20 Wings Recipe

Dry and trim

Pat the 20 wings dry thoroughly with paper towels. If not already split, remove wing tips and separate into drumettes and flats. Drying helps the skin crisp.

Season and coat

Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle 1.5 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder over the wings. Toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly. The baking powder raises pH and helps the skin crisp during cooking.

Arrange and rest

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack, leaving space between pieces. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes if time allows — this helps dry the skin further for extra crispness (optional).

Bake first phase

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Place the wings on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes. This low-temperature phase renders fat slowly.

Increase heat and crisp

Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and continue baking for 35–45 minutes, turning wings once halfway through, until skin is deep golden-brown and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Total crisping time depends on wing size — check at 35 minutes.

Melt butter and cook garlic

While wings bake in the second phase, melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned (browned garlic becomes bitter).

Finish sauce

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Keep warm until ready to toss with wings.

Toss wings with sauce

When wings are done and very hot, place them in a clean large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic-Parmesan sauce over the wings and toss gently but thoroughly so each wing is coated. Alternatively, reserve a small amount of sauce for drizzling.

Transfer wings to a serving platter. Sprinkle an extra tablespoon of grated Parmesan and the remaining chopped parsley over the wings for garnish if desired. Serve immediately with celery sticks, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and lemon wedges on the side.

Leftovers: store cooled wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes before serving, then reheat sauce and toss if desired.