This dry rub chicken wings recipe blends a simple mix of paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper and garlic powder for optimum flavor.
These ingredients along with a pinch of baking powder ensure that the wings stay tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Keep reading to find out the full ingredient list and how you can apply this rub to your chicken wings.
The Best Dry Rub Chicken Wings Recipe
Most dry rub recipes for chicken wings you’ll find online are made with a ton of different seasonings.
This in my opinion is a complete overkill, since most of the flavors get lost or dilute the taste of the chicken.
That’s why I decided to make a more simplistic rub with only four spices that do make a difference in the taste: cayenne pepper, paprika, white pepper and garlic powder.
This blend manages to give the chicken a rich smoky flavor without overpowering the taste of the wings.
Ingredients
- Chicken wings – I like to use whole chicken wings, but you can also use party chicken wings. Even though they have less meat, party chicken wings tend to cook more evenly.
- Baking powder – Baking powder increases the pH of the skin which helps it brown faster and makes it crispier.
- Cayenne pepper – A dash of cayenne pepper will add a spicy kick to the wings. You can also use ancho chili powder or any other type of spicy chili powder.
- White pepper – Acts as a flavor enhancer and delivers more complexity to the overall taste of the wings.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder will give these wings a touch of umami flavor.
- Paprika – Paprika is an indispensable part of any chicken wings dry rub. It enriches the meat with a deep smoky flavor.
How to make
Check out the recipe card at the end of this article for detailed, step-by-step instructions.
- Start by blending all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and generously season them with the dry rub.
- Place the chicken wings on top of a wire rack that’s coated with cooking spray.
- Bake the wings for half an hour in an oven preheated to 300°F (150°C).
- Take the baking pan out of the oven and turn over the chicken wings.
- Increase the temperature of your oven to 425°F (220°C) and cook the wings until they turn golden brown.
- Serve the wings with ranch dressing, buffalo wild wings sauce or a garlic dip.
Pro tips
- Don’t forget to pat the wings dry – This might seem obvious, but I’ve seen plenty of people mess up their wings by not patting them dry. Patting the wings dry helps the rub adhere to the skin and makes it more crispy.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper – A sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil will make clean-up easier.
- Let the wings rest after you season them – Allow your wings to rest for at least half an hour after you apply the dry rub. This will help the spices penetrate the meat and give it more flavor.
- Serve with BWW sauce – This is completely optional, but serving the wings with Buffalo Wild Wings sauce really does make a difference. If you aren’t fond of the commercial versions, you can check my homemade Buffalo Wild Wings sauce. I’ve also managed to crack down the recipe for the garlic parmesan sauce if you want to stick to a more traditional dip.
- Serve with homemade hot sauce – For these wings in particular I consider hot sauce overkill but if you want to spice things up I recommend checking out my homemade Honey Hot Wing Sauce.
Try these next
If you liked this recipe then you should absolutely give my other chicken wing recipes a try:
- Dry Rub Recipe for Crispy Chicken Wings – This is a recipe for just a dry rub which works fantatically with both baked and fried chicken wings.
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The Best Dry Rub Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 chicken wings
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Mix the dry ingredients in a small glass bowl.
- Trim the tips of the chicken wings, then pat them dry with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl.
- Season all of the chicken wings with the dry rub.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Put a wire rack on top of the baking pan and spray with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken wings on top of the rack.
- Put the baking pan on the middle rack of your oven and bake for half an hour.
- Flip the wings over and increase the temperature of your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake for another 30 - 35 minutes or until the wings are golden brown.
- Serve the wings while they're still warm with a creamy garlic dip.
Notes
- Pat the wings dry with a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture. This will ensure the skin turns out crispy.
- Cover the bottom of your baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easier clean-up.
- Set the wings aside for at least half an hour after you season them. This will improve their flavor and make the meat more tender.
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Nutrition
I do my best to provide you with the nutritional information for recipes but I'm not a certified nutritionist. The nutritional information provided should only be treated as an estimate since it will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
