These oven baked chicken wings are so crispy and tender. I tested them at every oven temperature to figure out which temp and bake time give you the most crispy outside and tender, moist center. Skip the grease from frying and make these easy chicken wings in the oven! Coat them in your favorite sauce right at the end and broil to bubbly perfection.
Baked wings can be just as juicy and taste just as flavorful as fried wings! I tested batches of wings to determine which temperature resulted in crispy skin and tender chicken.
I’m sharing a recipe for everyday baked chicken wings, with sauce options, that stand up alongside some of our other favorite game day recipes like buffalo chicken meatballs and hot honey chicken tenders.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love these Baked Chicken Wings
- How Long to Bake Chicken Wings
- What Oven Temperature is Best?
- Is It Better to Bake Chicken Wings at 350 or 400?
- The Secret Ingredient to Crispy Wings
- Ingredients You Need
- Sauces for Wings
- How to Make Baked Chicken Wings
- Tips for Crispy Wings
- FAQs
- How to Serve Chicken Wings
- Storing Leftovers
- More Appetizers to Try
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Why You’ll Love these Baked Chicken Wings
Baked chicken wings are so popular because they’re a delicious combo of crispy skin, juicy meat, and flavor (sauce options are endless!). Baking the wings makes prep easier and healthier than deep frying.
This simple chicken wings recipe is made with a baking powder mixture and a simple spice mix. Bake them in the oven for under an hour and enjoy plain, with your favorite dips, or toss them in a wing sauce.
Once you learn how to make chicken wings you can add even more flavor with our chicken wing brine and toss them in a delicious sauce like our Asian chicken wings and honey sriracha wings.
I love to serve them as an appetizer, main dish, or snack. The recipe’s simplicity and endless flavor possibilities make baked chicken wings a favorite food in our house.
Keep reading to learn what temperature to bake chicken wings, how to cut chicken wings, the secrets to crispy wings, and more.
How Long to Bake Chicken Wings
It takes 35-45 minutes to bake chicken wings in the oven at 425°F. The cook time varies based on the size of the chicken wings and your oven. Always use an instant read thermometer and remove the chicken wings from the oven when they reach 165°F.
They takes 45-55 minutes at 400 and 55-65 minutes at 350.
Heads up: wings will cook 20% faster if you use a chicken wing brine, so account for that in your cook time and start to check the wings at 25-30 minutes.
What Oven Temperature is Best?
425°F is the best temperature to bake chicken wings. This approach gets the chicken wing skin extra crispy and the chicken meat tender and juicy. The high heat creates a crispy crust to lock in the juices quickly while taking less time to bake. It usually takes between 35-45 minutes to bake chicken wings.
Like in my buffalo chicken salad, I love to bake chicken tenders and wings at 425°F.
Is It Better to Bake Chicken Wings at 350 or 400?
I tested baking these chicken wings at 350, 400, and 425 degrees f. Baking at a higher temperature will result in crispy skin in a shorter amount of time—which is why 400 is a better option. However, 425F is the best option.
A 350° F oven will still result in crispy skin, it will just take longer to crisp and cook all the way through. The crispy “crust” happens much faster when the temperature is higher, locking in the juices and making the wings extra juicy and crispy.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the ingredients you need for crispy chicken wings. Jump to recipe for exact measurements.
- Chicken wings: buy them pre-cut into drums and wings, or cut them yourself.
- Baking powder: raises the skin’s PH and draws out moisture for ultra crispy skin.
- Spices: I love a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
Sauces for Wings
- Buffalo sauce
- Asian sauce
- Thai sweet chili
- Garlic parmesan
- BBQ sauce
- any other favorite sauce!
Two Types of Chicken Wings
A lot of the time you can purchase wings pre-cut into the two types of chicken wings: drumettes and wingettes. Our grocery store sells them whole so I have to cut them myself. However, it’s totally acceptable (and delicious) to leave them whole.
How to Make Baked Chicken Wings
Pat them Dry
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and top it with a wire rack. Pat the fresh chicken wings really dry with a paper towel.
Toss with Dry Rub
Place them in a large bowl and toss with a mixture of baking powder (aluminum-free), garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Bake at 425
Place the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Should I flip my wings in the oven? You don’t need to flip chicken wings if you bake them on a wire rack because the air circulates around the entire wing. You can bake these without a wire rack, but I recommend flipping them halfway through.
Toss in Sauce and Broil
Let the chicken wings rest for rest for 5 minutes. Toss in your favorite sauce, I went with buffalo for classic buffalo wings, and broil for 2-3 minutes right before serving. It helps the sauce stick, warms it up, and makes it sticky and bubbly.
Tips for Crispy Wings
- Always use an instant-read thermometer to determine doneness. The size of the wings can vary and so can everyone’s oven temperature, so using a thermometer is ideal. For an accurate reading, insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the wing, being careful to avoid the bone
- Dry the wings thoroughly: Before cooking, make sure to pat the wings dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Excess moisture on the skin will prevent it from becoming crispy when cooked.
- Cook the wings on a wire rack: Placing the wings on a wire rack will allow hot air to circulate around the wings, helping to cook them evenly and create a crispy crust on all sides.
- Use baking powder to alkalize the chicken skin and draw out moisture—the secret to the best chicken wings!
FAQs
You do not need to flip wings if you bake them on a wire rack because the air is circulating around them. I still like to turn the baking tray halfway through to avoid any hot spots in the oven, but physically flipping them isn’t necessary.
Only flip the chicken wings halfway through if you’re baking them directly on a baking sheet.
Always add sauce towards the end of baking or toss baked chicken wings in the sauce when they’re done. The sugar in a sauce can burn, especially if you’re baking them at a higher heat.
I like to toss wings in the sauce after baking then place them back in the oven to broil for a few minutes before serving to warm the sauce and help it stick to the wings. The sugars in the sauce caramelize and bubble, giving it the best texture.
Always use an instant-read thermometer, like we recommend when determining beef doneness. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the wing, without touching the bone. The chicken wings should reach a target temperature of 165°F. We remove ours around 160°F to account for carryover cooking.
How to Serve Chicken Wings
- With dipping sauces: ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, healthy honey mustard, or hot sauce.
- With vegetables: Such as carrots and celery sticks.
- In a salad: Chop up the cooked wings and mix with greens, vegetables, and dressing.
Storing Leftovers
Allow the wings to cool to room temperature before storing. Place the cooled wings in an airtight container or plastic storage bag. Store the container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, preheat the oven or air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and bake the wings for 10-15 minutes, or until they are heated through. Alternatively, you can heat them up in the microwave for 1-2 minutes
More Appetizers to Try
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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings whole or halved at joints for wingettes and drumettes (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder aluminum-free
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Buffalo sauce or other wing sauce for serving (I used Primal Kitchen buffalo sauce)
Instructions
- Prep: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on top . Spray the rack with nonstick spray.
- Toss with dry rub: Pat the chicken wings really dry with a paper towel then place them in a large bowl and toss them well with the spices and baking powder.
- Bake: Place the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 35-45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Rotate the baking sheet in the oven halfway through for even baking.
- Toss with sauce and broil: Remove the wings from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes. Dip or toss the wings with sauce then place them back on the baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce warms and starts to bubble. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, like ranch or blue cheese.
Notes
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- Wire rack (like a cooling rack)
- Parchment paper or aluminum foil
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These were so good! What time at 425 would you recommend if I did chicken legs next time instead?
So glad you like them!! Typically chicken legs bake for 35-45 minutes. Make sure they reach 165!