If You’ve Never Tried My Crispy Baked Dry Rub Wings…

Alright, so here’s the thing: I never thought baked wings could really go toe-to-toe with the fried ones—until I wandered into a friend’s house on a rainy Saturday, got handed a plate of these, and (not even kidding) immediately demanded the recipe while still chewing. Granted, I dropped half of it down my shirt, but details. Since then, these have been in our regular rotation—my partner even requests them for his birthday, which, honestly, makes dinner plans super easy for me one night a year. Anyway, if you’re looking for wings that come out crispy without the mess (or the epic splashback from frying!), this one’s for you. And hey, if they’re good enough to eat cold out of the fridge, you know they’re keepers.

Why You’ll Love This

I make these when I want to be the hero of game night but don’t want to stand over a bubbling pot of oil—also, less time spent scrubbing the stove later. My family goes absolutely bonkers for the crispy skin (they’ll even steal each other’s when someone isn’t looking). What’s wild is that the dry rub is super customizable, so you can go spicy, smoky, or sweet-ish—totally up to you. Also, one time I ran out of half the spices, improvised with taco seasoning, and, shockingly, no one even noticed. So, yeah, forgiving recipe. (Seasoning powder is apparently magic; who knew?)

So About the Ingredients (Don’t Overthink ’Em)

2 lbs chicken wings (split into drumettes and flats; could use party wings if you’re lazy—I often am)
1 tbsp baking powder (NOT baking soda; trust me, I made that mistake once and—just don’t)
2 tsp smoked paprika (regular is fine if you’re all out; I sometimes use chipotle powder if I’m feeling wild)
1½ tsp garlic powder (honestly, sometimes I put in a full tablespoon, but that’s just me)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt (My grandmother always insisted on fancy sea salt but, honestly, regular table salt won’t hurt these)
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, unless you like ’em hot—my brother can’t handle the spice, so I leave it out for him)
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional for a tiny bit of sweet, or skip it if you’re anti-sugar)

Here’s How I Make ’Em (With Some Rambling)

Pat the wings dry. Like, really dry. I usually grab a wad of paper towels and squash each one a bit—gets rid of that slime. If you skip this, you might regret it later. Learned that on a humid day in July.
Toss with baking powder and dry rub. Mix all your seasonings and that magic baking powder together in a big-ish bowl (or a zip-top bag if you’re avoiding dishes), dump in the wings, and toss everything around. Use tongs, your hands, whatever. Just make sure each wing gets coated—this is where I sneak a taste (do as I say, not as I do, I guess).
Set ’em on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking tray. I swear this is the trick for crispy skin. No rack? No problem. Just lay the wings directly on the foil. Flipping halfway is a bit more of a pain but they’ll still crisp up—just not quite as evenly.
Bake at 425°F (about 220°C) for 40–50 minutes. I go 20 minutes skin-side up, flip everything over (don’t burn your hands), then back in until they look deep golden brown and the skin is bubbled and crunchy at the edges. Don’t worry if some look a bit patchy at first; once they rest, the magic happens.
Let them rest for 5 minutes. This is probably the hardest part. Just stare at them longingly while the skin crisps up even more. (Or, you know, get your dipping sauces together.)

Notes From My (Occasionally Messy) Kitchen

Once I forgot the wire rack and just crumpled some foil into ridges. Actually, it worked okay, though they were a bit wonky looking.
My friend says baking at a lower temp then cranking it up makes them super crispy—I tried it and, honestly, didn’t notice much difference. Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer fewer steps!
If you can, get wings that already look a little dry at the store, not super juicy in the package. Trust me, they crisp up better.

If You Want to Mix Things Up (Or Ruin Everything)

I once used maple sugar instead of brown sugar. Result: surprisingly delicious, would do again.
Swapped out smoked paprika for curry powder once. Not my finest moment. My partner diplomatically called it “unique.”
Sometimes I add dried oregano or chipotle powder if I’ve got a craving for smoke.
Next experiment: Old Bay instead of smoked paprika. If someone tries it first, let me know how it goes, yeah?

About the Equipment (& Workarounds)

So, I always say a wire rack is a must—but, actually, I’ve done these right on foil, too. There’s a bit more sticking, but nothing that a spatula can’t handle. I use an old baking tray I inherited (there’s a mysterious dent in one corner I still blame on my cousin). If you’re missing a bowl big enough for tossing, just use a trash bag with clean hands, believe it or not.

How to Store What’s Left (If You Have Leftovers)

Airtight container, fridge, all that. They’re great up to 3 days, though, honestly, in my house they never last more than a day! Oh, and I think they taste even better the next day. Just toss ’em back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp back up. Or eat ‘em cold; no judgment here.

How I Like to Serve (Because Dipping Matters)

My go-to is a simple blue cheese dip with a pile of celery sticks—to me, that’s non-negotiable. Sometimes I set out a bowl of homemade ranch and carrot sticks too, especially if there are kids around. If it’s just adults, I’ll serve pickles on the side (weird, but super good). Oh, and on game days, my dad insists these wings get arranged in a perfect circle on a giant platter, but I kinda just chuck them into a bowl and hope for the best.

Pro Tips, AKA What I Learned the Hard Way

I once tried rushing the drying step and, yeah, soggy wings. Never again.
If you get too generous with the baking powder, you might notice a bitter aftertaste, so don’t go wild.
Lining your tray with foil before baking will save your sanity at clean-up time (ask me how I know…)

Crowdsourced FAQ from My Friends & Family

Can I use frozen wings? Yep, just be sure they’re totally thawed and you pat them super dry. Any moisture clings on and you lose the crunch.
Is there a way to make them less spicy? Totally! Skip the cayenne, or halve the black pepper. Sometimes I do both if cooking for kids. Actually, try sweet smoked paprika if you can find it.
Do I need to flip the wings? Yeah, I’d recommend it; though I’ve forgotten once or twice, and to be fair, they turned out okay—just not all-over crispy.
Can I air fry instead? Sure! About 400°F for 18–20 minutes works fine, but you’ll have to cook in batches. And, bonus, less waiting.
What if I don’t have brown sugar? Use white sugar or just skip it—sometimes I throw in a dash of maple syrup, it’s all good.

Oh, and as a total aside, last time I made these, my neighbor stopped by just to ask what smelled so good. So, fair warning—your house might suddenly be more popular after you bake a batch.

Crispy Baked Dry Rub Wings