If you’re craving crispy, flavour-packed wings, then these Crispy Baked BBQ Wings are exactly what you need. This recipe combines tender chicken with a homemade BBQ sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of spice.
The secret to perfect wings is the technique. By using bicarbonate of soda and a two-step baking process, you get crispy skin and juicy meat. The flexibility of the BBQ sauce allows you to adjust the sweetness, tanginess, or spice to your liking. Whether you’re preparing for a casual weeknight dinner or a gathering with friends, these wings will be a hit every time.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Drying the Chicken Wings for Crispiness
- Baking Soda to Crisp Up the Skin
- Roasting Wings on a Wire Rack
- Why Two-Stage Cooking Is Essential
- Getting the BBQ Sauce Just Right
- Serving Suggestions
- More Wing Recipes
Ingredient Breakdown
- Chicken Wings: The main ingredient, halved at the joint for quicker and more even cooking.
- Plain Flour: A light dusting of flour helps create a crispy outer layer.
- Baking Soda: The key to achieving golden, crispy skin, by altering the pH level of the chicken skin.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Enhances the natural flavour of the wings without overpowering them.
- Garlic Granules & Onion Granules: These aromatics add a savoury depth to the flavour.
- Smoked Paprika & Red Chilli Flakes: Infuse the wings with a smoky, spicy kick.
- BBQ Sauce: A combination of ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and honey creates a tangy, sweet base.
- Chipotle Chilli Flakes: Provides a smoky heat that adds complexity to the BBQ sauce.
Drying the Chicken Wings for Crispiness
To achieve Crispy Baked BBQ Wings, the first essential step is drying the chicken thoroughly. Moisture on the skin of the chicken can create steam when baking, which prevents the skin from crisping up and achieving that satisfying crunch. To start, use clean kitchen towels or paper towels to blot the chicken wings dry. The drier the wings, the better the final result.
It might seem like a small step, but it’s one of the most crucial. After patting the wings dry, don’t skip the next step: adding a dry coating. This helps seal in the moisture while ensuring that the exterior crisps up during cooking. The process of drying the wings helps remove excess fat, and in combination with the two-step baking method, the result is skin that is not only golden and crisp but also perfectly tender inside. This method is a key component of making wings that have the ideal balance of texture.
Baking Soda to Crisp Up the Skin
If you’ve ever wondered how restaurant-style crispy wings are achieved, the secret often lies in baking soda. This simple ingredient plays a crucial role in getting perfectly crisp chicken skin. When baking soda is sprinkled on the wings, it alters the pH of the skin, making it more alkaline. This increased alkalinity helps the skin become more crisp when exposed to high heat. The baking soda also helps the skin brown more efficiently by reducing the amount of moisture trapped within it, allowing for better crisping.
However, it’s important to use a small amount. Too much baking soda can make the wings taste bitter. The beauty of this method is that it ensures crispiness without the need for deep frying. When combined with the two-stage baking process, baking soda is an essential ingredient for achieving Crispy Baked BBQ Wings that are golden, crunchy, and satisfying without being greasy.
Roasting Wings on a Wire Rack
Roasting the wings on a wire rack is a key technique that contributes to their crispy texture. When you place the wings directly on a baking tray, the fat that renders out during cooking has nowhere to go, causing the wings to sit in their own fat and resulting in soggy skin. By placing the wings on a wire rack set over the baking tray, you allow the hot air to circulate evenly around the wings, promoting crispness on all sides. This also helps the fat to drain away, which ensures the skin stays dry and crispy.
Another benefit of this method is that the wings cook more evenly. The wire rack allows for airflow underneath the wings, so they don’t need to be flipped as often as they would if they were resting directly on a baking tray. For anyone aiming for extra crispy skin, this technique is indispensable.
Why Two-Stage Cooking Is Essential
Two-stage cooking is an often-overlooked technique that is key to getting wings with the perfect texture. During the first stage, the wings bake at a low temperature (120°C) to help dry them out and render the fat. This step is critical for creating the crisp, golden skin that everyone craves. By cooking the wings slowly at this stage, the skin begins to firm up, and any excess moisture is removed.
The second stage, where the oven temperature is increased to 230°C, is the crucial step where the wings truly crisp up and become golden brown. The high heat encourages the Maillard reaction, which gives the wings a deep, rich colour and a crispy finish. Flipping the wings halfway through the second stage ensures that both sides receive an even amount of heat, ensuring an all-around crispy texture. This two-stage process is a game-changer when it comes to achieving restaurant-quality Crispy Baked BBQ Wings at home.
Getting the BBQ Sauce Just Right
A homemade BBQ sauce is what truly elevates these Crispy Baked BBQ Wings, making them stand out from other recipes. The beauty of making your own BBQ sauce lies in the ability to adjust it according to your taste preferences. This recipe uses a combination of classic ingredients: ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and honey. These ingredients work together to create a sauce that strikes a perfect balance between sweet, tangy, and salty.
The addition of chipotle chili flakes introduces a smoky heat, which complements the rich flavours of the wings. If you prefer a spicier sauce, adding extra chipotle or even fresh chillies can add an additional kick. On the other hand, if you’re after a sweeter version, a touch more honey or brown sugar will do the trick. The best part of this BBQ sauce is that you can experiment with different variations until you find your ideal combination.
Serving Suggestions
Once your Crispy Baked BBQ Wings are ready, it’s time to serve them up in style. These wings are delicious on their own but can be paired with a variety of sides to create a well-rounded meal.
Consider serving them with crispy fries for a classic pairing or a fresh coleslaw to balance out the richness of the wings with some acidity and crunch. For a lighter option, a crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the smokiness of the BBQ sauce.
If you’re serving these wings at a party or gathering, they also pair perfectly with a selection of dips. A cooling ranch dressing or tangy blue cheese dip complements the heat and smokiness of the wings. These wings can easily be the star of your meal or the perfect party snack.
More Wing Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed the sweet, spicy and utterly addictive flavours in these Crispy Baked BBQ Wings, here are some more wing recipes for you to give a go:
- Honey Chipotle Chicken Wings: Sweet, sticky and spicy. These wings are finger-licking good! They’re incredibly easy to make and only require a few ingredients.
- Crispy Baked Sriracha Honey Wings: Crispy baked wings finished with a delicious sriracha honey glaze. They’re the perfect combination of sweet and spicy!
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings: These wings are the perfect solution for anyone who loves buffalo wings but wants to skip the deep-frying. Crispy, crunchy, and drenched in a tangy, spicy sauce, buffalo wings are a favourite for many.
See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Crispy Baked BBQ Wings
with homemade BBQ sauce
Sweet, sticky and delicious! The true definition of finger-licking good. I’m actually a fan shop-bought bbq sauce – there are so many great brands out there! The benefit of making your own, however, is that you can customise it to your taste. Like it tangy? Amp up the vinegar. Spicy? Add fresh chilli. Sweeter? Add more honey. The possibilities are endless!
The secret to crispy wings is twofold: bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and a double bake! First, bicarbonate of soda increases the alkalinity of the chicken skin, which makes it brown and crisp up better and faster. You’re only adding a very small amount – not enough to coat the chicken, but enough to increase its pH. Second, baking your wings at a very low temperature before roasting them on high helps to dry them out and render out some of the fat, which make for delicious, crispy wings. It’s a process, but it’s so worth it!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken wings, halved at the joint
- 2 tsps plain flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp crushed red chilli flakes
- 150 g Heinz ketchup
- 3 tbsps water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsps honey or brown sugar
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 120℃. Place a wire rack in a large baking tray – cooking the wings on the rack rather than directly on the baking tray allows the hot air to circulate around the wings, making for crispier chicken.
- Pat the wings dry with some clean kitchen towel – moisture is the enemy of crispiness! Transfer them to a bowl.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, smoked paprika and chilli flakes to a small bowl and mix until well combined.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken and toss with your hands to coat, ensuring that all the wings are seasoned.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake the wings at 120℃ for 25 minutes then take them from the oven. They will look pale and dry, and that’s the point! Note: they are still raw at this point, so don’t go in for a bite (at this stage, they won’t look appetising so I doubt you’ll want to anyway).
- Increase the oven temperature to 230℃. Once your oven is up to temperature, roast the wings, flipping them halfway through, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Let them rest for a few minutes – this will help them crisp up even more.
- While the wings are roasting, make the bbq sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the wings to a large bowl. Add the bbq sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately – enjoy!
