Description
These crispy oven-baked BBQ chicken wings are perfectly seasoned, baked until golden and crispy, then tossed in sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. No deep frying required – just your oven and some simple techniques for restaurant-quality wings every time!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Wings:
- 3 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats), about 24 pieces
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder (aluminum-free)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika works great!)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a little heat)
For the BBQ Glaze:
- 1¼ cups BBQ sauce (your favorite brand or homemade)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional, adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For Serving:
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Celery and carrot sticks
- Extra napkins (trust me, you’ll need them!)
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Prep and dry the wings: Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. This step is crucial for crispy skin! Place the dried wings in a large bowl. If time allows, leave the wings uncovered in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight – this extra drying time creates even crispier skin, but it’s not mandatory.
- Season the wings: In a small bowl, mix together baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the wings and toss thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated. The baking powder should create a slightly pasty coating – this is perfect and will crisp up beautifully.
- Prepare the baking setup: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire cooling rack on top of the foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange the seasoned wings on the wire rack in a single layer, making sure they’re not touching or overlapping. Space is crucial for crispiness!
- Bake the wings: Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of a cold oven. Set the oven to 425°F and bake for 30 minutes without opening the oven door. After 30 minutes, carefully flip each wing using tongs. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the wings are deep golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Prepare the BBQ sauce: While the wings are baking, combine BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce (if using), and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm and well combined. Keep the sauce warm on the lowest heat setting until the wings are ready.
- Sauce the wings: Remove the crispy wings from the oven and let them rest for 2-3 minutes (this helps the skin stay crispy). Transfer the wings to a large, clean bowl. Pour about ¾ of the warm BBQ sauce over the wings and toss gently with tongs until all wings are evenly coated. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
- Optional caramelization step: For extra sticky, caramelized BBQ wings, return the sauced wings to the wire rack and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. This creates a beautiful glaze and intensifies the BBQ flavor. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Serve immediately: Transfer the BBQ wings to a serving platter. Drizzle with any remaining sauce if desired. Serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery and carrot sticks, and plenty of napkins!
Notes
- Dry wings are crispy wings: Don’t rush the drying step. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin!
- Baking powder, not baking soda: These are not interchangeable. Baking powder creates the crispy coating; baking soda will make them taste soapy.
- Don’t overcrowd: If your wings are touching, they’ll steam instead of crisp. Use two baking sheets if necessary.
- Cold oven start: Starting with a cold oven helps render the fat slowly and creates crispier skin.
- Sauce at the end: Never sauce the wings before baking or you’ll get soggy wings. Always sauce after they’re fully cooked and crispy.
- Wing temperature: Wings should reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but they’re even better at 175°F for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 wing pieces Calories: 385
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 95mg