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What’s better than chicken wings? Crispy garlic butter chicken wings! Baked in the oven or crisped up in the air fryer, these party wings are seasoned with dry rub and tossed in a simple two-ingredient sauce. Make them for parties, game days, or holidays. They’re the best!

A white platter of crispy garlic butter chicken wings with a brown bowl of bleu cheese dressing on a beige counter next to beer, an orange linen, and a white bowl of chives.

Ok friends, I know that everyone (and I do mean everyone) has been paying close attention to the football situation this year for one reason or another. But, in case your only interest is watching commercials and eating something cheesy, carb-y, and/or covered in ranch. Well, great minds.

Game day snacks are one of my specialties after years of throwing annual Super Bowl parties. I mean, what’s game day without little smokies in a blanket, these crispy tempura fried cheese curds, and of course, chicken wings?

I used to wholeheartedly believe that baked wings were far inferior to fried. But then, back in my culinary school days, I learned a secret trick for making baked wings that come out super crispy every time! And ever since, it’s been my go-to method for homemade wings. No oil, frying, spattering, or stovetop mess. Bless.

These homemade wings are ridiculously good. Uber crispy, tossed in homemade dry rub, and coated with salty garlic butter. Dreamy. Pop open a beer and let’s celebrate!

You’ll need party wings

White and brown bowls of raw chicken wings, spices, garlic, baking powder, butter, chives, and an oil sprayer on a white counter.

I tested this recipe with party wings which are full chicken wings that have been broken down into flats and drums. But feel free to buy full chicken wings. You’ll just want to break them down into flats and drums before you cook them.

Now for the secret ingredient – aluminum-free baking powder! The baking powder breaks down the meat and creates small bubbles in the skin which makes it extra brown and crispy. To make the dry rub, you’ll need Morton’s Kosher salt, white pepper (or black pepper), garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. For the sauce, grab some fresh garlic and high-quality salted butter (I’m a Kerrygold girl). You’ll also need neutral oil and fresh chives.

Make sure you’re using aluminum-free baking powder and not baking soda. Baking soda (and baking powder with aluminum) will make the wings taste bitter and metallic.

Season the wings

Three steps to prepping chicken wings. In photo 1, a hand dries chicken wings with a paper towel. In photo 2, a white bowl of wings is topped with dry rub. In photo 3, a spoon mixes the wings and rub together.
Start by drying both sides of the chicken wings with a paper towel. Then, toss the wings with baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne.

Dry all sides of the wings really well. You want them to be as dry as possible so they crisp up instead of steam. If you have time, you can also dry the wings on a wire rack overnight in the fridge. Place the wire rack on a sheet pan to prevent cross contamination and leave the wings uncovered so they dry out.

Oven instructions

Three steps to baking wings. In photo 1, a hand sprays a baking rack with cooking spray. In photo 2, raw wings are on the rack. In photo 3, the wings are baked.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place a metal wire rack on top. Grease it with neutral oil. Place the wings in a single layer on the rack. Then, bake the wings at 425°F (218°C) for 40-50 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re very crispy. Let the wings sit for 5 minutes.

Air fryer chicken wings

Three steps to air frying wings. In photo 1, a hand is spraying an air fryer basket with cooking spray. In photo 2, the basket has raw wings in it. In photo 3, the wings are cooked.
Spray the basket of an air fryer with neutral oil or cooking spray. Then, place the wings in the basket in a single layer. Lastly, cook the wings at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes. Flip and cook another 6-8 minutes until they’re crispy and cooked through. Let them sit for about 5 minutes.

Avoid over-cooking the wings! If they bake or air fry for too long, the wings will come out dry and the spices will burn. You want to cook them just until they’re evenly browned, crispy, and cooked through.

Garlic butter sauce

Three steps to making garlic butter. In photo 1, a white pot has butter in it. In photo 2, the pot has garlic in it. In photo 3, the garlic butter is melted.
While the wings cook, add the butter & garlic to a small saucepan. Cook the garlic butter over medium-low heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
Three steps to tossing wings. In photo 1, a white bowl of wings are topped with sauce. In photo 2, tongs are tossing the wings. In photo 3, a white platter of wings is on a beige counter next to beer, a white bowl of chives, and an orange linen.
After the wings have rested for 5 minutes, drizzle them with the sauce. Using tongs, toss the wings until they’re well-coated. Lastly, garnish the wings with a sprinkling of fresh chives. Enjoy!

My brother-in-law informed me that these wings are amazing with a sprinkle of grated parmesan. I will definitely be trying this next time!

Prep the wings in advance

These wings are best fresh so I wouldn’t recommend cooking the wings ahead of time. But you can prep the wings in advance! To prep the wings, dry them well and toss them with the baking powder and seasonings. Then, place the wings on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Refrigerate them, uncovered, for up to 8 hours. Finish the wings according to the recipe directions.

A white plate of easy garlic butter chicken wings with a white bowl of bleu cheese dressing on a beige counter next to beer, an orange linen, and a white bowl of chives.

Refrigerate leftovers

To store leftover wings, wait until they’re completely cooled. Then, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheating instructions

It’s important to reheat the wings properly so they crisp back up! After they’re warmed through, I would also toss them in a bit more garlic butter, because the wings will soak up the sauce in the fridge.

  • Reheat them in the oven – preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Arrange the wings in a single layer on a greased wire rack and bake for 12-17 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re crispy.
  • Reheat the wings in the air fryer – grease an air fryer basket with neutral oil & place the wings in a single layer. Then, air fry the wings at 390°F (199°C) for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.

If you have an air fryer, I definitely prefer that method for reheating! When I was testing reheating methods, I found that the wings get nice and crisp without drying out at all.

A hand reaching for a garlic butter chicken wing on a white plate next to a brown bowl of ranch, a white bowl of chives, glasses of beer, and an orange linen on a beige counter.

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5 from 5 votes

Crispy Garlic Butter Chicken Wings

Yield: 28 wings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
What's better than chicken wings? Crispy garlic butter chicken wings! Baked in the oven or crisped up in the air fryer, these party wings are seasoned with dry rub and tossed in a simple two-ingredient sauce. Make them for parties, game days, or holidays. They're the best!
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds party chicken wings (908 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, NOT baking soda! (14 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or freshly-ground black pepper)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1-2 pinches of cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • Neutral oil or cooking spray (I use avocado oil)
  • 1/4 cup good-quality salted butter (60 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (9 grams)
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped chives (6 grams)
  • Ranch or bleu cheese dressing, for serving

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • 2 sheet pans
  • Parchment paper or tin foil
  • Wire rack

Instructions 

Prep the wings

  • Dry the wings very well with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible. Then, place the wings in a bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Toss the wings with the dry rub until they are well coated. Set aside.

Oven-Baked Wings

  • To bake the wings, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Then, place an oven-safe wire rack on the sheet pan. Grease it well with neutral oil or cooking spray.
  • Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the wire rack. It's ok if they're touching a bit, they will cook down.
  • Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Then, flip the wings and bake them for another 20-25 minutes until the wings are crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes.

Air Fryer Wings

  • To air fry the wings, grease the basket of an air fryer with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It's ok if they're touching a bit, they will shrink as they cook.
  • Fry the wings at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes. Flip the wings and fry them for 6-8 more minutes until they're crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Let the wings rest for 4-5 minutes.

Assemble & garnish

  • While the wings are cooking, make the garlic butter. Combine the butter and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook the garlic butter over medium low heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
  • Once the wings have rested for 4-5 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle the garlic butter over the wings and use tongs to toss the wings until they're evenly coated in the sauce.
  • Garnish the wings with the fresh chives. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the wings immediately with ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

You’ll want to use ‘party wings’ in this recipe which is chicken wings that have been broken down into drums and flats. You can also buy full wings and break them down yourself.
Dry all sides of the wings really well. You want them to be as dry as possible so they crisp up instead of steam. If you have time, you can also dry the wings on a wire rack overnight in the fridge. Place the wire rack on a sheet pan to prevent cross contamination and leave the wings uncovered so they dry out.
The secret to crispy baked wings is baking powder. Make sure you’re using fresh, aluminum-free baking powder. Not baking soda! Otherwise, the wings will come out with a bitter, metallic aftertaste.
For extra crispy wings, broil them for 1-2 minutes. Just don’t broil them for too long, or the wings will dry out.
This recipe will serve 6-8 people as an appetizer or 4-6 people as a meal. 2 pounds of wings is about 20-28 wings depending on the size of the wings.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1wing, Calories: 55kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.6g, Protein: 3.3g, Fat: 4.5g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 68mg, Potassium: 88mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.1g, Calcium: 27mg
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