Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Wings with Lemon & Garlic Sauce
Feb 19, 2025, Updated Feb 27, 2025
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I’m absolutely in love with oven baked crispy chicken wings! You won’t believe how incredibly crunchy they get—no deep frying needed. These wings are baked to golden, crispy perfection, then tossed in a luscious lemon, honey, and garlic butter sauce. Pure chicken wing bliss!
Making crispy chicken wings at home couldn’t be easier! With just an oven and secret one key ingredient, baking powder, you’ll achieve perfectly golden, crackling skin—no deep frying required. And don’t worry about dryness—these wings stay irresistibly tender and juicy on the inside. It’s a healthier alternative to deep frying, but you’d never know the difference. Trust me, they taste just as good as the real deal!
These wings are perfect on their own but I love taking them to the next level with a flavorful sauce. I’ve already shared my crispy baked wings with buffalo sauce and crispy baked wings with garlic butter parmesan sauce, and now it’s time for something special: a lemon, honey, and garlic sauce. It’s bright, sweet, and packed with my signature oven roasted garlic confit, making it the ultimate drizzle for crispy, golden wings.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser—because who can resist a big bowl of crispy chicken wings? Serve them up on Game Night and watch them vanish before halftime!
- No deep frying, no guilt—just crispy, golden wings without all the extra oil! A healthier twist on classic fried wings that still brings all the crunch.
Recipe Ingredients
Here is everything I used to make these oven baked crispy chicken wings with a lemon and garlic sauce. The secret ingredient is baking powder.
Chicken wings: We are obviously going to need chicken wings to make a wings recipe! Here in Australia, wings are often sold whole and not separated into wingettes or drumettes. If using whole chicken wings, use a sharp knife to cut them into two, separating the wingettes (flats) from the drumette. You can use both the wingette or drumette in this recipe. You could also keep your wing whole but I like to cut them in half, making them easier to eat.
Baking powder: This is a key ingredient needed for achieving the crispiest chicken wings in the oven. Make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda or bi card soda.
Seasoning: I have used a variety of seasonings to flavour my chicken wings including garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and BBQ seasoning. If you can’t get your hands on a pre-made BBQ seasoning, you can replace this with a tablespoon of sweet paprika.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe variations and modifcations
- Make it gluten free – this recipe is gluten free as is!
- Save on time – swap out the garlic confit for fresh garlic cloves to save on time. Use up to 6 garlic cloves that have been finely minced.
How to make crispy oven baked wings
Now that we have talked through everything we need to make our baked wings, it’s time to dive into the crispy part!
- Step 1: Lay your wings onto a wire rack and place into the fridge uncovered for a minimum of 2 hours or a maximum of 12 hours. This will dry out the skin of the chicken wings. If you skip this step, pat the wings dry with paper towels.
- Step 2: Season the wings and coat in baking powder. Baking powder is a key ingredient to giving you crispy chicken wings in the oven. Baking powder draws out the moisture on the skin so it can evaporate.
- Step 3: Use a wire rack placed over a baking tray to cook your chicken wings. The wire rack allows for air to circulate under the wings, promoting even cooking and crispiness.
- Step 4: Bake at a low heat and then at a high heat. Bake the wings for 30 minutes at 250°F (120°C) and then 40 – 50 minutes at 425°F (220°C). The low heat will melt the fat off the chicken wings and the high heat will get that skin crispy.
How to serve
Serve your crispy chicken wings in a large bowl for the ultimate shareable feast—best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the oven for maximum crunch! Pile them high, then sprinkle with fresh parsley for a burst of color and flavor. For those who love a little heat, a generous dash of chili flakes will do the trick. Whether it’s Game Night or a casual gathering, these wings will disappear in no time!
how to store
To store leftover chicken wings, place them in an airtight Tupperware container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. While they’re best served hot and fresh, you can easily reheat them for later! For maximum crispiness, pop them in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for a few minutes until hot and crunchy. If you’re short on time, the microwave works too, but keep in mind that the wings will lose their crisp.
Recipe FAQ’s
The secret to ultra-crispy oven-baked wings? Baking powder! It helps draw out moisture from the skin, giving you that perfectly golden, crackling crunch—no deep frying needed! The secret to ultra-crispy oven-baked wings is baking powder, but the cooking method matters too! Start by baking them at a low heat to slowly render the fat, then crank up the heat to get that golden, crispy skin. This two-step process ensures perfectly crunchy wings.
Baking powder is the real secret to crispy wings, and unfortunately, it can’t be swapped out for cornstarch or baking soda. Cornstarch won’t draw out moisture the same way, and baking soda can leave a bitter taste. Stick with baking powder for the best crunch!
MORE CHICKEN WING RECIPES
If you make these chicken wings, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Images by Alanna Penna photography.
Oven Baked Crispy Chiken Wings with Lemon & Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
Garlic confit
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 cup olive oil
Crispy baked wings
- 4 lbs chicken wings, 2kg (see note)
- 4 tsp baking powder, see note
- 2 tbsp BBQ seasoning, see note
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- salt and pepper
Sauce
- 20 garlic confit cloves, or 6 raw garlic cloves, finely minced (see note)
- 1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 4 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp tabasco
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- salt
- parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
Garlic confit
- Preheat the oven to 120°C/ 250°F
- Peel the garlic by breaking the cloves away and placing them into a heatproof bowl. Submerge in boiling hot water for 5 minutes and drain. The skin will become loose and easy to peel away.
- Place the garlic cloves into an ovenproof dish and fully submerge in olive oil. It's important the garlic is fully submerged in the olive oil so it does not burn. Bake for 1 hour or until the garlic has browned in colour.
- Seperate the garlic confit from the olive oil and reserve the olive oil. Mash up the garlic confit cloves with the back of a knife. Set to the side for now.
Crispy baked wings
- Do this the night before. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel. Place the wings onto a wire rack and lay uncovered in the fridge overnight. If you are short on time, just pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
- Preheat the oven to 120°C / 250°F
- Place the wings into a bowl and season with everything but the baking powder. Massage the seasoning into the wings until well coated. Sprinkle over the baking powder and massage into the wings.
- Lay the wings onto a wire rack and place over a baking tray lined with alfoil. Don’t worry if the wings are snug on the wire rack. Place the baking tray into the oven on the lowest shelf. Bake for 30minutes.
- Increase the heat to 220°C / 425°F. Move the tray up to the higher shelf and bake for an additional 40 – 50 minutes or until the wings are golden and crispy. The wings do not need to be flipped over.
- Place the wings into a large bowl and pour the sauce all over. Toss the wings in the sauce until well coated.
- Sprinkle over parsley and enjoy immediately!
Sauce
- In a frypan on a medium heat, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the garlic confit oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the honey, lemon zest, black pepper, chili flakes, tabasco and lemon juice. Stir through for 3 minutes until well combined and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Absolutely loved this recipe! Thank you!