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Garlic Parmesan Wings

These Crispy Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings will be the life of the party! Easy chicken wings are baked instead of fried for a healthier option then tossed in a mouthwatering garlic parmesan sauce! Still crispy and delicious as ever! The perfect party appetizer or game day recipe!

Looking for more Game Day Recipes? You need to try my Sheet Pan Steak Nachos or Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Sliders!

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

So, have a secret to tell you.

Well … maybe it’s not a secret because I have told you once or twice before on here. The secret is, I kinda have a love affair with chicken wings.

Wings and beer to be exact. Maybe that’s part of the reason my husband married me? A girl who likes beer, wings, and football! Yup, kind of a rare jewel. haha.  Just like these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings!

Usually when Mike and I get wings for dinner we call out and pick it up. But after trying to replicate my favorite wings from Wings & More, I have to say that these may just be the BEST Wings I’ve made so far! And I’ve made quite a few, including these Asian Wings with Hoisin Glaze.

Why You’ll Love These Garlic Parmesan Wings

  • Easy. You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these chicken wings. Plus no need to mess with hot oil since these they are cooked in the oven!
  • Crispy. These chicken wings are perfectly crispy on the outside, yet tender and juicy on the inside.
  • Tasty. Once the wings are cooked to perfection they’re smothered in an irresistible garlic Parmesan sauce. The combo is unbelievably delicious!
  • Healthy. Because these wings are baked instead of fried they are much healthier than traditional wings.
overhead view of crispy baked chicken wings

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this garlic Parmesan chicken wings recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

  • Chicken – Use a mixture of wings and drumettes
  • Oil – You’ll need a bit of canola oil plus some olive oil. You can just use olive oil if you prefer.
  • Sea salt – Kosher salt also works.
  • Black pepper
  • Unsalted butter
  • Garlic cloves – Minced
  • Parmesan cheese – Grated.
  • SpicesSmoked paprika and red pepper flakes
  • Salt & pepper – To taste

Why isn’t there baking powder in this recipe?

Some people coat their chicken wings with baking powder. Baking powder will change the alkaline levels and make the skin browner, but honestly you don’t need it. Just change the oven over to broiler and crisp that skin up naturally. No need to add extra ingredients that aren’t needed.

steps of how to make crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Wings

Are you ready to make the best wings ever? Here’s how to do it:

  1. Prepare Chicken: Pat chicken dry and season with oil, salt and pepper. Gently toss to coat all the chicken.
  2. Bake Chicken Wings: Place chicken on a wire rack lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes at 400°F, flipping the chicken halfway through.
  3. Broil: Turn the Broiler on to HIGH. Place wings under broiler for 8-10 minutes, until browned.
  4. Make Garlic Parmesan Sauce: Add butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the saucepan once butter is melted add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add in 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, & pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Let the sauce cook for another 2 minutes.
  5. Toss Wings: Remove chicken from oven and place in a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings and toss to coat. 
  6. Garnish: Top the wings with an additional 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and chopped chives for garnish.
finished crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings on a cooling rack

Tips for Success

  • Don’t pre-wash your chicken wings. Just take them out of the package and pat them dry!
  • Don’t use too much oil. Add just 1-2 tablespoons of oil and toss to coat your chicken wings. You don’t want to drench them with oil, just enough to coat so that the seasoning sticks to the chicken. The oil will also help crisp up the skin later.
  • Use a baking rack. This allows the fat to drip down so that the skin gets nice and crispy. I like to put tin foil underneath the baking rack for easy cleanup later.
  • Broil the chicken. After done baking place the chicken wings under the Broiler on HIGH this will give you the brown crispy skin that is comparable to fried chicken wings.

Recommended Tools: (some of these links are affiliate links)

These are the products I personally use when making this recipe:

  • Non-Stick Baking Sheet – Baking sheets are a must for this recipe but make sure to cover them with parchment paper too so you don’t end up with a mess!
  • Stainless Steel Wire Rack – Using the wire rack helps make sure the chicken cooks on both sides instead of sticking to the bottom of the pan
  • Small Sauce Pan
overhead view of crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings with a cup of dipping sauce

Serving Suggestions

Wondering what to serve with these chicken wings? I personally love serving a variety of different wing flavors at once and just going all-in with an epic chicken wing party! A side of buffalo chicken meatballs also would not be out of place. Here are my suggestions:

closeup view of crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings

How to Store and Reheat Extras

  • Fridge: Allow the cooked chicken wings to cool down at room temperature for no more than 2 hours after cooking. Place the wings in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Store extra sauce separately in an airtight container. Everything can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  • To reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover wings, you can reheat them in an oven, toaster oven, or microwave until they are heated through (to an internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C) and crispy. For best results, use an oven or toaster oven to help maintain their crispiness.
a pile of crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings with a cup of creamy dipping sauce

These garlic Parmesan wings are absolutely perfect for your next party and definitely a MUST for Game Day! Either way these need to be on your table because they are going to be a party FAVORITE! There’s no shame in your “finger licking” game after trying these … in fact … it’s strongly encouraged!

Bon Appetit friends!

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a pile of crispy baked garlic parmesan chicken wings

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.4 from 13 reviews
  • Author: Krista @ JoyfulHealthyEats.com
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 3040 wings 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American

Description

CRISPY GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN WINGS – baked instead of fried but they are still as crispy and delicious as ever! The perfect party appetizer or game day treat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs. of chicken (mixture of wings and drumettes)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese
  • 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Add chicken to a large bowl. Pat chicken dry.
  3. Drizzle with canola oil, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Gently toss to coat all the chicken.
  4. Place chicken on a wire rack lined baking sheet. (if you don’t have a wire rack, use parchment paper)
  5. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the chicken after 20 minutes.
  6. Turn the Broiler on to HIGH.
  7. Place chicken under broiler for 8-10 minutes, until browned.
  8. In the meantime, heat a medium sauce pan to medium heat. Add butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Melt the butter down.
  9. Once butter is melted add the garlic to the pan. Let cook in the liquid for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.
  10. Next add in 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, & pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Let the sauce cook for another 2 minutes.
  11. Remove chicken from oven. Place in a large bowl, pour the garlic parmesan sauce over the chicken wings. Using a pair of tongs, toss the wings to coat all of them with the sauce.
  12. Serve. Top the wings with an additional 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese.
  13. Optional: add chopped chives for garnish.

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59 comments on “Garlic Parmesan Wings”

  1. Mostly not a fan of messy finger foods but had a hankering for Parmesan wings and so happy I landed on this recipe! OMG so amazing!! Also quite thrilled with a recipe that doesn’t rely on dry rubs which I’ve grown tired of. My husband is a wing aficionado and is practically gushing over these. Thank you!!






    1. Thank you! Thank you! What the compliment! I am thrilled you loved this recipe! I can’t wait for you to try more of my wing recipes!

  2. These were great! I will definitely be making these again. It’s nice to have a tasty wing recipe that’s not fried. Thank you!






  3. When I make these the cheese added to the oil to make the sauce always crisps up rather than melts. How can I avoid this?

    1. Well, it shouldn’t crisp up but it also won’t completely melt. The butter will melt and the grated parmesan will leave a gritty type consistency to the sauce so that when you toss it with the baked chicken wings it will stick. Hope that helps.

  4. I made these last weekend, I sprinkled with a little bit of fresh sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Put into a vacuum bag, sous vide for 6 hours at 155°. Cooked in the oven until golden brown, partially falling off the bone. Thru them into a bowl with your sauce. Everyone was absolutely amazed that they were homemade. Thank you for sharing. We are making them again for a different group of friends.






  5. These are the best! I make them twice a month for dinner !
    My whole family loves them and they are EASY! For extra flavor, I do add the seasonings and spices directly on the chicken drumettes , as well as in the butter parmesan mixture .
    Thank you for this recipe!






      1. 2 years later, I’m still making these wings often! Still giving it 5 stars. we LOVE it! Thank you!!!!!!!






    1. Unfortunately, these didn’t work out so well for me. I baked 2 wings on 400 and it took an hour + for the chicken to get kinda crispy. I made the cheese sauce (paired down), and it really left a lot to be desired. I had to scoop the cheese bits and purposely put them on top if the wings to get any kind of crunch. Oil & butter just added greasiness. Grandma ate it, said it tasted good, but I couldn’t finish the one wing I had. I see other reviewers had far different results, I’m really not sure where I went wrong (I do cook a lot and do a lot of my own healthy recipes and translations into healthy choices). I’m going to give this another shot down the line.






      1. Hey Christy, did you buy regular chicken wing drummttes and wingettes or the larger chicken legs? That would make a big difference in cook time. As far as the sauce, I’m not sure it would translate the same if halved. I’m sorry it came out not the best for you. Better luck on time two because it is one of my favorites.

  6. Krista, when you make these do you leave the baking sheet on center rack and then turn on broiler, or do you reset the oven rack to broil position and broil? I am finding if I go beyond 2-3 minutes they burn and my parchment paper starts to worry me. I am wondering if maybe the answer is to leave the sheet where it is?






  7. Are you aware that either your program or that of another adds the ability to share your print copy to 5 different media? Unfortunately, those links cover up the left side of each page making it necessary to handwrite quantities of ingredients and beginning of each line of instructions on the printed copy. Also, trying to print selected pages from the recipe not using your print function skips the recipe pages.
    If the recipe is good, I’ll return to actually rate it.






    1. I just updated the functionality of that so it wasn’t right in front of the comment or print areas so you should be good.

  8. This is my first time baking chicken wings. Do you mean set the over to Broil or put it in an actual broiler?

  9. Avatar photo
    Dina Polyashov

    Krista these wings were so DELICIOUS! My picky 2 and 4 year old girls devoured these wings. As a mom of picky eaters, you can only imagine how happy I get when they enjoy and finish their meals. This recipe will be a staple in our home from now on. Thank you so much for this recipe!






  10. I’m not gonna lie. I want to make this sauce for chicken thighs/breasts. Eventually I’ll get around to making this on wings 🙂

  11. Hi krista, have made these 3 times already!! Love love love. However I do have a question; every time I make the garlic butter sauce, when I put in the 2 tbsp Parmesan, the cheese ends up clumping all up before The wings are baked, makes it difficult to drizzle. . Have you experienced this?? If so how do you avoid it?

    Thanks,
    Lo

  12. I made these last night and they were a big hit! I de-skinned all of my wings – they weren’t dry or anything. After reading the comments I followed the recipe for half and added the sauce before broiling on the other half. Both came out great without a noticeable difference. I was careful to toss the wings in just as much sauce as needed to coat instead of pouring it all on. I ended up with sauce leftover, but otherwise I think they would have been drenched in the sauce and greasy. Adding extra parmesan at the end helped absorb the sauce too – and made them look great in the serving dish… along with the chopped chive garnish. Thanks!






  13. I just made this, exactly as is, and it was delicious!!! Very crispy, flavorful, and savory. I didn’t have a wire rack or parchment paper, but I used a silicon baking mat & it worked well. All liked. Will definitely be shared with friends.

  14. Avatar photo
    Maria metzger

    Hi these look delicious, I’m going to make for New Year’s Eve, what kind of dipping sauce do you recommend ?

      1. Just got done making this recipe and I must say this is delicious!
        I’ve only tasted it so far.. it’s soo good I’m afraid to eat it all in one sitting 😂

        Thank youu






        1. How do you get around the parmesan not getting all clumpy with this recipe? Unless you use the grated powdery parmesan, regular shredded parmesan gets all clumpy and never seems to melt properly..
          Should this only be done specifically with the powdery version?

          1. Hey Lesley, yes I’d recommend only grated for this recipe because shredded does tend to clump up. The grated won’t melt, it will leave the sauce a bit gritty but it’s perfect when tossing with the wings because that “grit” sticks to each wing for wing perfection! 🙂

  15. I prefer to have things baked than fried. These look delicious, will definitely have to try. Thanks for sharing!

  16. Okay Krista! We made these over New Years! They were so freaking good! I wanted more when they were gone! Good think I have another pack of wings in my freezer! WAHOO!






  17. Avatar photo
    carrie @ frugal foodie mama

    Wow! These wings look amazing! And I love that they are baked and not fried. 🙂

  18. Avatar photo
    Erin @ The Speckled Palate

    YUM! These wings sound absolutely incredible. I love that you baked them instead of frying, and I can imagine these would fly off the table at a gameday party. Looks like I’ll be making some this coming weekend for our team’s bowl game!

      1. Can I bake the wings for the 40 min, and then toss them in the sauce before they’re broiled? I was thinking that this would infuse the wings with more flavor. And of course add more sauce at the end.

        1. you could totally do that… but yes I would only do maybe half the sauce and reserve the rest to finish them off when they come out of the oven the last time. 🙂