Crispy Baked Lime & Spice-Rubbed Chicken Wings (Gluten-Free)

Getting really crispy, crunchy chicken wings without any breading or deep frying has been a labor of love. This recipe is deceptively simple; when you taste the crunch, warm spices and fresh hint of lime, you won't believe you can make these chicken wings in your plain, old, regular oven (no air-fryer or messy deep frying needed!!) We love eating these crispy baked chicken wings for a family dinner; I can even get my picky older daughter to eat 4 or 5 chicken wings. These also work a great appetizer to serve at your next BBQ!

One cooking technique I love to use to help these wings get EXTRA crispy without any breading or frying is to add a little bit of baking powder. Here is the science if you are interested.

According to the book, The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, baking powder is alkaline, which raises the pH level of the chicken skin to accelerate the Maillard reaction (browning). This structural breakdown releases tiny carbon dioxide gas pockets, creating a blistered, micro-textured surface that mimics a deep-fryer without using a single breadcrumb. Just be sure to use an aluminum-free brand to avoid any gross, metallic aftertaste (Kenji López-Alt, 2015).

How to Make these Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Prep & Coat: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, add chicken wings then combine with 2 tbsp avocado oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp lime zest, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Toss the wings in the mixture until evenly coated.

Preheat Oven to 420°F: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the wings in a single layer with at least 1 inch of space between each piece. Note: With 3 lbs of wings, I use two baking sheets to keep them from crowding and steaming.

Bake Until Golden: Place the tray(s) in the preheated oven at 420°F and bake for 55-60 min until the skin is deeply golden.

Broil & Rotate: Put broiler on low to get the skin extra blistered, and perfectly crispy. Broil chicken for 3-4 minutes. If you have double oven racks, at the 2 minute mark, rotate your top and bottom chicken so both get direct access to the top broiler. Watch closely so they don't burn! Serve warm with a squeeze of lime!

Check out the full recipe below! I hope you enjoy!

References:

1. López-Alt, J. K. (2015). The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science. W. W. Norton & Company.