Dinner Ideas Weekly
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings (Baking Powder Trick)
Crispy oven-baked chicken wings with a light baking powder coating, tossed in buffalo butter and served with a cool blue cheese dip. Only 10 minutes of hands-on prep.
Golden chicken wings straight from the oven, with skin that crackles when you bite it and no pot of oil on the stove. A light coat of baking powder and salt does most of the work, and you spend only about 10 minutes hands-on.
The wings bake on a rack at 425°F for 45 to 50 minutes. Then they get tossed in a quick buffalo butter and go to the table with a blue cheese dip. Start to finish it takes about an hour, and most of that is oven time you can use for the sides.
Why this recipe works
Oven wings get crisp when three things happen: the skin is dry, it has a little baking powder on it, and air can reach every piece. Baking powder is slightly alkaline. It raises the pH of the skin, which helps it brown faster and turn into a thin, bubbly crust. One tablespoon for 3 pounds of wings is enough, and you won't taste it.
The wire rack lets hot air reach the underside while the fat drips away, so the wings roast instead of sitting in their own grease. A steady 425°F renders the fat under the skin in about 45 minutes. That keeps this a weeknight recipe, unlike the two-stage low-then-high method that runs well past an hour.
The sauce goes on at the very end. Buffalo butter is mostly hot sauce with just enough butter to help it cling, so it gives the wings a glossy coat without soaking through the crust.
Ingredient notes
Wings: buy "party wings" that are already split into drumettes and flats, which saves about 10 minutes of knife work. If you buy whole wings, cut through the two joints with a sharp knife and save the tips for stock. Use fresh or fully thawed wings only, because frozen wings release water and steam instead of crisping.
Baking powder: it has to be baking powder, not baking soda. Baking soda tastes soapy and metallic on the skin. Aluminum-free baking powder is the better choice here because regular double-acting powder can leave a faint bitter note. Check the date too, since old powder does very little.
Salt: the amount in the recipe is for kosher salt. Table salt is much denser, so use 3/4 teaspoon if that's all you have.
Hot sauce: a Louisiana-style cayenne pepper sauce (thin, vinegary, medium heat) is the classic buffalo base. Thick chili sauces like sriracha are hotter and sweeter and give a different result.
Blue cheese: if you can, buy a wedge and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled cheese has anti-caking powder and less flavor.
How to make baked chicken wings
Start by setting up the oven and the pan, because the setup matters more than anything else here. Foil under the rack catches the drippings. A light coat of oil on the rack keeps the skin from tearing when you flip the wings.
Dry the wings more than you think you need to. Press them between paper towels until the towels come away dry. Then toss them with the baking powder mix in a big bowl until the coating is thin and even. Any white clumps will stay chalky after baking.
Lay the wings skin side up with a finger's width of space between them, because crowded wings trap steam. After 25 minutes the skin will look pale gold and fat will be pooling on the foil. Flip them and keep baking until the skin is deep golden and blistered, another 20 to 25 minutes. Chicken is safe at 165°F in the thickest part. Wings have a lot of connective tissue, though, and taste better at 175 to 185°F, when the meat pulls cleanly off the bone.
Let the wings rest on the rack for 5 minutes so the skin firms up. Then toss them with the warm buffalo butter and serve right away.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
Soft, rubbery skin: the wings were wet, too crowded, or taken out too early. Next time, dry them well and leave space between them. To rescue a batch, put the unsauced wings back in a 450°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
Bitter or metallic taste: you used baking soda, used too much baking powder, or didn't toss well enough. Stick to 1 tablespoon for 3 pounds and break up any clumps.
Wings stuck to the rack: the rack wasn't oiled, or you flipped before the skin had set. Oil the rack and wait the full 25 minutes before flipping. A thin metal spatula will loosen any pieces that stick.
Smoke from the oven: fat is dripping onto a bare pan or an already dirty oven floor. A rimmed, foil-lined sheet holds the drippings and prevents most of the smoke.
Sauce slides off or makes the crust soggy: toss the wings in a bowl with warm sauce right before serving. Sauced wings that sit for 20 minutes will soften no matter what.
What to serve with baked chicken wings
Celery and carrot sticks with the blue cheese dip are the classic pairing. To make it a full dinner, add potato wedges or frozen oven fries, which can roast on the lower rack at the same 425°F for the last 30 minutes. Creamy coleslaw cools down the heat. Corn on the cob or a green salad with ranch also keeps the meal simple.
Tips for success
- For even crispier skin, coat the wings up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them uncovered on the rack. The cold air dries the skin further.
- Check the temperature in the thickest drumette, with the probe tip not touching the bone.
- For milder wings, add 1 more tablespoon of butter to the sauce. For hotter wings, whisk in a pinch of cayenne.
- To double the batch, use two racked sheet pans on the upper and lower thirds of the oven, swap their positions when you flip, and add about 5 minutes.
- If you want something less messy, skip the sauce and serve the wings dry-rubbed with lemon wedges.
Substitutions
- Dairy-free: use olive oil or plant butter in the sauce and serve with a dairy-free ranch. The sauce is a little thinner and less glossy.
- Gluten-free: the recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just check the labels on your hot sauce and baking powder.
- Air fryer: cook in a single layer, in batches, at 380°F for 20 minutes, flip, then at 400°F for 5 to 8 minutes until golden and 165°F.
- Honey garlic instead of buffalo: simmer 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 grated garlic cloves and 1 tbsp butter for 2 minutes. It's stickier and sweeter, so toss only at the end.
- Lemon pepper: toss with 2 tbsp melted butter, 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning and the zest of 1 lemon. Bright and not spicy.
- Chicken drumsticks: use the same method and bake 45 to 55 minutes total, to 175°F. They're meatier, so the skin-to-meat ratio is lower.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Keep the dip in a separate container, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Cooked wings (unsauced is best) freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge. Reheat on a rack at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until they reach 165°F in the thickest part. The microwave works too, but the skin goes soft.
Make ahead
Coat the wings with the baking powder mix and refrigerate them uncovered on the rack for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge and add 2 to 3 minutes. The blue cheese dip keeps for up to 2 days in the fridge. The buffalo butter keeps for 1 week in the fridge; rewarm it gently before tossing.
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Crispy oven-baked chicken wings with a light baking powder coating, tossed in buffalo butter and served with a cool blue cheese dip. Only 10 minutes of hands-on prep.
- Prep
- 10 mins
- Cook
- 50 mins
- Total
- 1 hr
- Servings
- 4 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, set an oven-safe wire rack on top and lightly oil or spray the rack.
- Pat the wings very dry with paper towels, pressing on both sides until the towels come away dry. If the wings are whole, cut them at the joints into drumettes and flats and discard the tips or save them for stock.
- In a large bowl, whisk the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and pepper. Add the wings and toss until every piece has a thin, even, dusty coat with no white clumps.
- Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between the pieces. Bake 25 minutes, until the skin starts to turn pale golden and fat is dripping onto the foil.
- Flip the wings with tongs and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until the skin is deep golden, crisp and blistered and the thickest drumette reads at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer (175 to 185°F gives the most tender meat).
- While the wings bake, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of pepper. Refrigerate the dip until serving.
- Make the buffalo butter: melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat (or in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds), then whisk in the hot sauce and honey until smooth and glossy.
- Let the wings rest on the rack for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl, pour the warm buffalo butter over them and toss until coated. Sprinkle with chives and serve right away with the dip and the vegetable sticks.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- oven-safe wire rack
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 815 kcal
- Protein
- 62 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 61 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 1900 mg
Nutrition values are estimates per serving and change with brands and portion sizes.
Dinner Ideas Weekly · https://dinnerideasweekly.com/blog/baked-chicken-wings
Frequently asked questions
Do you need baking powder for crispy baked wings?
No, but it makes a clear difference. Without it, wings baked at 425°F on a rack still brown, but the skin stays leathery in spots. With 1 tablespoon of baking powder for 3 pounds, the skin turns thin, bubbly and crisp. Use baking powder, never baking soda.
Can I bake frozen chicken wings?
It's safe to cook wings from frozen in the oven, but they release a lot of water, take about 50 percent longer and won't get crisp. For this recipe, thaw them first: overnight in the fridge, or in sealed bags in cold water for about 1 hour, changing the water every 30 minutes. Then pat them dry.
How long do you bake chicken wings at 400°F?
About 50 to 55 minutes on a rack, flipping halfway. At 425°F they take 45 to 50 minutes. In both cases, go by the color and the thermometer: deep golden skin and at least 165°F in the thickest piece.
What temperature should chicken wings be when done?
Wings are safe at 165°F. Because they are full of connective tissue, they taste better cooked to 175 to 185°F. That's when the meat turns tender and pulls cleanly off the bone without drying out.
Can I make baked wings ahead for a party?
Yes. Bake them up to 1 day ahead, cool them and refrigerate them unsauced. Before serving, recrisp them on a rack at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes until they're 165°F, then toss them in warm sauce. They hold best on a rack in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. Toss small batches as needed.