How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Wings – What Secret Ingredient To Use

If you are searching for how to make the Best Crispy Baked Chicken Wings look no further! This tried and true recipe will make the best crispy wings without a ton of work.

There is nothing worse than cooking a tray of chicken wings only for them to turn out with pale looking skin and the meat tough and rubbery. In your best attempt to try and salvage them you might try placing them under the broiler so that the skin can crisp.

However, within minutes the skin has turned from being moist and rubbery to being speckled with dark brown ‘burn’ marks scattered on the surface. Not only is the skin unevenly cooked, now the presentation is far from desirable.

However, with this simple and easy recipe, you will be making wings that turn out nice and crispy without ever turning on the broiler. In fact, once you put them in the oven, the only thing that you have to do is to flip them so that the top and bottom cook evenly.

Then toss them in your favorite wing sauce and you will be ready to sink your teeth into a crispy wing that is moist and fall apart tender on the inside.

Although, you also have the option of flavoring the wings even before they are baked. Simply add your favorite dry rub seasoning to the wings before they go in the oven for added flavor.

You can buy your favorite dry rub, but I have included my favorite homemade dry rub recipe below in case you want to make your own.

Chicken Wing Dry Rub Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl mix the ingredients together. Then add the salt and baking powder listed in the crispy baked chicken wings recipe below and continue to mix until well incorporated. Coat the wings in the dry rub and bake as instructed.

The Secret Ingredient To Make Chicken Wings Crispy

So what makes these wings turn out nice and crispy? The addition of one simple ingredient will make all the difference in how your wings turn out.

And that secret ingredient is aluminum free baking powder. The baking powder, when mixed with salt, dries out the skin of the chicken. This allows the skin to become crispy when it is baked because the moisture is removed.

However it is important to use baking powder that is free of aluminum so that the taste of the wings aren’t altered. There are several brands of baking powder that do not contain aluminum including Rumford, Bob’s Red Mill and Gefen.

Although there are other brands as well. many of them contain aluminum. So be sure to look at the ingredient list on the back of the package. You will see it most commonly labeled as sodium aluminum sulfate.

And if you are considering using baking soda to make crispy baked chicken wings, think twice. Yes, it is true that baking soda will break down the peptide bonds in the chicken skin, making it become more crispy.

However, baking soda is an alkaline and it will affect the taste of the chicken. On the contrary baking powder does not have a detectable flavor once the wings are baked.

Therefore, I highly recommend to use aluminum free baking powder and not baking soda for best results.

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lbs. chicken wings
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step is to preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Then line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat.

Although you could put the wings directly on the lined baking sheet it is best to cook them on a wire cooking rack that is placed down in the baking sheet. This will allow the air to circulate both on top and under the chicken wings while they are being baked, making them even more crispy.

However, to make sure that the wings don’t stick to the metal rack, be sure to spray the rack with non stick cooking spray or brush it with olive oil. Because the wings will be cooked at a high temperature, be sure to use olive oil and not extra virgin olive oil to grease the rack.

Dry The Wings With Paper Towels

Set the prepared baking sheet aside while you prepare the chicken. Pat the fresh or thawed chicken wings dry with a paper towel.

Continue to pat them dry until the paper towel no longer can absorb the moisture from the wings. This is another key factor in getting the wings crispy.

Add the wings to a large bowl or in a large resealable plastic bag and toss them with salt and baking powder until they are fully coated. The ratio of wings to salt and baking powder is a 1:1 ratio.

Therefore, if you are cooking 4 pounds of wings, then use 4 teaspoons of salt and baking powder. And if you are making 2 pounds of wings, use 2 teaspoons of each.

Once the wings are coated place them on the cooking rack inside the baking sheet. Just be sure that the wings aren’t touching each other to allow for even baking.

Bake Time Required

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the wings over and continue to bake for 15-30 minutes or until they are nice and crispy.

*For fall off the bone wings, bake until the internal temperature reaches 180°F (82°C) when checked with an instant read digital thermometer.

Remove the wings from the oven and toss them with your favorite wing sauce. Or keep the wings plain and serve a few of your favorite wing sauces on the side or make a homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce.

Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe

It is simple to make your own wing sauce with just a few basic ingredients. Here is a classic recipe to make homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce.

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce

Melt the butter and whisk in the hot sauce until well incorporated. When the wings are baked, put them in the bowl and toss until well coated.

However, if you like a more mild sauce, you might want to try my Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce. It is a favorite for those who don’t like any heat in their sauce.

Other Favorite Chicken Wing Recipes

Here are some of my other favorite ways to make chicken wings. Be sure to check them out and pick your favorite!

• Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings – Made From Thawed or Frozen Wings
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Smoked Chicken Wings
• Instant Pot Chicken Wings
• Sweet Chile Wings
• Maple Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings
• Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings

Enjoy! Mary

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