Italian Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly oil the rack or spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. Remove any excess skin or tips if desired and trim so pieces are uniform size for even cooking.

In a large bowl, toss the wings with kosher salt, black pepper and baking powder until evenly coated. The baking powder helps crisp the skin while baking.

Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack, leaving small gaps between pieces for hot air circulation.

Bake wings

Place the rack on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, flip each wing and continue baking for another 15–20 minutes, or until wings are deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and skin is crisp. Total bake time ~40–45 minutes depending on wing size.

If selecting Breaded, prepare three shallow bowls: flour mixed with 1/4 tsp salt; beaten eggs; and breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan, dried oregano and garlic powder.

After tossing wings with salt/pepper/baking powder, dredge each wing first in flour (shake off excess), then dip in beaten egg, then press into breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated. Place coated wings on the wire rack and bake as directed above. For extra crispiness, spray a light mist of oil on the coated wings before baking.

If using the optional extra Parmesan garnish, sprinkle evenly over hot finished wings.

While wings bake, prepare the hot sauce glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add hot sauce and honey (if using) and whisk until combined and slightly warmed—do not boil. Keep warm.

When wings are finished baking, transfer hot wings to a large bowl. Pour the warmed hot sauce mixture over the wings and toss until evenly coated. Return to the rack for 2–3 minutes in the still-warm oven (or broil 30–45 seconds) if you want the glaze to set slightly. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Make teriyaki glaze while wings bake. In a small saucepan combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, grated ginger and minced garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry, then whisk into simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Toss baked wings in the teriyaki glaze until well coated. For a sticky finish, arrange glazed wings on the rack and bake at 425°F for 3–5 minutes more or broil 30–45 seconds while watching closely. Sprinkle with parsley or optional lemon for brightness and serve.

Combine BBQ sauce, minced garlic, olive oil and smoked paprika in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat and simmer 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.

Toss freshly baked wings with the warmed BBQ garlic sauce until evenly coated. Return to rack and bake 3–5 minutes more at 425°F or broil briefly 30–45 seconds to set the sauce (watch carefully to avoid burning). Garnish with chopped parsley and optional extra grated Parmesan for Breaded variation.

Transfer wings to a platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauces (ranch, blue cheese, extra hot sauce).

Leftover wings can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes to regain crispness.