An easy step by step guide on how to make crispy chicken wings at home, without frying them! Simply oven baked, without any flour, batter or yuckies!
You want to make crispy wings that are healthy, moist on the inside but with extra crispy skin, and without deep-frying them ?
The secret to crispy wings is getting rid of the moisture!
Then simply bake them at high temperature on an oven safe Cooling Rack! (<-amazon)
By roasting the wings on a cooling rack they will get even crisper, as all the moisture and fat will drip away into the bottom of the pan, so much so that you won’t even need to drain them on paper towels when done. They will be perfectly ready to be dunked in your favorite sauce. The cooling rack is everything! (<-amazon)
No flour, no breading, and no baking powder needed.
Whatever you do, don’t even think of marinading! Not if you want them super crisp anyways. Wait till the end to add your favorite sauces on top:
- chili-lime butter
- argentinian chimichurri sauce
- sweet chili sauce
- peanut sauce
- blackberry sauce
- honey soy garlic sauce
- teriyaki
- Moroccan red harissa
- brown butter sage
- arrabiata sauce
An easy step by step guide on how to make crispy chicken wings in the oven, simply baked, without frying them, the kind that are moist on the inside with extra crispy skin on the outside.
- 15 Chicken Wings organic (tips discarded)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp Spanish paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Pat the chicken wings dry very well with paper towels. Arrange them on a tray, preferably in a single layer and place them in the refrigerator to air dry overnight, or at least for a few hours.
(This step is crucial to get rid of the extra moisture and obtain that crispy wings exterior we are after.)
Preheat your oven to 450”F for at least 20 minutes. Makes sure the oven temperature actually reached 450”F before baking the wings.
Bring the wings to room temperature and let them rest on the kitchen counter while your oven is heating up, for at least 20 minutes. Pat the wings dry again with paper towels to remove any extra moisture.
Line your largest roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place an oven proof cooling rack on top.
In a mixing bowl combine the olive oil, black pepper, sea salt and paprika. Toss the wings to coat well in the oil and spice mix, then place them skin side down on the cooling rack without touching each other.
Bake the wings for 15 minutes at 450”F then flip them over without letting the heat escape from the oven. Bake them an additional 15 minutes until crispy golden brown all over. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.
If you are making lots of wings, make sure to split them between two or more trays in the oven as to not overcrowd them.
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Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
February 14, 2015 at 2:29 pmWe love chicken wings and usually eat them sauced and sticky but crispy really hits my hot button right now.
Florentina
February 25, 2015 at 5:28 pmSince you said sticky, I’m really thinking Teriyaki wings ! Yum!
denise
June 19, 2018 at 9:12 amI’m wondering if you leave them in the fridge uncovered?
Florentina
June 19, 2018 at 2:16 pmyes
Leah
February 18, 2015 at 1:18 pmI like chicken wings when they’re a little crispy, a little sticky and whole lotta spicy!
Florentina
February 25, 2015 at 5:30 pmNice! Sounds like the holly trinity of wings !
Sandra Watts
February 18, 2015 at 4:04 pmI love crispy wings with only a little bit of sauce and of course lots of blue cheese.
marla king
February 19, 2015 at 2:50 pmI like my wings boneless with mild sauce.
Sally Guenterberg
February 20, 2015 at 6:31 amI have made chicken fingers but never wings. Going to try this recipe since it is baked. Generally we all eat wings sauced mild to medium
Jolene
February 20, 2015 at 11:56 amI like sticky wings. Just enough sauce for flavour but not too much to overwhelm the wing.
Shawn
February 20, 2015 at 4:53 pmI like mine crispy.
Tina W
February 23, 2015 at 7:32 pmI love my wings crispy, but with a great sticky sauce. *extra napkins please*
colleen long
February 25, 2015 at 10:47 amI love them drenched in hot sauce
Holly Thomas
February 25, 2015 at 11:31 amI like my wings crispy & hot!
Jesse S
February 25, 2015 at 11:58 amI love crispy chicken wings drenched in hot sauce!
Denise Elmer
February 25, 2015 at 12:35 pmI like my wings crispy and not overly seasoned. A nice honey mustard or barbecue sauce on the side, please.
rusthawk
February 25, 2015 at 12:46 pmI love them spicy with a spicy mustard dip.
Debbie Welchert
February 25, 2015 at 2:02 pmI love my chicken wings crispy with some hot sauce on them, not drenching.
kweenbee612
February 25, 2015 at 2:35 pmI LOVE my wings ANY way they CAN be made. I like ’em hot, sticky, crispy, drenched in sauce, sweet, spicy, cold the next day, I am NOT choosy!!!
Florentina
February 25, 2015 at 5:27 pmI think you really Love wings ! Haha
Neha Kaul
February 25, 2015 at 5:04 pmCrispy wings all the way!
Meg
February 25, 2015 at 7:15 pmI love my wings saucy and spicy! My favorite combo is spicy buffalo garlic or spicy honey bbq!
Annette
February 25, 2015 at 9:50 pmThese look so yummy. I prefer my chicken wings crispy.
Jennifer Herman
February 26, 2015 at 3:59 amI like my chicken wings with spicy bbq sauce,
Susan Broughton
February 26, 2015 at 4:10 amI don’t eat that many Chicken Wings but when I do I really enjoy them extra crispy with a hot sauce that also has a sweetness to it too.
Birgitta Durell
March 1, 2015 at 1:14 pmThis is the second time around we made these wonderful crispy chicken wings. We grilled a whole bunch and brought it to a potluck dinner at our daughter’s school – within minutes the plate was empty 🙂
Florentina
March 1, 2015 at 1:44 pmThat’s fantastic ! Have you tried them with chimichurri yet ? I bet you would love that ! xo’s
Robyn
March 19, 2015 at 11:56 amI always buy store bought frozen wings . . . until now!
Lindsey
January 14, 2016 at 9:52 amWe did this! The recipe worked out great…my Hubz was very skeptical…but then could NOT believe the final product!
Florentina
January 14, 2016 at 2:00 pmI am so glad to hear that Lindsey. This really is the only way I make wings nowadays, I’m so happy you had a great experience.
NiCola
February 3, 2016 at 4:54 pmI have made this recipe twice now. It is Good! The key is letting the chicken sit before you cook them. Make sure you blot the chicken with a paper towel first. This helps the chicken get crispy. Enjoy!
Florentina
February 3, 2016 at 11:14 pmYes absolutely , both very important tips. Chicken must be very dry and at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. So glad you enjoyed your crispy wings !
Beth
February 7, 2016 at 2:33 pmMine took longer than 30 min, also the oil splattered all over in my oven…. Making a big mess!!! So maybe put some foil down!
Florentina
February 7, 2016 at 4:42 pmHi Beth, I suspect your wings still had lots of moisture trapped inside, hence the splatter once in the oven. That is why it is so important to air dry them in the fridge the night before, and also blot with paper towels any existing moisture. Also If your wings aren’t room temperature, or simply extra large wings, it might take a little longer than 30 minutes. I definitely suggest lining the baking tray with aluminum foil to collect any of the drippings and make for an easier clean up. Hope you enjoyed the wings still and the little mess was worth it 🙂 Happy Sunday ~ Florentina
Brandy M.
February 8, 2016 at 7:05 amDuring the winter I bake my wings to get them crispy like you do. During the summer I’ve found the grill is a great place to get them crispy! It takes about an hour on the grill on low but they turn out amazing!
Florentina
February 8, 2016 at 12:07 pmI’ve never made them on the grill, but that would be so great during the summer months !
Tracy | Baking Mischief
February 8, 2016 at 7:58 amThese look so good. I love that they get crispy without all the oil! I’m really simple when it comes to my wings. I like good old fashioned BBQ sauce.
Florentina
February 8, 2016 at 12:06 pmSimple things and simple wings are the best. I like mine crispy and dunked in chimichurri sauce !
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
February 8, 2016 at 11:33 amThis is awesome…baking them is so much better. I hate deep frying anything!!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
February 8, 2016 at 12:46 pmWhere were you when I needed this recipe for the Super Bowl?? I needed to really celebrate — our team WON!! The chicken wings look super delicious and I like the idea of baking rather than frying. Thanks for sharing.
Florentina
February 8, 2016 at 4:53 pmIt was always here LOL , now you have it 😉
Tracy @ Served from Scratch
February 8, 2016 at 9:45 pmYES. Chicken wings need to be crispy – hate it when they’re not! Great recipe!
Manju | Cooking Curries
February 9, 2016 at 12:57 amI dont eat chicken wings but those look seriously crispy!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
February 9, 2016 at 2:45 pmWow – these look good! And, um, have I lost my marbles? I must have b/c I never would have thought NOT to marinade these to keep them crispy! Genius! Thanks for sharing!
Florentina
February 9, 2016 at 3:20 pmHaha Patricia, no way to the marinade. It just ads a bunch of extra moisture that you will need to get rid of in order to get crispy wings. So do yourself a favor and say no to the marinade 😉
Oana | Adore Foods
February 13, 2016 at 6:38 amAh, these crispy chicken wings…you are killing me! I never tried making them at home, but this has to change now that I have your recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing it with us
Florentina
February 13, 2016 at 7:30 pmGotta change that, make some crispy wings for your Valentine !
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health
February 13, 2016 at 6:40 ami need to make wings one of these days! it looks so good..
dan r cassidy
March 25, 2016 at 10:53 amI like to smoke mine in the smoker first and then crisp them by quickly deep frying – can I put them in the oven after smoking them or put it oven after a stint in the fridge for a day or two? -THANKS
Florentina
March 25, 2016 at 5:27 pmHi Dan, make sure to dry them really well before and after smoking them, that way you can put them straight in the oven afterwards. Otherwise I’d say a day in the fridge does miracles for extra crispy wings. Enjoy !
Scott
April 13, 2016 at 12:04 amI finally purchased one of those cooling racks you insist baking the wings on. The result is incredible. I can’t believe I can have such tender yet crispy wings that are baked and not fried. The cooling rack really does the job. So happy I listened and finally got one. Best wings I’ve ever had, no kidding !
Florentina
April 13, 2016 at 12:45 pmWoohoo ! I believe in the cooling rack, no other way to make healthy crispy wings !
Dina C
June 8, 2016 at 5:06 pmCould i bake them and then briefly grill them at the end?
Florentina
June 11, 2016 at 12:13 pmHi Dina, you sure could If you wanted too. Are you looking to get the grill marks look or are you more after the smoky taste of the grill ? Because you could also just use smoke paprika on the wings to replicate that flavor ~ Florentina
Lori
September 11, 2016 at 2:20 pmI could have eaten the whole pan in one sitting! But I didn’t. Ha! These were PERFECTION. Thanks for the recipe!
Florentina
September 11, 2016 at 2:34 pmWoohoo! I’m so happy to hear Lori, thanks for stopping by to comment. Those chicken wings are always the winner for us on game day.
Janet Hafner
February 4, 2017 at 7:17 pmHi, What rack in the oven do you bake your wings on??
Florentina
February 4, 2017 at 8:13 pmIn the middle is fine Janet 🙂
Delphine
February 22, 2017 at 1:03 pmI just made them and they are SO Good!! Didn’t even need the dipping sauce! I made 2 batches, one with smoked paprika and the other with onion & garlic powder. Both delicious. This recipe is a keeperThanks
Florentina
February 23, 2017 at 3:47 pmWoohoo! I’m so happy to hear 🙂
Sonia
April 6, 2018 at 4:07 pmI don’t usually leave reviews, good or bad. But in this case, I couldn’t not say something These are the best wings I’ve ever had. So crunchy and without all the additives. Even my picky husband came back for more. I have found my favorite wing recipe. The only bad thing I can say is that I didn’t make enough.
Thanks for sharing!!
Randy
May 19, 2018 at 4:20 pmMade these tonight and Icould have eaten them all myself but NOOOOO my DH had to have some too !They we’re fanatic! Can’twait To make them again.
Randyh
July 26, 2018 at 3:21 pmThis is the second time I’ve made these and while I love them the olive oil and spices are not enough to coat all the wings. Had to double it to coat the wings
Marcia
February 3, 2019 at 4:50 pmJust made these Perfect! Crispy exactly what I was hoping for!! Husband absolutely loved then with his favorite dipping sauces. Will make these again!! Thank you for sharing!!