Chicken Wings Recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels—removing surface moisture helps them crisp.

In a large bowl, toss the wings with kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder until evenly coated. Add the 1 tablespoon neutral oil and toss again; this helps the baking powder do its work and promotes browning.

Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack (skin side up) with a little space between each piece. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes, then flip wings and bake an additional 15–20 minutes until skin is deep golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For extra crispness, broil 2–3 minutes watching closely.

While wings bake, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in hot sauce, Frank's-style hot sauce (1 tsp), white vinegar and honey until smooth and warmed through. Keep warm on the lowest heat or transfer to a heatproof bowl.

When wings are done, transfer hot wings to a large clean bowl, pour buffalo sauce over them and toss vigorously until evenly coated. Serve immediately with celery and ranch or blue cheese.

Combine ketchup, minced chipotle in adobo, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and smoked paprika in a small saucepan. Simmer gently over low heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy. Adjust heat by adding more or less chipotle.

Toss freshly baked wings in the warm chipotle BBQ sauce until well coated. Return to the rack for 2–3 minutes in a 400°F (200°C) oven if you want the sauce to set, or serve as-is.

Whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey) and minced garlic in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for sweetness or heat. Warm gently in a small pan for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors if desired.

Toss hot wings with the Korean sauce until evenly glazed. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Combine honey and hot sauce (or crushed red pepper) in a small saucepan and warm gently just until honey thins and ingredients incorporate, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in optional apple cider vinegar to brighten if desired.

Brush or toss wings in hot honey just before serving so the glaze stays sticky and shiny.

Mix sweet chili sauce with lime juice. Warm briefly if preferred. Toss wings in sauce or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

Make the Dry Rub

If choosing lemon pepper, combine lemon zest, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl.

After wings come out of the oven, while still hot, place them in a large bowl, sprinkle the lemon pepper rub over and toss so the hot skin absorbs the aromatic oils from the lemon zest. Serve immediately.

Combine Rub

Mix sriracha powder, smoked paprika and brown sugar in a small bowl.

Toss freshly baked wings in a bowl with the sriracha dry rub while hot so the spices adhere. Serve right away.

To serve wings naked (no sauce or rub), simply plate hot wings with celery, carrot sticks and a side of ranch or blue cheese for dipping.

For plated presentations: arrange wings on a serving platter, add chosen garnish (sesame seeds and scallions for Korean; lime wedges for Thai or Korean), and offer dipping sauces on the side.