Crispy Chicken Wings Appetizer (Printable)

Crispy baked chicken wings coated in a flavorful tangy sauce, perfect for parties or starters.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.2 lbs chicken wings, split and tips removed

→ Marinade

02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp onion powder
05 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
06 - 1 tsp salt
07 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce

08 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
09 - ¼ cup hot sauce (e.g., Franks RedHot)
10 - 1 tbsp honey
11 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Garnish

12 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
13 - Celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing, for serving (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss wings with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until coated evenly.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway, until wings are golden brown and crispy.
04 - While wings bake, whisk together melted butter, hot sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl.
05 - Transfer cooked wings directly to the sauce bowl. Toss thoroughly until evenly coated.
06 - Arrange wings on a platter. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste restaurant-quality but come together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between tangy, spicy, and a little sweet—nothing one-note.
  • Baking instead of deep frying means less stress and a lot less cleanup.
  • Naturally gluten-free if you choose the right hot sauce, so more people at the table can enjoy them.
02 -
  • Pat those wings completely dry before seasoning—any moisture steams them instead of crisping them.
  • Don't crowd the baking sheet; wings need air circulation to get truly crispy, not just cooked through.
  • If your sauce seems to pool at the bottom of the platter instead of clinging to the wings, it usually means either the wings cooled too much or your sauce had too much butter—add a touch more hot sauce next time.
03 -
  • Pull wings from the oven while they still feel slightly soft—carryover cooking continues for a minute or two, and you don't want to overshoot into dry.
  • Fresh, quality hot sauce makes a noticeable difference; cheap versions can taste flat or stale, so taste before you buy.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, keep finished wings warm in a low oven (160°C) while you work through batches, and add fresh sauce just before serving so they stay crispy.

Return