Tender, juicy baked chicken wings coated in a mouthwatering homemade dry rub that will have your tastebuds singing! Pair it with a creamy gorgonzola dipping sauce and it’s a party hit!
These baked chicken wings are SO good, you won’t miss the deep fryer OR the sauce!!
This post was partially brought to you by the makers of Sutter Home. All opinions expressed are my own.
Who’s starting to get excited for the big game in a couple of weeks? I am!! Not necessarily for the football (my team is the Bengals, and let’s face it, they’re definitely no where near championship material), or the commercials… but for the food!
Game day foods are the most mouthwatering, and can be so creative. Usually, there’s a chicken wing or two on everyone’s game day plate, but this year, I’m inviting you all to take a break from the traditional, and try these epic dry-rubbed baked chicken wings!
I know, I know… chicken wings are supposed to be deep fried and tossed in a spicy sauce right? But what if I told you that these baked chicken wings are every bit as tasty as the traditional variety… in fact, they’re utterly fantastic? Seriously, I’m a huge wing fan, and these knocked my socks off. I meant to save some for my husband after the photoshoot was finished… and well, let’s just say there was nothing left for him to try!
While not a copycat recipe, this dry rub is inspired by one of my favorite local treats. Ohioans love chicken wings… like a lot! We also love our unique chili recipe too 😉
I titled this recipe Epic Dry-Rubbed Baked Chicken Wings, because I truly feel they are epic. They hit nearly every flavor component, and are the perfect little crispy bites of flavor! Even better when this spicy dish is paired with a sweet wine like Sutter Home Riesling!
No chicken wing is complete without a dipping sauce, and this one is truly fantastic. Instead of the traditional blue cheese, I went with a homemade creamy gorgonzola cheese sauce, which is not as sharp, and more buttery. It perfectly balances the heat from the wings… you don’t want to skip it. However, if you don’t have time or the ingredients to make it, a good quality blue cheese dressing could be swapped in for it.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BAKE CHICKEN WINGS IN THE OVEN?
Let’s get down to brass tacks here… how long before you can be munching on these delicious wings? I like to bake my wings at 400 F degrees and it takes about 45 minutes. So yes, it takes a little while, but it’s totally hands-off time… so you can go about your day until the oven timer goes off.
BUT REALLY? WINE WITH BAKED CHICKEN WINGS??
I know… I know. I’m breaking just about EVERY chicken wing rule here… there’s no beer. While you might be thinking I’ve lost my marbles… just hear me out okay? Sutter Home Riesling has an amazing almost tropical fruit taste, which when paired with a spicy dish, is absolutely delicious and memorable! I promise! After pairing it with a sweet wine, I was blown away. Remember back when I paired this spicy chicken meal with white zinfandel? Wine is the way to go here friends!
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING BAKED CHICKEN WINGS:
- If you’re using frozen wings (I usually do), make sure they’re completely thawed.
- Be sure to pat the wings dry with a paper towel. This helps the oil and rub coat them really well.
- For the most even cooking (and easy cleanup), line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (or two sheets of regular), then top that with and oven safe metal cooling rack (like the one below). Spray that with non-stick cooking spray and you’re good to add the wings.
- This rub is insanely flavorful, so make extra and keep it in an airtight container with your other spices. It’s great on chicken of any kind!
- The gorgonzola sauce can be made ahead of time, or while the chicken wings are baking.
So this game day season, treat yourself and make these EPIC dry-rubbed baked chicken wings!
HELPFUL TOOLS:
- Extra large baking sheet AND rack – this is a fantastic combo! I’ve been using this combo for years and it still works like new.
- Nitrile gloves – to keep your hands from being stained from the rub, these gloves are perfect! I like nitrile as it feels stronger than traditional latex.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
EPIC DRY RUB:
- 1/2 Tbsp ancho chile pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
- 3/4 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 tsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you're worried about the heat level)
- 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried ground thyme
WINGS:
- 4 lbs chicken wings, thawed completely if using a frozen bag
- 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
CREAMY GORGONZOLA SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3-6 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 -3 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
MAKE DRY RUB AND CHICKEN WINGS:
- Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with 2 sheets of aluminum foil (or 1 heavy duty sheet). Top that with an oven safe cooling rack and spray it with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine all dry rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add chicken wings and vegetable oil. Use a rubber spatula to toss gently to coat.
- Sprinkle in about half to 2/3 of the dry rub mixture and use your hands to massage it into all of the chicken wings, coating evenly. Feel free to use all the dry rub, but for a coating like in the photos, 1/2-2/3 of the mixture does just fine.
- Add chicken wings to prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
MAKE GORGONZOLA SAUCE:
- To your food processor or blender, add mayo, buttermilk, sour cream, 1.5 oz of the gorgonzola cheese, garlic, lemon juice, pepper and salt. Process until smooth.
- Transfer to serving bowl and stir in remaining gorgonzola cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Rose says
absolutely amazing! Perfectly flavored, tender, and moist!
Gary says
OMG these wings are the best I’ve ever made. So quick and so easy.
Christine says
These were very good I thought that the combination of temperature and time were too long…they came sort of dry for me however if my wings were fatter it probably would have been fine. I would say check them at 30 minutes. Otherwise the taste was very good
The Chunky Chef says
So glad you loved the taste! Yes, if you have super lean wings, they won’t need quite as long to cook 🙂
Karen says
Fantastic!!! Make these y’all!!!
Diana says
I have literally everything to for the recipe! Except the cooling rack…Can I put them straight on the aluminum foil or will it not turn out quite the same??
The Chunky Chef says
I think they should turn out just fine 🙂 Perhaps a tad greasier since the fat won’t be able to drip away, but still tasty!
Jenny says
These were absolutely fantastic! Thank you for this rub recipe…. It was used for my first cook on my big green egg and I have to say, they were the most delicious wings I’ve ever had. They weren’t too spicy either as my two little kids ate them too.
Ginny Golden says
I tried it out with family and friends, and we all give rave reviews to this recipe! Loved the easy to follow instructions, how you organized the ingredients, and your tips. If y’all haven’t tried it, you’re missing out!
Merisa K Bowers says
This rub recipe is stellar! We did not make the gorgonzola sauce. Also our wings were very big and took 55+ min in convection oven.
Mike says
Can Chipotle powder be used in place of ancho?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Mike 🙂 Yes, that would work just fine.
Scott says
Don’t confuse these with traditional buffalo wings. That being said, they are fantastic. I cook some great buffalo wings but I’ll be using this recipe instead for a quicker, easier, and still tasty option. I didn’t find they had enough heat but that is easily fixed. Really enjoyed trying these for our Superbowl party. Everyone loved them.
Mary says
These were a big hit at a recent party! The gorgonzola dipping sauce got really thin, Was it supposed to get that way?
The Chunky Chef says
I’m so glad they were a hit! You can always reduce the amount of buttermilk to make it thicker 🙂
Deb says
Yum!! These chicken wings look absolutely delicious!
Ashlyn says
I love the idea of a dry rub for chicken wings! They look insanely flavorful!
Paula - bell'alimento says
All the wings please and that rub. Oh yeah.
jac says
These sound fantastic! I am always looking for a good wing recipe and this is it.
Katerina @ diethood .com says
WOW!! Those look SO delicious!! Perfect for game day!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Dang, those look SO good! Pass me a plate!!
Karly says
Epic is right. These look magical. Like, my mouth is watering just from looking at the photos kind of magical. LOVE
Demeter says
These are so easy to make…no fuss! I’m sure these go pretty quickly at any party!
Jen says
These are a must have at a super bowl party! And that gorgonzola dipping sauce sounds like something I need in my life ASAP!