Don't worry about complicated techniques for the perfect baked chicken wings. We've cut a few corners and found that these Easy Baked Wings are just as good as, if not better than, the high maintenance versions. We've put a Mexican spin on ours with our favorite Cholula Hot Sauce, and we made a Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing for dippin'. Get your paper napkins ready!
It’s WING TIME people! I may not have a clue who is actually playing for the title this weekend (excuse my ignorance but sports really aren’t my forté unless my kids or England 🏴 is playing!) but I do know how to put out a mean Super Bowl Spread, so it’s still worth inviting me to your party 😜. Having said that, it’s just the 5 of us this year (‘cos ya know #superspreadersunday 😷), which may come as a relief to my friends who always get slightly annoyed by my questions (why is he running the wrong way? Oh, that’s not the wrong way? Why have they stopped the clock again?), and my over-zealous excitement for the halftime show and commercials.
I’ve made several different recipes for wings over the years, always striving for a perfectly baked result. I’ve air-dried, rubbed, and wrestled with more wings than I can bear to think about, but EUREKA!, this past weekend I think I found my happy place as far as wings are concerned. I’ve never understood why everyone is always after a crispy baked wing if it’s tossed in sauce anyway, nixing the entire point of a crispy wing. Can anyone enlighten me, please? So I just went ahead and ignored all the high-maintenance steps, and whacked some wings in the oven with a dusting of seasonings. Then I tossed them in cholula and served them with a Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing. Seriously, so easy and get-your-paper-napkins-out-cause-you-don’t-want-this-sauce-on-your-linens good. So I’m gonna head back to the kitchen to potter around and work on my super bowl whoopee pies, call me for the commercial break, K? xoxo Kirsty
Ingredients for 6-8 buffet side servings
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) chicken wings separated into the drumette and the flat. Ask the butcher to this for you or check out how to do it yourself here.
1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (235ml) of your favorite hot sauce - we love Cholula or Frank’s
1/4 cup (57g) butter
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) degrees. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Prepare the chicken wings by separating them into the drumette and the flat portion, if they aren’t already separated. Pat them dry with paper towels.
Combine the baking powder, garlic & onion powders, chipotle chili, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss the chicken wings in the bowl until they are all covered.
Place the chicken wings on the baking sheets in a single layer and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Take the baking sheets out and drain off the liquid that has accumulated, then flip the wings over. Return the trays to the oven and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. You can also bake them on a rack set over a baking tray, but I have found that cleaning the racks from chicken skin remnants is an absolute nightmare, so I prefer this way!
Whilst the chicken wings are baking, melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove the pan from the heat and add the hot sauce. Stir to combine. Pour it over the wings when they come out of the oven and toss. Sprinkle with parsley before serving with our Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing (below), or go ahead to use a store-bought Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing!
Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
1/2 cup (60g) sour cream
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) milk, depending on your preferred consistency
zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons (30ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Place all ingredients into a small food processor and blend until combined. Any leftovers can be kept refrigerated, in air tight container, for up to a week.