Crispy baked chicken wings coated in a sweet, tangy homemade barbecue sauce. I’ll show you the trick to getting the crispiest wings in the oven. The whole family will devour these — they’re easy to prepare and avoid the grease splatter of deep frying.
“Restaurant quality wings! I used store-bought wings and my own sauce. They were perfect — I roasted a bit less time because my wings were small. Do it! You won’t regret it!”
– Barbi
Nicky’s Notes
These wings disappear fast. I once bought 1 kg and they vanished in minutes. They work brilliantly as an appetizer or as a main with sides. The homemade barbecue sauce in this recipe is one I adore — it makes enough to coat the wings and leaves an extra cup or so to serve on the side or save for fries, burgers or sausages.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- What do we need for the wings?
- How to make the wings
- What do we need for the Barbecue Sauce?
- How to make the Barbecue Sauce
- Putting it all together
- What to serve it with
- Watch how to make it
- BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe
- More fantastic Appetizer recipes
- Do you put BBQ sauce on chicken before or after baking?
- Can you put BBQ sauce on raw chicken?
- How do you get sauce to stick to chicken wings?
- Do I need to marinate the wings first?
- Is there a vegetarian option?
What do we need for the wings?
- Chicken wings (obviously)
- Aluminium-free baking powder (important — see notes)
- Salt and pepper
How to make the wings
Full recipe and exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette. Pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl toss the wings with the aluminium-free baking powder, salt and pepper so they get a light, even coating.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on a rack set over a baking tray. Roast at 120°C/250°F (fan) for 30 minutes to render the fat.
- Increase the oven to 220°C/425°F and roast for a further 40–45 minutes until the skin is golden and very crispy. If your wings are small or not meaty, reduce the final roasting time by 10 minutes. They’re delicious plain, but exceptional with the homemade BBQ sauce.
What do we need for the Barbecue Sauce?
Quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
- Sweetness: tomato ketchup, dark brown sugar, black treacle or molasses and honey
- Tang: white wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
- Heat and smokiness: mustard powder, smoked paprika and black pepper
- A little oil to make the sauce smooth and glossy
How to make the Barbecue Sauce
- Put all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until ready to use.
Putting it all together
- Toss the hot wings with the barbecue sauce in a large bowl (or use two spoons to coat them evenly) and serve immediately so the skin keeps some crisp texture beneath the glaze.
What to serve it with
These baked BBQ wings go well with:
- Creamy potato salad
- Homemade coleslaw
- Garlic chilli oven-baked fries
- Cobb salad with smoky chickpeas
- Roasted smashed potatoes with garlic, cheddar and bacon
Watch how to make it
BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Wings:
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken wings
- 2 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powderIt must be baking powder, not baking soda.
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Barbecue Sauce:
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) tomato ketchup
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp black treacle or molasses
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp oil (neutral)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp mustard powder (or 1 tsp English mustard)
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F (fan) and set a rack on a large baking tray.
-
Cut wings at the joints into mini wings and drumettes. Pat dry, then toss in the bowl with baking powder, salt and pepper. Discard any excess coating after tossing so the wings have only a light dusting.
-
Lay the wings in a single layer on the rack (they can touch slightly). Roast on the lower shelf for 30 minutes.
-
Turn the oven to 220°C/425°F, rotate the tray and roast for another 45–50 minutes until the wings are golden and crisp. For smaller wings, reduce the final time by about 10 minutes.
-
While the wings cook, combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
-
Toss the hot wings with the barbecue sauce and serve right away.
Notes
Scaling
Scale the recipe up or down keeping the same ratios. Halve everything for about 12–13 wings; double for 48–52 wings. Cooking times remain the same. The sauce yields about 2 cups — enough to coat the wings and leave extra to serve.
On baking powder
Some baking powders contain aluminium compounds that can taste bitter to sensitive palates. Use an aluminium-free baking powder and measure carefully. Dry the wings well so they only pick up a light coating, and discard any leftover powder after tossing.
Make ahead
You can roast the wings ahead (without sauce), cool and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat on a rack at 200°C/400°F for 5–6 minutes to restore crispness. The sauce can be made in advance and reheated before using.
Boneless option
To make boneless “wings”, use crispy chicken tenders or oven-baked chicken strips and toss them in the barbecue sauce instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is approximate and should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was first posted in July 2020 and has been updated with improvements.
More fantastic Appetizer recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Sticky Asian Style Wings
- Baked Cauliflower Wings
- Fried Korean Chicken
- Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Bread
- Chicken and Chorizo Puffed Pastry Rolls
- Chicken Satay or Beef Satay
- Thai Fish Cakes
- Sesame Prawn Toast
Do you put BBQ sauce on chicken before or after baking?
For maximum crispness, add the barbecue sauce after baking and serve immediately.
Can you put BBQ sauce on raw chicken?
Some methods bake or grill chicken in sauce, but because BBQ sauce contains a lot of sugar it can burn and become bitter. This recipe roasts the wings first for crispness, then adds sauce at the end. If you do coat raw chicken, add sauce only in the final few minutes of cooking.
How do you get sauce to stick to chicken wings?
The wings develop a craggy, crispy exterior during roasting, which helps the sauce cling rather than slide off.
Do I need to marinate the wings first?
No. Keeping the skin dry before roasting is key to achieving extra crispiness.
Is there a vegetarian option?
Yes — baked cauliflower “wings” make a great vegetarian alternative. Roast the cauliflower the same way and toss in your preferred sauce.
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