These Garlic Butter Chicken Wings are the crispiest, most flavorful wings you can imagine. You’ll love this buttered chicken wing recipe as a perfect appetizer or main dish.
If you’re a fan of crispy wings, don’t miss out on this recipe. Since they’re cooked in both the oven and then tossed in garlic butter in a hot skillet, the crispiness in every bite is perfection.
What I love about making this chicken wings recipe is that the “breading” of the wings doesn’t overpower the rest of the bites. It’s a light and crispy crunch that leads you right into tender and juicy chicken.
They are also gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly!
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I’ve made this buttered chicken wings recipe for a Sunday dinner or as a fun appetizer for football game-watching and parties. We love to make a spread of wings, Keto BLT Dip, Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, and a few other fun apps!
Ingredients
Chicken wings – Try to find wings that are meaty! You can buy fresh or frozen for this recipe. Defrost frozen wings before cooking them.
Salted butter – I always use salted butter because it adds that extra pop of flavor.
Garlic – I prefer using fresh minced garlic from garlic cloves. In a pinch, garlic powder also works well to stick to the chicken wings.
Salt – Yep, you’ll need a little bit more salt!
Black pepper – To taste.
How to make Garlic Butter Chicken Wings
The complete instructions are in the recipe card below the blog post.
Step One: Preheat the oven to 425. Spray the rack liberally with cooking spray so the wings don’t stick. Pat the chicken wings dry with a clean paper towel to get rid of excess moisture.
Step Two: Put the wings on a rimmed baking sheet with a metal cooling rack on top. Make sure your cooling rack is oven safe before you try this. Bake for 40 minutes. You want them to look deep golden brown and the skin to be crispy.
To save on clean up you can line the pan under the rack with parchment paper.
Step Three: During the last five minutes of cooking time, heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the garlic has softened and begins to turn golden brown.
Step Four: Toss the hot wings immediately in the garlic butter mixture. Transfer the garlic butter wings to a serving plate and pour the rest of the garlic butter sauce on top of the wings. I’ll also have some extra garlic butter dipping sauce that I make up for people who like to dip their wings and then eat.
Variations
Use a different sauce – Garlic chicken wings are great, but if you want to change it up, you can. Add hot sauce instead to turn these into hot and spicy buffalo wings.
Add parmesan cheese – If you want to make garlic parmesan chicken wings, just add some parmesan cheese to the dish! Or make my special Buffalo Wild Wings parmesan garlic sauce.
Add toppings – Fresh parsley, lemon zest, or freshly squeezed lemon juice is delicious on these wings and drumettes. Red pepper flakes add some heat.
Common Questions
Can you prep these ahead of time?
I always make a batch for game day during football season and tend to make some ahead of time. If you want to make them ahead and then crisp them back up before serving them, this is where you can use your air-fryer to heat them back up.
How do you get crispy skin on wings?
You can do a few things to ensure crispy skin on your wings.
First, make sure the skin is dry before cooking. You can pat the wings with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
Second, cook the wings at a high temperature. This will help to crisp the skin.
Third, use a baking sheet or wire rack to cook the wings. This will allow hot air to circulate the wings and help to crisp the skin.
Finally, put them in a single layer on the wire racks and the hot pan. When you’re frying them, they need space in the skillet so that they’re not touching to be able to crisp up on all sides.
How long does it take wings to bake at 400? At 425?
At 400 degrees, it usually takes about 25-30 minutes for wings to bake so that they reach 160. However, this can vary depending on the size and thickness of the wings. For example, if the wings are large and thick, they may take a bit longer to bake. Additionally, if you’re looking for crispy skin on your wings, you may want to cook them for a few minutes longer.
I like my wings super crispy. So I shoot for baking them at 425 for 40 minutes. Since wings are dark meat they don’t dry out and the skin is very crisp.
Expert Tip: If you have wings without much meat on them they will cook a lot faster. You should start checking them at the 15-20 minute point.
What is the best way to store leftover wings?
Let the wings cool down all the way, and then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Some people also store them wrapped in aluminum foil, and the reason for this is so that they can then just add the foil packet right into the oven to reheat low and slowly. Reheating in the microwave works but isn’t the best option.
How do you know when chicken wings are fully cooked?
Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate testing method. Once the internal temperature of the wings is 165 degrees, this means that the chicken is cooked all the way and safe to eat.
Do you put seasoning on wings before or after cooking?
The debate over whether to season chicken wings before or after cooking is a long-standing one. Some argue that seasoning the wings before cooking helps to lock in the flavor, while others contend that seasoning after cooking allows for a more even flavor. There is no definitive answer, and it comes down to personal preference.
However, if you are looking for maximum flavor, it is generally advisable to season the wings both before and after cooking. This is why I add salt and pepper before cooking and the garlic butter after.
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Garlic Butter Chicken Wings
Garlic Butter Chicken Wings are the crispiest, most flavorful wings you can imagine. You’re going to love this amazing chicken wing recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken wings
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a metal cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Make sure your cooling rack is oven safe before you try this.
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Put the wings on the prepared tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 40 minutes.
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During the last five minutes of cooking time heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the garlic has softened and begins to turn golden brown.
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Toss the hot wings immediately in the garlic butter. Serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 2wingsCalories: 160.7Carbohydrates: 0.7gProtein: 7.7gFat: 14.1gSaturated Fat: 6.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 51.5mgSodium: 284mgPotassium: 75.1mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 293.9IUVitamin C: 0.9mgCalcium: 11.2mgIron: 0.4mg
Originally Published September 29, 2022. Revised and Republished April 22, 2024.