Garlic Butter Chicken Wings

These Garlic Butter Chicken Wings are the crispiest, most flavorful wings you can imagine. You're going to love this chicken wing recipe as a perfect appetizer or main dish. Great for sharing with friends or making for a weekend of football watching. They are also gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly!

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. What more could you want?

I've made this wings recipe for a Sunday dinner or as a fun appetizer for football game-watching and parties. This just shows the versatility and all the ways they can be enjoyed. We love to make a spread of wings, Keto BLT Dip , Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza , and a few other fun apps!

Ingredients

Chicken wings - Make sure to find chicken 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 when making these wings 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

When setting aside prep time and cook time, make sure to factor in that you'll be using your oven and stovetop for these wings.

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.

Expert Tip: 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 to a serving plate and pour the rest of the garlic butter sauce on top of the wings.

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 garlic parm sauce .

Add toppings - A little bit of fresh parsley or freshly squeezed lemon juice is delicious on these wings and drumettes.

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?

There are a few things you can do 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 around the wings and help to crisp the skin. Be sure that you're putting them in a single layer on the wire racks and in 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. 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.

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.

You can then add them to a serving platter, top with chives, and enjoy! 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. That's the beauty of wings - everyone eats them in their own special way!

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 distribution of flavor. There is no definitive answer, and ultimately 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.