If you are looking for the absolute best way to make perfectly crispy chicken wings without actually frying them, look no further! By skipping the vat of oil and relying on a simple dry rub with a secret ingredient (psst… it’s baking powder), this recipe guarantees extra-crispy, golden-brown skin and juicy meat every single time. My preferred method is an air fryer, but I’m including oven instructions as well.
For those of you who have been hanging around since my ESPN days, you know March is normally a holy month of college hoops and corresponding food brackets. (Anyone remember the cereal championship??) But I have a confession: for the first time in probably decades, I didn’t fill out a single bracket—hoops or food. Between the madness of working two weeks straight at a tennis tournament and the madness of getting home, March Madness completely snuck up on me.
As did MLB Opening Day, for that matter! As I type this, I’m watching my former ESPN co-worker Elle Duncan on the new Netflix pre-game show, getting ready to watch the team I covered through two World Series runs (the Giants) take on the team that represents the only post-high school city I lived in longer than San Francisco (the Yankees.)
So whatever your weekend plans: glued to the hardwood, celebrating the return of baseball, or just hanging out—these wings will be your MVP.
I posted this photo in my stories the other night, and while I’m extremely behind on DM’s (again), I saw several replies asking for the recipe, so it inspired me to actually write everything out for you here, including the nerdy food science stuff if that interests you like it does me.
The Wing Source (and the $30 that keeps on giving)
Before we get to the science, let’s talk sourcing. I always have an abundance of wings in the freezer because, years ago, I jumped on a ButcherBox deal that offered “Free Wings for Life” for an upfront $30 fee.
It was arguably the best $30 I’ve ever spent.
Now, I automatically receive 3 lbs of high-quality wings with every single ButcherBox shipment and we enjoy wing night every month for free!
BTW… While that specific wing deal is not currently available, they are offering Ground Beef for Life (the same welcome deal I received back in 2018 in fact) and is a lifesaver for our weekly smashburger addiction. (Speaking of which… perhaps a smashburger tutorial should be the focus a future Quick Bites?) Anyways, if you want to try out BB, you can use my link to snag that smashburger for life deal (or if beef isn’t your thing, you can do free chicken breasts for a year!)
*This post is not sponsored, but I do get a small commission if you use my affiliate links for ButcherBox or Amazon.
The Secrets to “Not-Fried” Crispy Wings
I’ve been using versions of this method for years now. (In fact, you can still access the old blog post that details the oven method with Justin’s photos that I repurposed here.) I’ve since acquired an air fryer (the newer version is currently on sale), and wings are arguably the best use case for it. I’ve also played around with things like adding oil at different times, and even a phase of trying to incorporate cornstarch… but below are my tried and true keys to the game throughout years of monthly ‘scouting.‘
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Baking Powder FTW: Ditch the cornstarch (it will often get gummy). Aluminum-free baking powder raises the pH on the surface of the chicken, which breaks down the peptide bonds and allows the skin to brown and crisp dramatically fast. (Look for aluminum-free, or your wings will taste metallic.)
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Moisture is the Enemy: You have to aggressively pat the wings completely dry with paper towels before seasoning. (Or, better yet: let them air dry in the refrigerator overnight on a rack set over a baking sheet if you remember.)
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Do NOT Toss in Oil: Tossing the wings in oil with the baking powder just creates a paste that inhibits crisping. The natural fat from the chicken skin is enough to get things started and then add the oil later.
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The Two-Temp Attack: You need to start at a low temperature (~250) to slowly render the fat out of the skin, and then blast them with heat (along with a quick spritz of avocado oil) to blister and crisp the exterior.
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The Finishing Touch: To preserve the crispiness you worked so hard to achieve, I have gravitated over the years to serve them un-sauced with a variety of dipping options on the side. Justin is a Stubb’s BBQ sauce guy, while I love the Noble Made buffalo sauces along with a homemade ranch dip, which I’m still perfecting.
For my paid subscribers, keep reading for the exact spice blend, precise measurements, and the minute-by-minute playbook for both the air fryer and the oven to get these right every single time.
(If you aren’t a paid subscriber yet, use your free article below or upgrade to paid to support my work!)
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