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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings are seasoned, flour-coated wings baked at high heat until golden and crunchy, then tossed in a classic buttery cayenne hot sauce. They offer all the flavor and texture of deep-fried wings—without the mess or oil. Perfect for game day, parties, or a quick family dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Chicken Wings

  • 3 pounds chicken wings or drumettes
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder

Buffalo Sauce

  • Bottled cayenne hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
  • Butter not margarine

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Rinse and trim chicken wings, leaving the skin intact for crispiness.
  • Pat wings completely dry with paper towels.
  • In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and seasonings.
  • Add wings to the bowl and toss to coat evenly.
  • Shake off any excess flour mixture.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  • Space wings at least 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.
  • Bake 30–35 minutes, flipping once at around 20 minutes.
  • While wings bake, heat hot sauce and butter in a saucepan until bubbly.
  • Adjust sauce heat by adding more hot sauce or a dash of Tabasco.
  • Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl.
  • Pour buffalo sauce over wings and toss to coat thoroughly.
  • Serve with celery, carrots, and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Use smoked paprika instead of chili powder for deeper flavor.
  • Swap cayenne hot sauce with BBQ for a milder option.
  • Use gluten-free flour for GF-friendly wings.

Make-Ahead & Storage

  • Store leftover wings in the fridge for 3–4 days.
  • Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for extra crispiness.
  • Freeze un-sauced baked wings up to 3 months.

Serving Variations

  • Toss with garlic parmesan butter.
  • Make lemon pepper wings by seasoning with lemon pepper and omitting buffalo sauce.
  • Coat in honey sriracha for sweet heat.

Avoid Common Mistakes

  • Don't skip drying the wings; moisture prevents crispiness.
  • Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet or wings will steam instead of crisp.
  • Avoid margarine; real butter creates the best buffalo sauce.