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These baked whole chicken wings have all the flavor and crispy skin of baked chicken legs, juicy baked chicken thighs, or even regular baked chicken wings combined with the satisfaction of deep fried wings! You don’t need breading or a vat of oil to make crisp wings… let me show you my easy method that uses pantry staples you probably have on-hand.
Why You’ll Love This Whole Chicken Wings Recipe
- Ultry crispy skin
- Juicy, tender meat
- Simple, flavorful spices
- Quick 10-minute prep
- Naturally low carb, paleo, gluten-free, and whole30
- Perfect as an appetizer or healthy dinner
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for baking whole chicken wings, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Whole Chicken Wings – These include the drumette, flat (aka wingette), and tip. You can use the same spices and method for wings and drumettes separately instead of whole wings.
- Olive Oil – You can use avocado oil as well.
- Seasoning – Onion powder, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, brown sugar (optional; I used Besti Brown), regular or smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
VARIATION: Add baking powder for extra crispy skin.
This is the secret ingredient I use for extra crispy air fryer chicken wings, because it helps to dry out the skin so that it gets crisp. If you want to use baking powder, add 1 teaspoon per pound of wings to the seasoning mixture.
How To Bake Whole Chicken Wings
This section shows how to make whole chicken wings, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make dry rub. In a small bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs, brown sugar or Besti Brown (if using), paprika, and cayenne.
- Dry. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel, which will help them get more crispy.
- Oil. Brush the whole wings with oil on both sides.
- Season. Sprinkle the homemade spice rub generously on both sides of the wings.
- Bake. Place the chicken on a large sheet pan in a single layer (don’t crowd the pan). Bake until the skin is crispy and golden brown, and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
How Long To Bake Whole Chicken Wings?
Bake whole chicken wings for 35-40 minutes. This amount of time cooks the meat to a juicy perfection, while crisping up the outside just right.
What Temp To Bake Whole Chicken Wings?
Baking whole wings at 450 degrees F ensures juicy, tender meat with a crispy outer layer.
VARIATION: Make air fryer whole chicken wings!
To cook them even faster, cook the whole chicken wings in the air fryer instead. They will take about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, flipping halfway through.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Cool completely and place in an airtight container or a zip lock bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place wings on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F, until heated through. For extra crispness, uncover the wings halfway through baking time.
- Freeze: Place cooled wings in an airtight container or zip lock bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in your refrigerator before reheating.
What To Serve With Whole Chicken Wings
These oven baked whole chicken wings can work as an appetizer, main dish, or side! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them:
- Dipping Sauces – Blue cheese dressing, buffalo sauce (or other hot sauce), and ranch dressing are classic dipping sauces, but sugar-free teriyaki sauce, tangy sugar-free honey mustard, and BBQ sauce are always hits.
- Raw Veggies – Wings at restaurants often come with a side of carrots and celery sticks. You can also serve them with sliced cucumber, radishes, or bell pepper strips.
- Air Fryer Veggies – While you bake whole chicken wings in the oven, make air fryer eggplant, crispy air fryer brussels sprouts, or air fryer zucchini chips as a quick and easy side.
- Simple Salads – Crisp salads always pair well with wings! Try creamy cucumber salad or wedge salad. For a sweeter pairing, make strawberry spinach salad, or pear salad.
- Other Appetizers – Pair this finger food with other classic appetizers like Rotel dip with crackers or chips, zucchini pizza bites, or jalapeno poppers.
More Chicken Wing Recipes
So many delicious ways to make wings! Here are more reader favorites. These use wings and drumettes separately, but you could also use the same seasonings and method to turn them into whole chicken wing recipes.
Recommended Tools
- Basting Brush – Perfect for evenly coating wings in oil.
- Baking Sheet – Warp resistant, with a corrugated surface for even crisping.
Crispy Baked Whole Chicken Wings
Baked Whole Chicken Wings (Easy & Crispy!)
This baked whole chicken wings recipe uses a simple homemade spice rub and bakes up super crispy. Just 10 minutes to prep!
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
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In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, herbs, brown sweetener or sugar, paprika, and cayenne.
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Pat both sides of the whole chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then brush both sides with oil and season wings generously on both sides with spice mixture.
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Place the wings on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until skin is crispy and golden brown, and the internal temperature of the wings reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2-3 whole chicken wings, or 1/6 entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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2 Comments
Ashley T
0Loaded with flavor! Me kids loved these so much, thank you!
Andie Thueson
0These were incredibly easy to make, and I’ve never had anything juicier! I love being able to use more of the bird. This recipe definitely showed me a new way! My hubby and kiddos were raving about it!