Skip the deep frying and make these Easy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings that are baked in the oven for a healthy recipe that still has super crispy skin! Chicken wing portions are tossed in lemon juice, seasonings, cornstarch, and Parmesan cheese and then baked on a wire rack until golden brown and crunchy. Serve this crowd-pleasing football appetizer for your next Super Bowl or game day party!
Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings Recipe
This Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wing recipe is the first wing recipe I ever made.
I then adapted it into these Buffalo Chicken Wings, Lemon Pepper Wings, and Thai Chicken Wings. And then I discovered the magic of Air Fryer Chicken Wings.
I’m a big fan of wings. I’m not, however, a big fan of deep frying things.
Enter a secret ingredient that ensures crispy BAKED wings every time. And you don’t need a ton of oil!
And the best part about making them for the big game day or for a party? They’re super easy to meal prep ahead so you don’t miss a minute of the fun.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Wing Portions. You’ll need roughly 2 pounds of drumettes and wingettes. Drumettes look like a drumstick, have the most white meat, and the highest meat to skin ratio. Wingettes, or flats, are composed of two bones, have more dark meat, and slightly less meat to skin than drummettes. Most stores normally have both wingettes and drumettes already cut and prepared in the meat section. If not, you can grab whole wings and learn How to Cut Chicken Wings at home.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is best since it is full of the most flavor. Garlic powder can be substituted but will not give you nearly the same taste.
- Parmesan Cheese. You need finely grated fresh Parmesan so it can evenly coat the wings. Shredded will be too big.
- Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice may be used.
- Oil. Since you are baking at a high temperature, make sure to choose a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil. Canola, safflower, or grapeseed oil are also good options. Olive oil will work if it’s all you have.
- Cornstarch. This key ingredient for crispy wings is this starchy component. Tapioca starch or arrowroot starch are other grain-free alternatives. You can also swap it out for baking powder (not soda!). Just make sure you cut the amount in the recipe by half.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Mix Wings in Sauce
Measure the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, both peppers, and salt into a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until a slightly thick sauce forms.
Add the wing portions to the bowl and toss until they are completely covered. This is what will make the cornstarch stick so be sure to coat each one.
2. Add Starch and Parmesan
Sprinkle the cornstarch all over the wings and mix again so they are all coated evenly. You can also dust just a little at a time and stir before adding more. This part is SUPER important. The starch helps give them their crunchy and extra crispy skin! So even if you’re on a keto or low-carb diet… don’t skip this step!
Cover them in grated Parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Once again, feel free to add a little at a time so all of the wings are evenly coated.
3. Bake on Wire Rack in Oven
Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. It is best if you use a wire rack with lines running in only one direction. The criss-crossed lines are much more challenging to clean! You can give the rack a quick spritz of nonstick cooking spray to help cleanup.
Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack making sure none of the wings touch so the heat can reach all sides. You want the wings skin side-down since they’ll be flipped halfway through ending with the skin side-up.
Alternatively, you can bake the wings directly on a piece of parchment paper, but they won’t get nearly as crispy!
Bake the wings for a total of 40-45 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven. Use tongs to carefully flip the wings over halfway through, then continue baking for the remaining time.
4. Sauces to Serve with Wings
Garnish this crispy dish with a little extra Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
And while these baked garlic chicken wings definitely taste incredible on their own…
You can really take them over-the-top by serving with a side of celery and a few of these dip and sauce ideas:
- Ranch Dressing – definitely the most popular!
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Italian Dressing
- Marinara Sauce
FAQs
Yes, garlic Parmesan wings can be low carb, depending on how they’re prepared. This recipe is low-carb and keto-friendly with only 1g carbohydrates per serving since they aren’t dredged in flour and deep fried.
The heat level of garlic Parmesan wings will depend on the amount of red pepper flakes used. You can leave them out completely to keep them very mild, or sprinkle in a bunch for an extra kick!
Yes, this garlic Parmesan baked wings recipe is gluten-free. However, not all of them are! You’ll want to double-check to see if any flour was used in the recipe.
Other Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
Once you know the secret to crispy baked chicken wings, the sky is the limit. Try any of these easy recipes next.
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Baked Thai Chicken Wings
- Lemon Pepper Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (not technically baked, but just as healthy!)
More Super Bowl Recipes
Keep the munching going with these easy and delicious snacks.
- Texas (Cowboy) Caviar
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
- Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
- Pigs in a Blanket with Crescent Rolls
- Sheet Pan Loaded Nachos
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
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Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. wing portions wingettes, drumettes, or a combo
- 2 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
- 1 tsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
- ½ – 1 tsp. red pepper flakes to taste
- ½ tsp. salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch tapioca or arrowroot starch
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for serving
- Fresh parsley finely chopped
- Italian or Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Toss Wings in Sauce: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, both peppers, and salt. Whisk ingredients together until a slightly thick sauce forms. Add wing portions and toss to coat.2 lbs. wing portions, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ tsp. black pepper, ½ – 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, ½ tsp. salt
- Add Cornstarch and Parmesan: Sprinkle cornstarch over wings to distribute evenly. Toss wings again to coat them completely. Lastly, add parmesan cheese incrementally to try and cover all of the wings completely.2 Tbsp. cornstarch, ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- Bake in the Oven: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and then place a wire rack on top. Layer wings in a single layer, skin side-down, being careful that none of the skin is touching. (You can also place them directly onto parchment paper, but they won't come out nearly as crispy!) Bake wings in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Optionally, broil wings on a high broil for 2-4 minutes.*
- Serve Wings: Sprinkle wings with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve wings immediately with ranch or Italian dressing and enjoy!Fresh parsley, Italian or Ranch dressing
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Video
Notes
- Make sure you use GRATED Parmesan cheese, and not shredded, for best results.
- Broil your chicken wings skin-side-up for the crispiest skin.
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- Use just enough oil. You only need to lightly coat the wing portions, so make sure you don’t overdo it.
- Starch is your friend! A tablespoon or two of cornstarch is the secret ingredient that helps the wings crisp up when baked in the oven.
- Don’t overcrowd. Any place where the wings are touching will not be exposed to the hot air in the oven, thus inhibiting that area from crisping up fully.
- Use a wire rack. Lifting the wings off of the baking sheet allows the air to circulate all around the wings while they’re baking in the oven. This is the same concept used when making Air Fryer Chicken Wings and why they tend to come out so crispy!
- Bake chicken wings at 400°F. A relatively high-heat oven helps the skin to crisp up quickly while the inside becomes tender.
- Broil them skin-side up. Just a few minutes under the broiler will add a delightful crunch to the chicken wings’ skin.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We loved this so much! I made it for dinner and I think we ate our weight in wings! Trying it tonight with chicken thighs! Thanks
Lol that’s awesome!! I am so happy ya’ll enjoyed it so much. Thanks for your comment and rating!
These were delicious!
What is the seven size on these with the calorie count?
Hi Vicki! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂 . The serving size for these is 1 wing = 1 serving! Thanks so much for your comment and review 🙂
Made these tonight. Such a simple recipe. I’m not a very good cook. I can follow directions though and they came out perfect. I couldn’t stop eating them.
They were delicious!
Yay, Kari! So happy to hear you enjoyed them – and you’re probably a better cook than you think 😉 Thanks for your comment! 🙂
These wings are a huge hit with my family!
Yay!! So happy to hear that, Donna!
What does the cornstarch add to the wings? These look really good but can’t do the cornstarch
Hi Cherry! The cornstarch helps to crisp up the wing skin and is pretty important for you to get the crispy texture. Other starches such as tapioca and arrowroot starch are good substitutes if you can do starch!
I have never made wings and I made these for my husband tonight and he loved them. Thank you.
That’s awesome, Lori!! I am so happy your hubby loved them 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
It’s Super Bowl Sunday (GO EAGLES!). I’m looking forward to making these wings for the party tonight. Quick question: is it okay to put everything together, toss the wings, and put them in the fridge this morning, or should I wait until just before the event to prep them? We’re hosting and I have a TON to do today! 🙂
Yes! You can go ahead and prep them this morning and bake them just before the game ????
Can this be done with frozen wings?
Absolutely, Maureen! Just make sure they are not breaded and let them come to room temperature before you make them.
Made these for my family tonight. Doubled the recipe and there is not a single wing left! They are amazing!
Yay, Violet!! So happy your family enjoyed them. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
I’ve made these wings several times and my husband and I LOVE them. We don’t need gluten free, but we do try to not eat a lot of fried foods. These wings are so full of flavor, I’m going to make them for our next party.
YAY!! I am so happy you both love them 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind comment!
Those chicken wings looks delicious!!
Thanks so much, Gwen!! They were so yummy 🙂