Crispy Baked Chicken Wings [2 ways]

I think wings and nachos are pretty much always a requirement on game day, am I right? They are each the perfect food to be able to pick up and take a bite with you as you mingle with friends at your game day party.

I know that a lot of people go out and buy their wings, but I’m telling you that homemade crispy baked chicken wings are better than the restaurant versions. And so much more fresh!

It is surprisingly easy to make wings yourself, and you don’t even need a grill or a messy fryer. You can use your oven to get them super crispy on the outside.

(not to mention, it’s a whole lot healthier than frying)

Make your own wing sauce ->

I’ve got two varieties of wings for you guys! One for the people that like a little heat, and one for your friends (like me) that can’t take much heat, so we go with the sweeter sauce. The sauces for these wings couldn’t be any easier, all you need are a few pantry ingredients!

For the spicier of the two, all you need is:

• sriracha
• honey

Then for the sweeter version, all you need is:

• your favorite barbecue sauce
• honey
• a little hot sauce

Just whisk it together and BOOM, homemade wing sauce.

How to get crispy chicken wings ->

The key here is to get your oven HOT. I like to bake my wings at 425 degrees, and always on top of a wire baking rack. The baking rack is super important because it allows the hot air to circulate underneath the wings and doesn’t let them get soggy on the bottom.

No one wants soggy wings.

Another important thing is to make sure that you pat them dry with a paper towel before baking. This gets rid of excess moisture and lets the skin crisp up in the oven. Drying the wings also helps the sauce stick to them better.

What to serve with wings ->

• dips, of course! Ranch, hummus, yogurt, sour cream, these are all good options!
• crunchy veggies on the side to help the palette balance all that sauce
• other fun appetizers, like nachos, smashed potatoes, or these pretzel bars!

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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings [2 ways]

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken wings (I used a mix of wingettes and drumsticks)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Honey Sriracha Sauce

• 1/4 cup sriracha
• 1/4 cup honey

Spicy Honey Barbecue Sauce

• 1/3 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2-3 tbsp hot sauce (omit if you want no spice at all)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and place a wire rack on top of a large foil-lined baking sheet.
• Prepare the wings by removing them from their package and patting them dry with a paper towel. Try to remove as much excess moisture as you can. Season them with salt and pepper on both side.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sriracha and honey for the first sauce. Using a pair of tongs, place half of the wings into the sauce and toss until everything is completely coated in the sauce.
• In another medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, honey, and hot sauce for the second sauce. Then with the tongs, place the other half of the wings into the sauce and toss until completely coated.
• Arrange the wings on the baking sheet in an even layer, leaving a little bit of space in between each one. If they are too close and touching each other, it won't allow the skin to crisp up on all sides.
• Bake for 40 minutes total, flipping them over after 20 minutes so they can crisp on the second side.
• Remove from the oven, place them on a serving platter and enjoy!