Baked Wings Recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on each sheet. The rack helps air circulate and keeps wings crisp.

Pat chicken wings very dry with paper towels. Removing surface moisture is important for crispness.

In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil until evenly coated.

Arrange wings in a single layer on the prepared racks, leaving small gaps between pieces for airflow.

Bake wings in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Rotate the pans front to back and top to bottom, then continue baking for another 15–20 minutes until skin is deep golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Total baking time ~40–45 minutes depending on wing size.

For extra crispness, turn on the oven broiler and broil 2–3 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

General sauce method

Divide hot, baked wings into separate large bowls (one per flavor). For each flavor, add the corresponding sauce ingredients and toss wings until evenly coated. Return to the oven/rack for 3–5 minutes if you want sauce to set, or serve immediately for saucier wings.

BBQ

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup BBQ sauce with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp honey over low heat until warm and glossy (2–3 minutes). Pour warm sauce over a portion of wings and toss to coat.

Garlic Parmesan

Melt 3 tbs unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tsp minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp lemon juice. Pour butter-garlic over wings and toss, then sprinkle 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tbs chopped parsley over the wings and toss gently so cheese clings.

Cashew Chicken-style

Whisk together 3 tbs cashew butter, 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tbs honey and 1 tsp sesame oil until smooth (add 1–2 tbs warm water if too thick). Warm briefly in a saucepan, then toss with wings. Finish by sprinkling roughly chopped toasted cashews (about 1 cup) over the sauced wings.

Honey Sriracha

Combine 3 tbs Sriracha, 3 tbs honey, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp lime juice in a small bowl. Warm for 30–45 seconds in the microwave or in a saucepan, then toss with wings until evenly coated.

Traditional Buffalo

In a small saucepan, melt 4 tbs unsalted butter over low heat. Add 1 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp white vinegar and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and whisk until combined and warm. Toss wings in the buffalo sauce to coat.

Jamaican Jerk

In a bowl, mix 2 tbs jerk seasoning, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tbsp lime juice, and 1 tsp soy sauce. If paste is very thick, thin with 1 tsp water. Toss wings with the jerk glaze and garnish with sliced scallions.

Serve wings hot with optional sides: celery sticks, carrot sticks, ranch or blue cheese dressing for buffalo/Buffalo-adjacent flavors, and extra lime wedges for jerk or honey-sriracha.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8–10 minutes before serving. Sauced wings can be reheated gently on the stovetop.