Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
Wings are coated in a baking-powder seasoning and baked low then high on a rack, for deeply crisp, blistered skin without deep frying, served with celery and a cool garlic-chive soured cream dip.
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Method
- 1
Dry and season. Pat the split wings thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, then toss them in a large bowl with the baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika until lightly and evenly coated. Baking powder raises the pH of the skin, helping it brown deeply and blister as it bakes - never use bicarbonate of soda here, as it leaves a soapy taste.
- 2
Arrange on racks. Spread the wings skin-side up on wire racks set over two baking trays, spacing them so they don't touch. For extra crispness, refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour up to overnight before baking, which dries the skin further; this step is optional. About 20 minutes before baking, heat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan) with shelves in the lower-middle and upper-middle positions.
- 3
Render at low heat. Bake at 120°C (100°C fan) on the lower-middle shelves for 30 minutes. This gentle start slowly renders fat out of the skin before any colour develops, setting up a crisper, less greasy finish later.
- 4
Blast at high heat. Raise the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and bake for a further 40-50 minutes, swapping the trays' shelf positions halfway through. Bake until the skin is deep golden, blistered and crackly, and the thickest drumette reads at least 74°C - wings are especially good taken to 80°C or above, where the connective tissue softens right through.
- 5
Rest briefly. Pull the wings from the oven and leave them for 5 minutes before touching. This short rest lets residual steam escape so the crackly skin doesn't go soft underneath.
- 6
Make the dip and serve. While the wings rest, stir the soured cream with the garlic powder, chives, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pile the wings onto a platter with the celery sticks and the dip, and serve straight away while the skin is at its crispest.
Storage
Keep cooked wings in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot oven until piping hot and 74°C in the centre to bring back some crispness; microwaving will leave the skin soft. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- 2 large baking trays
- 2 wire racks that fit the trays
- large mixing bowl
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 428 kcal |
| Protein | 33.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 4.6 g |
| of which sugars | 1.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 29.9 g |
| of which saturates | 9.7 g |
| Fibre | 1.1 g |
| Salt | 2.58 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
