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.
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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.
Sue says
Has any tried adding baking soda to the rub? There are a lot of oven baked wing recipes swearing it makes wings crispy like fried.
Anastacia says
I do every time! They turn out great and crispy! Actually have a batch in the oven right now:)
Chris says
Do these need to be turned over partway through baking? Also I don’t have an oven safe rack to put on top of the tray. Could I use some crumpled up foil to set them on?
The Chunky Chef says
Since they’re on a rack, the heat can evenly circulate so there’s no need to turn them. If you don’t have a rack, I’d just bake them right on the foil-lined baking sheet (but you’d want to turn them, since the heat won’t be able to circulate around them).
Donna says
We’ve made this numerous times and it’s awesome every time! It’s definitely 5star, everyone we share it with feels the same.
Diane Spangler says
This recipe is awesome! I’ll never make breaded wings again. Thank you. I have shared this recipe and made it twice in 2 weeks! I do leave out the cayenne as my hubby is not fond.
Colleen says
Any tips for air fryer? How long to cook. I have bakes and grilled and this is my go to for wings. The rub is super flexible. I have never had the exact ingredients but they are delicious. Anyway.
The Chunky Chef says
Glad you love the rub! I’ve not tested this recipe in an air fryer, but I think it’ll work just fine 🙂 Since this isn’t tested, I can’t guarantee the results, but I would try baking at 400°F for 10 minutes per side.
Laura says
I do it in my Cuisinart air fryer on 350 (preheated) for 12 min per side and they’re great. I think Cuisinarts run a bit hot.
Chris says
Definitely needs a little more heat. Tasty but add a little more heat like the Cajun pepper or what I added was Mexican chili powder. But, if you have someone that can’t take the heat, these are perfect..
Nichelle says
Made these wings last night, and they were delicious! The whole family loved them. They were perfectly crispy and the seasoning was so good! I will definitely be making these again!!
Maria says
EXCELLENT! This was my first try at making wings, and these did not disappoint. My family was wanting more immediately. I did not have any ancho on hand, so I substituted an equal amount of Penzey’s Chili Powder, which is mostly ancho, with other spices already in this recipe, and it turned out well. (Next time, I will try with just ancho.) We used half the cayenne called for to suit our tastes, and it was flavorful, but mild enough for the kiddo, I did not make the dipping sauce (not particularly crazy for gorgonzola) but next time I may try it with tzatziki sauce on the side, which I think may be a nice accompaniment as well. All in all, just a magnificent no-fail recipe. It was a bit putzy to pull out all of the spices, so next time, I plan to make a large batch of the rub to keep in a jar and pull out as needed in the future. (I have no doubt that I will be making these MANY MANY MANY more times.) Thanks for the recipe. I love it!
Melissa Souders says
Love love these wings! Tonight is.the 5th time I have made them. Delicious!!!
Judy says
Is an ancho chili powder hot?
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t find it to be spicy, but more of a smoky flavor.
Elisha Crosby says
I don’t have any dried mustard powder any substitution
The Chunky Chef says
There’s really nothing that you could substitute and get the same flavor, so I would just leave it out.
Nadia says
Awesome rub, want to try and make the dip but I rarely use buttermilk for anything so would rather not buy it. Could I substitute something else?
The Chunky Chef says
You can mix 3-6 Tbsp whole milk with about 2 tsp of lemon juice to mimic the tang of the buttermilk. Just stir the milk and lemon juice together and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir, then use in the dip 🙂
Monica says
Any chance these are a copy cat of pies and pints wings? I’m in Ohio and the creamy Gorgonzola is what made me think of it. I’m definitely going to try this tonight!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Monica! Hello from a fellow Ohioan 🙂 They’re not an exact copycat, but based off of my love of Pies and Pints wings!
Monica says
I thought so! I’m making them tonight.
Courtney Kutzura says
I made these for my family and they were a huge hit! I added a little extra salt on mine but not much. Everyone was asking me for the recipe.
Veronica Mallett says
I made these for a small Halloween party this year. Everyone including the kids loved them. Followed the recipe exactly. We ate them plane and with different bbqs and hot sauces, like a buffet. Anyway you dress them, they are awesome!
Dan Cassidy says
If you are going to smoke the wings would you put thr rub on at the start or finish or both?
The Chunky Chef says
I would do it at the start 🙂
Annette Caldwell says
This was great!!! Thanks for sharing! Since you said you are form Ohio can’t wait to try the cinci chili recipe too!! Cheers!
PAS says
I’ve been making chicken wings for over 30 years with a a a custom Franks recipe.
This one! Tops it.
I used all the listed dry rub ingredients except used Hatch Green Chile Seasoning for the Ancho.
Also added more Cayenne Pepper since I like wings very hot.
These were crispy and the perfect seasoning!
I’m going to make these for Christmas Eve 2020.
MarciaG says
Epic indeed, I skipped the chilies and dey mustard, added garlic salt and baking powder for extra crispness. For the dip I used 1.5 Oz of blue cheese instead if Gorgonzola and plain milk. To prevent dryness I filled the drupping tray with 1/2 cyp of water at baking time.
Yogan Moodley says
I have used your recipe at least 5 times now and it is always a crowd pleaser. I do however toss them in a little franks hot sauce at the end! Absolutely amazing. I have been trying wing recipes for a long time but I don’t need to look for another recipe after tasting this. Thank you!
Linda says
My wings came out kind of dry on the inside and outside I love the flavoring tho. I was wondering what the problem was that made mines dry.
The Chunky Chef says
Oh no 🙁 Chicken wings can vary in size, and it sounds like either yours were a bit smaller than mine, or your oven runs slightly hotter than mine.
Madison says
My favorite wing recipe! So tasty