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Baked Chicken Wings

Gently spiced, and perfectly crispy, these baked chicken wings are hard to resist. A quick toss in spices, a brush with butter, and into the oven they go for an easy, hands-off meal.

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Homemade baked chicken wings on a plate served with ranch dressing and bbq sauce in small bowls
Photography by Gayle McLeod

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings, Perfect For Any Day

Chicken wings are a real classic. Hard to eat just one, and so satisfying to dip in a variety of sauces. We definitely can’t resist ordering them when we’re out, because who can say no to a plate of deep-fried chicken wings? But once we discovered that they’re so easy (and much better for you than deep frying!) to bake up a batch at home, we make them often for weeknight dinners because they’re not just an appetizer. So whether it’s a Game Day or a Tuesday, there’s no better time to make a big batch of quick bake chicken wings!

chicken wings, melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne in bowls to make backed chicken wings

Save This Oven Baked Chicken Wings Recipe

Flavorful, check. Fun to eat, check. Easy, check (no need to pat dry with paper towels!). This recipe requires virtually zero prep time (okay, ten minutes), and then you can zip them into the oven for 45-50 minutes. You’ll have dinner ready with a very minimal amount of heavy lifting. While the wings are baking you can think about all of the delicious dipping sauces you can serve with these crispy oven baked chicken wings. Homemade BBQ Sauce, Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, or Homemade Ranch Dressing are obvious choices, but we also recommend our Tahini Sauce. We always have a bottle of hot sauce around too, for the spice lovers in our family.

salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne mixed together in a small glass bowl
raw chicken wings in a glass bowl seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne
seasoned chicken wings being brushed with melted butter on a cooling rack on top of a foil lined baking sheet.
Homemade baked chicken wings seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne on a cooling rack

What To Serve With Baked Chicken Wings

Beyond the obvious carrots, celery sticks, and dipping sauces, you can make a real meal out of chicken wings by serving them with a side of rice (a fluffy batch of Cilantro-Lime Rice would be delicious) and fresh salad (like this yummy little Broccoli Salad). Or keep the apps flowing, and set the table with a spread of Queso Dip, Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese, and Beef Sliders for all the winning noshes!

Homemade baked chicken wings seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne on a cooling rack
Homemade baked chicken wings on a plate seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne

How To Bake Chicken Wings

  1. Warm your oven, because that’s where the action takes place! Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position.

  2. Prepare your cooking surface: line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack (usually used for cooling) on top.

  3. Add the flavor: in a large bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Add the chicken and toss until they’re fully coated. Our recipe calls for three pounds of chicken wings or drumettes. You can, of course, buy whole wings and separate them into wings and drumettes, or buy a mix of two already prepared. We trust you to choose your favorite here.

  4. Line ‘em up! Arrange the chicken wings, skin-sides down, on the cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, brush the wings with half of the melted butter. Flip the wings over and brush with the remaining butter.

  5. It’s time to bake wings! How long should you cook chicken wings in the oven for? These will bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken is a deep golden-brown and you can see a nice crispy skin.

Homemade baked chicken wings on a plate seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne

Tools You’ll Need

And The Winner For Best Chicken Dinner Is…

We’ll let you decide your favorite, but here’s a couple to kick off your taste-testing:

Homemade baked chicken wings on a plate served with ranch dressing and bbq sauce in small bowls
Homemade baked chicken wings on a plate served with ranch dressing and bbq sauce in small bowls

Just Wing It!

Did you make this recipe? Let’s see those fabulously crispy baked chicken wings. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

Baked Chicken Wings

  • Serves: 6
  • Prep Time:  10 min
  • Cook Time:  45 min
  • Calories: 485

Ingredients

  • 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper freshly cracked black
  • 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoons paprika (or smoked paprika)
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • 3 pounds chicken wings or drumettes
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and set a cooling rack on top.

  2. In a large bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Add the chicken and toss until they’re fully coated.

  3. Arrange the chicken wings, skin-sides down, on the cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, brush the wings with half of the melted butter. Flip the wings over and brush with the remaining butter. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken is a deep golden-brown and the skin is crispy.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories485
  • Protein40 g
  • Carbohydrates1 g
  • Total Fat35 g
  • Dietary Fiber0 g
  • Cholesterol267 mg
  • sodium991 mg
  • Total Sugars0 g

Baked Chicken Wings

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Geraldine Marino

    I wish I could also print/save the nutritional information along with the recipe. Even if it was an option to accept as part of the PRINT RECIPE. I learned of your site last Nov from a friend and am looking at recipes each week - and have made some as well. Love that it is also connected to My Fitness Pal (kudos on your foresight!!). thank you for your delicious and inventive recipes that are so appealing to the eye and taste buds!

    Thanks Geraldine we are so happy you are loving our recipes! Thanks for the feedback on the nutritional information.

  • MoreBreadPlease

    This sauce sounds incredible and I am definitely going to be making this for the next party. I love the way you plate and the colors of the slaw are gorgeous.

    Awe. Thank you! You are so kind! Hope you love them!

  • Roxana

    Did you have a recipe link to the delicious looking Asian cabbage slaw in the final product picture? I'm wondering if I missed it. If not, I'd love to know your recipe! I can pick up the main ingredients from the picture but was wondering about a dressing or glaze. Thanks :)

    Great question! That is our Asian slaw with sriracha dressing! We added a link in the post, but you can also find the recipe here: https://themodernproper.com/asian-slaw-with-sriracha-dressing

  • Alice Choi

    I'm all for Korean recipes using Korean food ingredients. . so YES to the gochujang! I'm so happy you guys discovered it! Gorgeous and delicious photos!

    Yes! I discovered gochujang a while ago, but just started using it in my cooking this last January! I love it!

  • Lori

    Excellent!!! My husband likes it spicy so I made exact recipe then when done added a cup of Red Hot Wings Buffalo sauce and 2 Tablespoons butter and mixed. They may be all gone by game time!

    Glad you enjoyed them!

  • Kay

    These were simple and fabulous!

    Thanks Kay!

  • Jaclyn Bishop

    These will forever be a family favorite! My boys LOVE them and ask for them weekly!

    Yay! Love this!