Skip the deep fryer for this recipe—these crispy wings are made right in the oven. The baking powder and cornstarch give the chicken wings a blistering skin with plenty of crunch. These guys require a bit of prep work in advance, but with the ease of popping them in the oven, that means they’re great for a weeknight dinner or a weekend get-together with very little effort.
This recipe scales easily and is based on a simple ratio: 1 lb wings, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cornstarch, and ½ tsp salt (1:1:1:½). It’s so easy to remember, you’ll come back to this recipe again and again. Flavor with lemon pepper or any other seasonings you are in the mood for.
Recipe makes 6 full sized wings or 12 drumettes and flats.
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken wings (about 6 full sized wings or 6 drumettes and 6 flats)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp lemon pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
Cooking spray (optional)
Directions
Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with a piece of foil and placing a wire rack on top.
Pat the chicken wings dry and place into a mixing bowl. To them, add the baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. With clean hands, toss to coat the wings evenly, ensuring that the dry ingredients reach all the crevices of the chicken.
Shake off any excess starch and powder, then transfer each piece to the wire rack, arranging them in a single layer with the drumettes on the outer edge and the flats towards the center. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
After chilling, the chicken should appear dry with the cornstarch coating slightly hydrated by the moisture still in the wings, but it should be fine to continue if they have not reached that stage.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Optionally spray each piece of chicken with cooking spray for a crispier texture. Bake the wings for 20 minutes, then flip each piece over and bake another 15 minutes. The fat in the chicken skin should be rendering and frying the chicken all over, with no more white spots from the cornstarch coating. Flip any pieces over that still have white patches, ensuring the coating is on the bottom. Bake another 10-15 minutes until the chicken wings are golden brown and the skin is crisp.
Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to a mixing bowl large enough to comfortably toss the wings. Drizzle the melted butter over the wings and sprinkle over the lemon pepper seasoning and dried parsley. Toss to coat, then transfer to a plate.
Serve the wings alone or with your choice of dipping sauce.
Buy the spices you need to make this recipe!
