Extra Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings (Oven Baked!)

For all the doubters out there, it IS possible to make amazingly crispy chicken wings in the oven. No more splattered oil, no more extra calories. These Extra Crispy Oven Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings will soon become your go-to wings recipe for pizza night (try this pan pizza recipe or the hot honey pizza recipe) or game day parties, including the Super Bowl, all football season long.

The secret to getting homemade baked chicken wings extra crispy is using baking powder to help dry the skin out. It results in the most beautiful golden brown skin that is genuinely just as tasty as fried wings. I think the pictures are proof… you can’t fake golden brown crispiness like that. 😍

We love crispy baked wings so much we created a whole line of chicken wing recipes from simple ingredients: Honey Lemon Pepper Wings, Hot Honey Wings, Classic Buffalo Wings, and Sweet Chili Wings. Truly something for everyone!

We originally learned this cooking method after trying Cafe Delites Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings. But we’ve made it a garlic parmesan wings recipe instead, because that’s one of our family’s favorites.

🏅 Why they’re great! 

• Extra CRISPY: You get these oven-baked wings crispy by drying the skin with paper towels, then coating the wings in baking powder. The skin cooks up nice and crispy, while the inside stays juicy and tender. 
• Surprisingly easy: It’s really not hard to make these. You just need 15 minutes of hands-on time to dry the wings, bake them, and make the garlic parmesan sauce.  
• Healthier than frying (and less messy): You use exactly zero oil in this recipe. That’s a win for the waistline! Plus you don’t have to clean up hot oil that has spattered across the kitchen.

🐔 Ingredients

Chicken wings: You can use fresh or frozen wings. If frozen, thaw completely before cooking.
Baking powder: Not to be mixed up with baking soda. Use aluminum free baking powder to avoid a metallic taste.
Garlic powder: We use powder because it's flavor is more concentrated then fresh garlic. This is used on the wings and then again in the sauce for lots of garlic flavor.
Salt and pepper: As always, I use kosher salt and ground black pepper.
Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
Onion powder: Just to round out the garlic flavor.
Parmesan cheese: Definitely use a piece of real parmesan cheese for the most intense parmesan flavor. For this recipe, I like to use a microplane to grate it extra small.

🔪 How to make crispy oven baked chicken wings

First, let’s establish our end goal: Crispy baked garlic parmesan wings. The crispy part is accomplished by getting the wings as dry as possible before baking. 

If starting with whole wings, either frozen or fresh, you will have to separate the three parts from each other at the joints. This will leave you with the little drumette, flat wing, and the wing tips. Discard the wing tips and just use the other two pieces.

If you are using frozen wings that have thawed, or if your wings are sitting in a lot of juices, start by draining them over the sink for several minutes. Then use paper towels to pat the chicken wings as dry as you can get them. 

Once all the moisture is off, take the dry wings and toss them in a bowl with the baking powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Using tongs, stir the wings really well so that every wing is covered in the seasoning mixture.

For the cooking process, line up the wings in a single layer on the sheet pans sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, leaving some space in between each one. Bake at 450°F for 45-60 minutes, or until crispy.

While the wings are baking, make the garlic parmesan sauce by mixing together the melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and shredded Parmesan. When the wings are done, transfer wings to a large bowl with the buttery garlic sauce. Toss well to coat, then serve immediately.

You probably won't have any of these succulent wings left, but if you do store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For a crowd

These are just as simple to make for a large group. If making a double recipe, you can fit the wings onto 3 sheet pans. I suggest rotating the pans every 20 minutes to help them cook evenly. If making more than a double recipe, I suggest baking in rounds.

👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & Tricks

• Make sure to use aluminum free baking powder to avoid a metallic taste. 
• The KEY to crispy wings is getting them as dry as possible before baking. Drain them well, then pat extra dry with paper towels. 
• For the best parmesan garlic wings, use real parmesan cheese, preferably that you grate yourself.

🙋 Questions and Answers

📖 Other great recipes

• The Best Cast Iron Pan Pizza is no-knead and only takes 20 minutes of hands-on time. Perfect to go with the baked wings! 
• The Best Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe is ultra-creamy, cheesy, and flavorful! Great as a main dish or side. 
• This Moist Chocolate Bundt Cake is easy to make and comes out perfect every time!