I’ve made plenty of wings in the past, and though they were semi-crisp, I wanted them really crisp. The same sensation you get when deep frying – the crunch that really leaves a lasting impression after every bite you take. That’s the crisp I wanted. And now I’ve got it – in the oven!
Now, a lot of extra steps go into making these chicken wings – but I must say that it’s well worth it. You have to plan ahead, and won’t be able to make them anytime, but for the times when you plan, it really pays off. Essentially the baking soda and baking powder act as an alkaline element and raises the pH level of the chicken wing. This change in pH level weakens the peptide bonds in the protein and allows it to brown (and crisp) better.
If you need help on how to butcher chicken wings, I did a great step-by-step tutorial in my Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Wing post.
The Preparation
- 3 pounds (about 20 pieces) chicken drumsticks and wings
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
The Execution
1. Put all of your chicken wings into a plastic bag and mix together the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Pour all of the baking powder mixture into the bag with the chicken wings. Shake the bag very well to make sure all of the wings are coated in the mixture.
3. Place all chicken wings on a wire rack and set in the fridge overnight. This helps dry them out and breaks down the peptide bonds in the proteins of the chicken (allowing for more crisp).
4. When you’re ready the next day, position a rack in the top middle position and pre-heat your oven to 450F. Once the oven is heated, place the chicken wings in and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and flip the chicken wings. Bake again for 15 minutes or until very crisp.
6. Toss with your favorite wing sauce – butter and cilantro, butter and hot sauce (buffalo sauce), or make something fancier (like garlic parmesan sauce).
This makes a total of 20 chicken wings. Per 4 wings, it comes out to be 773.2 Calories, 57.09g Fats, 0.52g Net Carbs, and 64.8g Protein.
| Perfectly Crisp Baked Wings | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and wings | 3454 | 229.43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 323.54 |
| ¼ cup butter | 407 | 56.03 | 0.03 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 1 teaspoon baking soda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 teaspoons baking powder | 5 | 0 | 2.55 | 0 | 2.55 | 0 |
| Totals | 3866 | 285.46 | 2.58 | 0 | 2.58 | 324.02 |
| Per Serving(/5) | 773.2 | 57.09 | 0.52 | 0 | 0.52 | 64.8 |
Perfectly Crisp Baked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and wings ~20 pieces
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Put all of your chicken wings into a plastic bag and shake well to mix together the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Place all chicken wings on a wire rack and set in the fridge overnight.
- When ready, position a rack in the top middle position and pre-heat your oven to 450F.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 15 minutes or until very crisp.
- Toss with butter and cilantro, or your favorite sauce.
