Yes, crispy baked wings can be a reality! In my extensive research (someone’s gotta do it), I have discovered two methods to achieve this.
I’m sharing one of the methods for Crispy Baked Wings with you today.
Before I discovered this method, I made wings crispy using the other way I was aware of: It involves boiling the wings first, which renders some of the fat, which results in less fat to crisp, and therefore, crispier wings.
The other method works great, but involves boiling wings in a big pot of water before baking them.
I’m going to guess that if you don’t want to stand over a pot of hot oil, you don’t want to be standing over a pot of boiling wing water, either. The method for Crispy Baked Wings that I’m sharing with you today involves only the oven, and a somewhat strange ingredient that I’m almost positive you have in your pantry: baking soda.
Why does baking soda make wings crispy? Well, science. Want more details? I bet you know a website that could help you with that. I already have too many tabs open. What I can tell you is how to make it work.
Tips for Crispy Wings:
- Dry your wings very well by patting them with paper towels
- Don’t crowd them – make sure there is space between them.
- Let them rest. They will be crispy when they come out of the oven. They will get crispier if you allow them to rest for 5 minutes. Bonus: you won’t burn the shit out of your mouth.
It goes without saying that these are perfect for the Big Game that’s coming up this weekend. Hungry for more?
PrintCrispy Baked Wings
Crispy Baked Wings without standing over a pot of hot oil? Yes, it’s possible!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons finely ground sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 pounds chicken wingettes and drumettes (for me, this was exactly 24 pieces) If starting with whole wings, shoot for 3 1/2 pounds. Save the tips for Broth!
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup hot wing sauce (Franks!)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a baking rack.
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Don’t skip this step.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, baking soda, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Toss in the wings, making sure they are evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings in the prepared pan, making sure not to crowd them.
- Cook for 30 minutes, and then crank up the heat to 500ºF
- Cook for another 15 minutes, then flip the wings and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before tossing them with the sauce and serving with Blue Cheese or Ranch.
To make the sauce:
- In a small sauce pan, heat the wing sauce and butter over medium heat.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it gets slightly reduced and thickened.
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Lauren Gray says
I made this recipe tonight – turned out perfect!
Briana Hurst says
I’ve been making my wings (crispy ones anyway) with baking soda for ages! I’m so happy to hear you do too! ❤ The only two things I’ve found that add to the crispness is to either put the pan in the oven while it’s preheating or to cook them on a baking rack over the sheet. The rack works extra great if you use convection. Thanks for sharing your tips! But now I also want to try par boiling!
Laura says
I NEVER make chicken wings, cause I hate cooking in oil, and other baking methods were a flop. This, however, was a FANTASTIC recipe. And I’m from Western New York. Thank you so much!
zenbelly says
So glad to hear it, Laura!