Nothing beats a shatteringly crisp, juicy chicken wing! Usually crispy wings are achieved via frying, but this method of oven-baked wings results in perfectly crispy skin without drying out the meat. The secret? Corn starch! It absorbs moisture as the wings cook letting the skin crisp up and brown.
I mean, check these babies out!
Golden brown, crispy, and delicious! Just a tablespoon of cornstarch is enough to coat 24 wings (about 2.25 pounds) in a thin layer. I like to put the wings into a freezer-sized bag then add the corn starch and shake and massage the wings to distribute it. Adding a glug of oil helps the corn starch to spread across the wings evenly (rather than sticking to the first wings it touches).
The wings are then seasoned with salt and pepper and layered onto a baking rack over a sheet-pan. The baking rack allows the wings to cook more evenly by exposing all sides, nooks, and crannies to the hot oven air. The rack also renders the fat and prevents the wings from cooking in it (it drains into the sheet pan below), which makes the skin even more shatteringly crisp.
After this initial baking process, it is just a matter of saucing the wings and serving em’ up. Alternatively, you can toss them back in the oven for 5 minutes to brown up the sauce a little. Have no fear – the wings will stay crisp even if you go this route. Crispy wings just about beg for a good sauce – and my bold Teriyaki sauce is sure to please. Trust me on this!
The bold and beautiful Teriyaki sauce is made with coconut aminos, fresh ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, sugar and my two secret ingredients: a bit of Chinese five spice and fish sauce. This version of Teriyaki sauce is less sweet and more bold than your average version. Bursting with umami and salty-sweetness, it is the perfect compliment to crispy chicken wings.
Click here for the Teriyaki sauce recipe.
This recipe is for about 2 pounds of chicken wings. Using my bold Teriyaki sauce recipe, you will end up with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of left over Teriyaki sauce, which is great to serve on the side for more dipping. The leftover Teriyaki sauce also makes an amazing glaze for meats, fish, and veggies. It has a thick texture, but can be made more thin for drizzling by adding a bit of coconut aminos or water.
As for the wings, they stay most crispy when served right after baking and saucing. As they cool the skin will soften. Sauced wings can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days, and will absorb the sauce making for a flavorful wing.
Crispy Oven-Baked Teriyaki Wings
Servings: about 24 wings
Time: 50 minutes to one hour
Ingredients:
- about 2 pounds of (or 2 dozen) chicken wings
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
- cooking oil
- bold teriyaki sauce
- salt and pepper
How-to:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Dry wings well using paper towels.
- Put wings into a large freezer bag or large bowl and add corn starch and a glug of cooking oil. Toss and massage wings to distribute corn starch evenly.
- Add half a tsp. each of salt and pepper to wings and toss again.
- Spray or rub baking rack with oil to prevent sticking.
- Layer wings onto baking rack placed inside a sheet pan.
- Cook wings in the oven for about 45 minutes until crispy, flipping half way through.
- Toss wings in Teriyaki sauce. You can serve immediately or, optionally, return to oven on the rack for about 5 minutes to brown the sauce a bit and serve.
Notes:
- Using the oil and evenly distributing the corn starch should prevent spots of corn starch from appearing on the wings, however sometimes they do show up. They look like white lines. Do not fret! When you add the sauce they will dissipate. They are also totally flavorless – remember, corn starch is used as a frying coating all the time so even if you get some corn starch lines you are good to go.
- Click here for the Teriyaki sauce recipe.
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