Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

For the Wings

• 2.5 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1.5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

For the Sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• Sliced scallions, for garnish

Prepare the Wings for Baking

Preheat your oven to 425F. Place a wire rack inside a large, rimmed baking sheet. This setup is crucial; it allows hot air to circulate completely around the wings, ensuring the bottoms get as crispy as the tops.

Pat the chicken wings completely bone-dry with paper towels. Any moisture left on the skin will create steam, which is the enemy of crispiness.

In a large bowl, toss the dry wings first with the rice vinegar. Then, add all the seasonings—from the sweet paprika to the cornstarch—and the avocado oil. Use your hands to mix until every single wing is evenly and thoroughly coated in the pasty mixture.

Arrange the wings in a single layer on the prepared wire rack, leaving a little space between each one for air to flow.

Bake Until Deeply Golden and Crisp

Bake for ~25 minutes on the first side.

Remove the pan from the oven and, using tongs, flip each wing over. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another ~20-25 minutes.

The wings are done when they are deeply golden brown, the skin is audibly crispy, and they have an internal temperature of at least 175F.

Make the Sauce and Serve

While the wings are in their final stage of baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sriracha, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, sesame seeds, and sesame oil.

Heat over medium, stirring, until the butter is melted and the sauce is smooth and just beginning to bubble. Take it off the heat and stir in the lime juice.

When the wings are done, you can either toss them with the sauce in a large bowl for full coverage or place them on a platter and drizzle the sauce over the top to maintain maximum crispiness. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve immediately.

Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings

This recipe uses a specific combination of baking powder and cornstarch to achieve a shatteringly crispy skin in the oven that rivals any deep-fried wing. The science is simple: the baking powder raises the skin's pH, which helps break down proteins and allows moisture to escape more efficiently, resulting in a drier, crispier surface.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Active Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

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Ingredients

For the Wings

• 2.5 lbs chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1.5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

For the Sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• Sliced scallions for garnish

Instructions

• Pat the wings completely dry with the paper towels.
• Toss the wings with the rice vinegar in a large bowl.
• Add all seasonings, cornstarch, and avocado oil to the wings. Mix thoroughly with your hands until evenly coated.
• Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack, leaving space between each.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Flip the wings and bake for another 20-25 minutes until deeply golden brown and internal temperature reaches 175°F.
• While wings finish baking, combine the butter, sriracha, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, sesame seeds, and sesame oil in a small saucepan.
• Heat the sauce over medium heat until butter melts and mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.
• Either toss the wings with the sauce in a bowl or drizzle sauce over wings on a platter.
• Garnish with the sliced scallions and serve immediately.

Notes

Using the wire rack setup is essential for achieving crispy wings on all sides.