With football season underway, baked chicken wings are the perfect appetizer for game day get-togethers. Crisp and saucy wings pair perfectly with beer while watching the game with friends. Experiment with different seasonings and sauces so you’ll never get bored of this tasty snack! Whip up a batch using my tips for making the best baked chicken wings ever. Just be prepared for everyone to beg you for the recipe!
Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
BAKED CHICKEN WINGS
Equipment
- 1 small bowl
- 1 saute pan
- 1 oven
- 1 rimmed baking dish
- 1 separate container
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 T water
- 2 T olive oil
- 3 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp dried ginger
- 3 scallions
- 1/4 c soy sauce
- 1/2 c honey
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 T sesame oil
- 2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 lbs chicken wing pieces
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl make a slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and water.
- Heat oil in a saute pan. Toss in garlic and scallions, reserving a few for garnish. Cook 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in soy sauce, honey, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, and chili flakes. Whisk in corn starch slurry and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 3-4 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a rimmed baking dish (cookie sheet) and bake for 20 min.
- Reserve about ⅓ of the sauce in a separate container for the end.
- Remove baking dish from the oven and roll wings in the bowl with ⅔ of the sauce in. Place back on the baking dish and return to the oven for 20 min.
- Remove from the oven and turn all the wings over. Bake an additional 10-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and baste with remaining sauce. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
- Tip: Sauce can be made a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
Choose the right wings - Look for whole wings, not drummettes or flats alone. Whole wings have the perfect meat-to-bone ratio.
Season generously - I like to coat the wings in a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a little cayenne for heat. The spices will form a flavorful, crispy skin.
Bake at a high temp - Preheat your oven to 425°F. The high heat will crisp up the outside of the wings.
Flip halfway - Flip the wings over about halfway through baking so both sides get evenly crispy.
Toss in sauce - Once cooked, toss the wings in your favorite sauce to coat. I love buffalo or bbq sauce. The sauce combines with the crispy skin for finger-licking goodness.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Baked Chicken Wings
Follow these tips for the best baked chicken wings:
- Don’t overcrowd the pan – Give the wings room so they crisp up. Use two pans if needed.
- Let sit before saucing – Let the wings rest 5-10 minutes before tossing in sauce. It helps the skin stay crispy.
- Blot before saucing – Gently blot the wings with a paper towel before saucing to remove excess grease.
- Use tongs to toss – Toss the cooked wings in sauce using tongs rather than dumping sauce over them. It evenly coats the wings.
- Bake from frozen – No need to thaw frozen wings, just add 5-10 mins to the bake time.
Serving Suggestions
Baked chicken wings make the perfect party appetizer or game day snack. Here are some serving ideas:
- Offer a variety of sauces – Buffalo, bbq, teriyaki, honey mustard – let guests choose their flavor.
- Serve with creamy blue cheese or ranch dip. The cool dip balances the heat of spicy wings.
- Offer crunchy celery and carrot sticks on the side for dipping.
- Cool, refreshing drinks help tame fiery wings. Try beer, lemonade, or iced tea.
- For a complete meal, serve wings alongside coleslaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad.
FAQs
- How long do you bake chicken wings? Bake at 425°F for 40-50 minutes, flipping halfway. Larger wings may need a few more minutes.
- What’s the best sauce for baked wings? Classic Buffalo and bbq sauces are always crowd pleasers. I also like sweet chili and garlic parmesan sauces. Get creative with teriyaki, honey mustard, or other flavors too.
- How do you make crispy baked wings? Baking at a high temp (425°F), seasoning generously before baking, and flipping halfway through are keys to crispy wings. Letting them rest after baking before saucing also helps maintain crispiness.
- How can you tell when they’re done? The skin will be sizzling, crispy, and golden brown when they’re fully cooked. The meat near the bones should no longer be pink.
- Can you bake frozen wings without thawing? Yes, just add 5-10 extra minutes to the bake time. The oven heat will thaw and cook the wings.
- What’s the best way to toss wings in sauce? Use tongs to gently toss the wings in a bowl with sauce. Don’t dump sauce over them or the crispiness will suffer.
- Should you coat wings in oil before baking? Just a tablespoon or two of oil is needed. Too much oil will make the wings greasy.
- What’s the best oil to use? I like to use avocado oil for its high smoke point, but olive oil also works well.