These crispy baked chicken wings cook at 400°F for 45 to 50 minutes—no deep fryer, breading, or complicated marinade required. Patting the wings dry and baking them on wire racks helps the skin become golden and crisp while the chicken stays juicy.
With only chicken wings, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper, this easy recipe gives you a flavorful base that can be served plain or tossed with buffalo sauce, barbecue sauce, garlic Parmesan butter, or your favorite wing sauce.
This recipe uses 5 pounds of chicken wings and makes approximately 10 servings. It is easy enough for family dinner and makes plenty for game day, parties, potlucks, and backyard cookouts.
My kiddos love these baked chicken wings, especially when I let everyone choose a different dipping sauce. I love that I can make one big batch without standing over a pot of hot oil.
Readers also make: If your family loves easy, saucy party food, try my BBQ Chicken Sliders.
Why You’ll Love These Baked Chicken Wings
- No frying: The wings become crisp in the oven without a pot of hot oil.
- Four basic ingredients: All you need is chicken, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Crispy skin: Drying the wings and baking them on racks encourages even browning.
- Easy to customize: Serve them plain or divide the batch among several sauces.
- Party-size batch: Five pounds of wings makes enough for approximately 10 servings.
Ingredients for Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- 5 pounds chicken wings: Use drumettes, flats, or a combination of both. Thaw frozen wings completely before beginning.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil: The oil helps the seasoning adhere and encourages the skin to brown.
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt: Kosher salt distributes evenly over the large batch. Use less if substituting fine table salt.
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: This adds mild peppery flavor without competing with your chosen sauce.
How to Make Baked Chicken Wings
Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place oven-safe wire racks inside two large rimmed baking sheets. Line the pans beneath the racks with foil if you would like easier cleanup.
If you do not have wire racks, place the wings directly on foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. They may be slightly less crisp underneath, but they will still cook properly.
Dry and Season the Wings
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing as much surface moisture as possible helps the skin become crisp.
Combine the olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken wings and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
Arrange the Wings
Divide the wings between the prepared wire racks. Arrange them in a single layer, leaving a little room between each piece.
Do not crowd the pans. Wings that are packed too closely together are more likely to steam than crisp.
Bake the Chicken Wings
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
If both oven racks are being used, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back after approximately 25 minutes so the wings brown more evenly.
The wings are safely cooked when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest meaty portion, without touching the bone, registers at least 165°F.
Add Sauce and Serve
Serve the wings plain or transfer them to a clean bowl and toss them with your favorite sauce while they are hot.
Add sauce immediately before serving to help preserve the crisp skin.
Perfect with: Make it a backyard meal with corn on the cob, Bacon Glazed Ribs, and cold root beer floats.
Expert Tips for Crispy Wings
- Dry the wings well. Surface moisture is one of the biggest obstacles to crispy skin.
- Thaw frozen wings completely. Partially frozen wings release additional moisture while baking.
- Use rimmed baking sheets. The rims contain the fat and juices released during cooking.
- Leave room between the wings. Use two pans rather than crowding five pounds of wings onto one.
- Rotate the pans. When using two oven racks, switch the position of the pans halfway through baking.
- Add sauce after baking. This keeps the skin crisp and prevents sugary sauces from burning.
Chicken Wing Variations
- Buffalo wings: Toss the hot wings with buffalo sauce and melted butter.
- Barbecue wings: Coat them with your favorite barbecue sauce or my Hershey’s Chocolate BBQ Sauce.
- Garlic Parmesan wings: Combine melted butter, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley.
- Honey-hot wings: Mix honey, hot sauce, and a little melted butter.
- Lemon pepper wings: Toss with melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, and a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
You can also leave the entire batch plain and set out several sauces for a build-your-own wing bar.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these baked wings as an appetizer with celery, carrots, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, fries, pickles, or chips.
For a larger meal, pair them with coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, or BBQ Chicken Sliders.
Five pounds of wings makes approximately 10 servings at about 1/2 pound of bone-in wings per person. The batch may serve 12 to 15 people when offered as one of several appetizers.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Storage
Store cooled chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store sauced and unsauced wings separately when possible.
Freezing
Freeze cooked wings in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat the wings in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in an air fryer at 375°F for approximately 4 to 7 minutes.
The microwave works in a pinch, but it will make the skin softer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you bake chicken wings at 400°F?
Bake chicken wings at 400°F for 45 to 50 minutes. The exact time depends on their size and your oven. The thickest part of the meat should reach at least 165°F.
How do you make baked chicken wings crispy?
Thaw the wings completely, pat them thoroughly dry, and arrange them in a single layer on wire racks. Leave space between the pieces so hot air can circulate.
Do you need to flip chicken wings in the oven?
Wings baked on wire racks generally do not need to be flipped. If you place them directly on a baking sheet, turn them after approximately 25 minutes for more even browning.
Can you bake frozen chicken wings?
Thaw the wings completely for this recipe. Frozen wings release additional water during cooking, making it more difficult for the skin to become crisp.
Should chicken wings be sauced before or after baking?
Add sauce after baking. This helps the skin stay crisp and prevents barbecue, honey, and other sugary sauces from scorching.
How many people will 5 pounds of chicken wings serve?
Five pounds makes approximately 10 moderate servings. It can serve 12 to 15 people when the wings are one appetizer among several or fewer people when they are served as the main dish.
Related Party Food Recipes
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Bacon Glazed Ribs
- Homemade Hamburger Buns
- How to Shuck and Cook Corn on the Cob
- Hershey’s Chocolate BBQ Sauce
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
These crispy baked chicken wings cook at 400°F with just olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Bake them on wire racks for golden skin, then serve them plain or toss them with buffalo, barbecue, garlic Parmesan, or honey-hot sauce.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and flats
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional sauce and dipping sauces for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place oven-safe wire racks inside two large rimmed baking sheets.
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Combine the olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the wings and toss until evenly coated.
Divide the wings between the prepared racks, arranging them in a single layer with space between the pieces.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. If using two oven racks, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back after approximately 25 minutes.
Cook until the skin is browned and crisp and the thickest portion of the wings registers at least 165°F.
Serve immediately as-is or toss the hot wings with your favorite sauce.
Notes
Equipment
- Two large rimmed baking sheets
- Two oven-safe wire cooling racks
- Large mixing bowl
- Tongs
- Paper towels
- Instant-read thermometer
Expert Tips
Pat the wings completely dry before seasoning. Arrange them in a single layer with space between each piece, and rotate two baking sheets halfway through cooking. Add sauce only after baking for the crispiest skin.
Troubleshooting
If the wings are not crisp, they may have been too wet or crowded. Partially frozen wings also release extra moisture. If the wings brown unevenly, rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back.
Variations
Toss the baked wings with buffalo sauce, barbecue sauce, garlic Parmesan butter, honey-hot sauce, or lemon pepper butter.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with celery, carrots, ranch, blue cheese dressing, fries, coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, or baked beans.
Storage
Store cooled wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Freeze cooked wings in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat at 375°F in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in an air fryer for approximately 4 to 7 minutes, until hot and crisp.
Make Ahead
The wings may be dried and seasoned several hours ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator and bake immediately before serving.
More Recipes to Try
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Bacon Glazed Ribs
- How to Shuck and Cook Corn on the Cob
- Hershey’s Chocolate BBQ Sauce
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate and varies according to wing size, the portion of each wing eaten, and any sauce or dressing added.
Next recipe to try: Keep the saucy party-food energy going with these easy BBQ Chicken Sliders.
This recipe was originally published April 13, 2014, and updated July 19, 2026, with clearer instructions, serving information, storage guidance, and additional cooking tips.