Yes, these Crispy Chicken Wings are oven baked, not fried. And, yes, they’re really freaking crispy.
Two things make that possible: an obnoxiously hot oven and my own grain free baking powder blend. Yes, baking powder. It sounds bizarre, but it’s the absolutely necessary ingredient that helps draw the moisture out of the chicken skin so that it gets crispy.
To make my own baking powder (without the hidden corn starch & other additives), I combined two pantry ingredients. Two parts cream of tartar to one part baking soda is the simple ratio you need!
I also used a bit of arrowroot powder (also called starch) to bolster the blend of seasonings and stand in for the typical flour that would dredge the wings before frying. Except, in this case, these crispy chicken wings were made in the oven, using wire racks to elevate the wings, keep them out of their own juices and allow air to circulate in the oven. That trifecta gives you a surprisingly shattering bite every time you make these.
For a quick dip to serve on the side, I thinned a little salted coconut yogurt and added my Dairy Free Ranch Seasoning to taste. Serve your crispy chicken wings with celery & carrot sticks for that classic wing night feel.
Looking for more game day recipes? Try my Creamy Artichoke Dip with Spinach, Sticky Honey Garlic Instant Pot Ribs or my Not Quite Queso Dip!
PrintAlmost Naked Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
A simple grain & gluten free seasoning mixture makes these AIP crispy chicken wings completely addictive. Perfect as is, or for tossing in your favorite sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 dozen wings 1x
- Category: game day, appetizers
- Method: oven baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lbs / 1.6 kg chicken wings, sectioned, about 2 dozen
- 2 tbsp / 16 g arrowroot starch or powder, I like this one
- 2 tsp / 10 g cream of tartar, I like this one
- 1 tsp / 6 g baking soda, I like this one
- 2 tsp / 14 g fine sea salt
- 2 tsp / 8 g granulated garlic
- 2 tsp / 7 g onion powder
- 2 tsp / 4 g ground ginger
- 1 tsp / 1 g dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground sage
Instructions
DRY: Preheat the oven to 450 F / 230 C. Line a baking sheet with foil and place an oven safe rack on top. For the crispiest wings, we need to make sure that the chicken skin especially is dry & free of any surface moisture at all. If the chicken wings are fresh, pat them dry with paper towels. However, if the wings were frozen and now thawed, I like to lay them out on several layers of paper towel and press down on them with several more layers of paper towel to get them as dry as possible. (If you have the time & space, you can lay out the chicken wings on the baking sheet & rack in the fridge for a few hours or up to overnight to really make sure they’re as dry as possible.)
DREDGE: Mix together the arrowroot, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt & all the remaining seasonings in a small bowl. Put the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with some of the seasoning mixture a little at a time, turning with your hands to make sure they are all evenly coated on all sides. Place the dredged chicken wings on top of the wire rack, evenly spaced out without touching each other so that air can circulate around them easily.
BAKE: Pop the chicken wings into the oven on the middle rack and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and use tongs to flip the wings over, then return them to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes. Smaller wings may be done about now, but if they are on the larger side, flip them again. Return the wings to the oven for another 5 – 15 minutes, flipping again as needed every few minutes, until the chicken wings are evenly browned & crispy all over.
REST: Remove the crispy chicken wings from the oven, place the baking tray on a trivet and let them sit – still on the wire rack – to cool for a few minutes for maximum crispiness, then devour while warm and, well, crispy! If you like, sprinkle with a little extra salt once they’re out of the oven. For a quick dip, add my Dairy Free Ranch Seasoning, to taste, to some thinned & salted coconut yogurt & serve on the side with the traditional carrot and celery sticks.
Best ever!!!!
★★★★★
The best baked wing recipe ever!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
I made once and my partner had to had on the weekly rotation. So good. Wow
★★★★★