Yes, that should not hurt the crispiness. I’ve added pepper before and the wings turned out great. The only thing I am not adding before baking is salt as it tends to draw out moisture.
Anna says
Just made some for lunch. Wish I made more. So good!
Megan says
Love this recipe! Thank you! I modify just a bit by taking the wings out at 30 minutes, shaking them in sauce, and sticking them back in the oven for another 10 or 15 minutes, then shaking them in more sauce once fully cooked. They come out perfect every time,
victor says
You are very welcome! Glad to hear that you liked the recipe.
Tracey Edwards says
These wings were indeed very crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. I love this idea. I added powdered hot pepper sauce and powdered ranch dressing with a little garlic and ginger powder sprinkled on top. The flavor was phenomenal! No sauce needed. They browned up great and were oh so crispy. Thanks so much again for this recipe. This is my second time using it. Fried foods mess with me something fierce. Going to try more variations in the future. Looking into trying the chicken legs too.
victor says
That’s great to hear, Tracey. Glad you liked them. Be sure to try this recipe too: http://ifoodblogger.com/killer-baked-chicken-wings/. It’s a variation and is super tasty too.
Mary M says
Like some of the others, was not real sure about the baking powder. But I had just got my new countertop convection oven and was dying to try new things. Made it exactly as stated in recipe and they came out fantastic!! They pretty much got devoured within minutes. This is definitely a Keeper. Thanks!!
victor says
I am glad you tried my recipe and it came out great, Mary. Thanks for posting your feedback, I am sure others will appreciate it as much as I do.
Jo says
Aloha, your recipe hit it right on the spot… tried it twice and it turned out the same…still crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside… I created my own hot sauce and family says it’s better than Humpy’s… they can’t get over on how it holds it’s crispiness on the outside and juicy on the inside without deep frying… Thank you…
victor says
Aloha, Jo! Thanks for stopping by and chiming in with your feedback, much appreciated. Glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do.
Chandra says
I made these wings today. I like the fried chicken taste without the high fat content of deep frying. I like spice, but not the messiness of the wing sauce so I just added cayenne pepper with the other seasonings and ate them as they came out of the oven. Delicious! Thank you for sharing.
victor says
You are very welcome, Chandra. Glad you liked them and thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback. I like cayenne a lot by the way and use very often.
Erica says
Awesome recipe! A+++ My hubby couldn’t have enough of these wings.
Donna says
Great recipe. The parchment paper made for easy clean up and the wings were really crispy. I might be done with deep frying forever. Thanks!
Karen says
Has anyone tried frozen wings with this recipe? Or should I thaw them first?
victor says
I would advise against baking them frozen as they will release some water which will prevent the skin from crisping up. Thaw them first (I put mine, vacuum sealed, in lukewarm water and they are ready to go in 20 minutes or so), then pat dry with paper towels really well.
Lori says
Could I use this recipe in the air fryer and cook 12 min flip and another 12 min at 400 as in other recipes?
victor says
I don’t own an air fryer so I’ve never tested it with any of my recipes. I’d be the wrong person to ask therefore. That said, an air fryer is essentially a compact convection oven so it should technically work just as well. Keep a close eye on the wings the first time around and make adjustments as needed. Good luck!
Amy says
Bye-Bye fried wings. Followed the 425 convection for 45 mins – so crispy. Amazing! Thank you for the tip as it’s just too cold to grill wings these days.
victor says
You are very welcome! No kidding about the cold. I am known to grill all year round but I will pass these days.
Dana T says
The wings were perfect! I dried them with paper towels, seasoned them and let them sit for a while. Right before cooking I dabbed them with paper towels right before cooking and then tossed them with some powder. Lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and cooked on 20 minutes EACH side at a temp of 425. Perfectly crispy brown wings. My husband is obsessed. Saving money on making them at home and better baked than fried!
victor says
Glad to hear it. Thanks for posting your feedback.
Pam Jensen says
I made these in my Air fryer abd they were Perfect! My air fryer only goes up to 400 so I pre-heated it for 5 min and cooked them for 40 min. I used a spatula to gently stir them every 10 min since I couldn’t lay them all side by side. My husband isn’t a big wing person, but he said these were some of the best he has had and wants to have them again.
Pam Jensen says
I made these in my Air fryer and they were Perfect! My air fryer only goes up to 400 so I pre-heated it for 5 min and cooked them for 40 min. I used a spatula to gently stir them every 10 min since I couldn’t lay them all side by side. My husband isn’t a big wing person, but he said these were some of the best he has had and wants to have them again.
Starla says
This is an excellent and would have made excellent replacement for wings on my keto diet, but I was an idiot and didn’t read the instructions all the way. I tossed the wings with like 2 CUPS of baking powder and that is not a good idea. Thank you for the recipe. I’m sure that next time they will be amazing caus will follow the recipe properly. Lol
victor says
LOL… I can imagine how they must have turned out… I’ve had incidents like that too. Lesson learned.
ZB says
Followed the recipe (use of baking powder) without other ingredients. I just really wanted to reach the crispy consistency. Superb!
victor says
Awesome! Glad to hear that. Thank you for taking time to leave your feedback. I really appreciate it.
Primus says
One word – AMAZING!!! This is what I am making for the Super Bowl night.
Russ says
I made two batches of your wings for the Super Bowl last night and everyone praised them. The best homemade wings, period!!!!!!!!
victor says
Glad to hear that, Russ. Thanks a lot for the feedback.
Ric says
Try flour instead of baking powder !
victor says
Tried that, not as crispy with flour.
Vania McAllister says
I just made this, with a couple of (very minor) adjustments, and it was awesome! We don’t have a convection oven, so I baked them on a rack at 425F for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. I also added about a tablespoon of salt-free dry rub to the baking powder. Holy moly were these tasty! Thank you for sharing this method!
victor says
You are very welcome! And thank you for sharing your feedback very much! I am sure those without convection would be very happy to hear that the method works in regular mode too.
Bev says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! So just to clarify, when do add the salt? After its cooked??
victor says
Yes, I suggest adding salt after baking as it draws out moisture which will impact crisping.
Yb says
My husband loves fried wings. Today he said he wouldnt be able to tell the difference. Loved the ease and no mess clean up. I used the regular oven recipe.
victor says
Great! Thanks for your feedback.
Tasha says
The best wing recipe I’ve ever tried. My family loves deep fried wings and they said these are much better.
Shaun I says
OMFG… thank you. This has to be heaven. I don’t write review of recipes, but just had to let you know these came out absolutely perfect. Actually, in my opinion, these came out better than fried. They are really crispy. I don’t have a convection oven but followed the settings in the comments and still was able to produce the crispy skin. It did take over an hour, but oh so worth it. Thanks again.
victor says
Hi Shaun, thank you for taking time and writing a review. It made my day!
Lex C says
I didn’t have a convection oven but I used the directions in the comments. They turned out wonderful! The looked just like the pictures and tasted great!
victor says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
Josh says
When do you salt them?
victor says
When I toss them with Buffalo sauce… mentioned this in the post but not explicitly in the recipe instructions, will fix that.