Whole chicken wings cut into drumettes and flats, patted dry, salted at one tablespoon per kilo and left uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight so the skin dries out. Baked at 130 °C / 275 °F convection for 30 minutes to render the fat, then at 220 °C / 425 °F for 10 minutes to crisp. Tossed right before serving in a glaze of garlic powder, soy sauce, ketchup and honey. No frying, no oil. Serves 4.
Instructions
- 1
Cut each wing at the joints into a drumette, a flat and a tip. Feel for the joint and cut right next to it. Set the tips aside for broth.
- 2
Do not rinse the wings. Lay them out in a single layer and pat them completely dry with paper towels on both sides.
- 3
Put the wings in a bowl, add the salt and toss by hand so every piece is coated. No oil and no spices at this stage.
- 4
Set a wire rack on a sheet pan and lay the wings on it skin side up with a little space between them.
- 5
Refrigerate uncovered. Overnight is ideal, 2 hours is the minimum. The salt draws the moisture out of the skin.
- 6
Bake at 130 °C / 275 °F convection for 30 minutes so the fat under the skin renders out.
30:00 - 7
Turn the oven up to 220 °C / 425 °F, still convection, and bake 10 more minutes until deep golden and crisp on both sides.
10:00 - 8
Meanwhile stir the garlic powder, soy sauce, ketchup and honey together into a smooth glaze.
- 9
Toss the hot wings in the glaze right before serving and eat straight away.
Watch the video
Notes from our kitchen
Buy wings labelled “no added water” or air-chilled: chicken pumped with salt water never crisps, and you pay for that water. Rinsing adds water to the skin and spreads bacteria around the sink; the oven does the job. A sheet pan without a rack steams the underside, so use a rack. Glaze only at the table: glazed wings go soft within minutes. Keep the tips: simmered in water they make a small pot of rich broth, almost all cartilage.
Variations
- Hot honey glaze. Stir chili flakes or a spoon of hot sauce into the glaze.
- Dipping instead of tossing. Serve the glaze in a bowl on the side and the skin stays crisp to the last piece.
- Wing tip broth. Cover the saved tips with water and simmer gently for about 1½ hours, then strain. It sets like jelly in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my oven wings never crispy?
Water on and in the skin. Pat the wings dry, salt them and leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Then bake low first so the fat renders, and high at the end so the skin crisps.
Can I skip the fridge step?
Two hours uncovered is the minimum. Without it the skin keeps too much water and comes out crisp in spots and soft in others.
Can I bake without convection?
Yes. Use the same two stages, about 150 °C / 300 °F then 220 °C / 425 °F, and allow roughly 10 extra minutes until the skin is deep golden and dry.
Why glaze only before serving?
The glaze is wet. On the wings for more than a few minutes it softens the skin you just spent an hour drying. Toss and eat right away, or serve the glaze on the side.
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