Crispy Dry-Rub Chicken Wings (Oven or Air Fryer)

Name: Crispy Dry-Rub Chicken Wings (Oven or Air Fryer)
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 pounds chicken wings (I highly recommend getting your wings from ButcherBox!); 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 2 tablespoons paprika; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 2 tablespoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons black pepper; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; 8 tablespoons butter melted; 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder; 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon reserved dry rub spices; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 3 reviews

Seasoned with a yummy blend of spices and then baked to perfection, these easy, crispy dry-rub chicken wings bring all the flavor of traditional wings without the mess!

chicken wings on a white platter with celery and yogurt dip

These wings are perfect for any occasion, whether you're hosting a game day party, looking for a fan-favorite dish to bring to your next potluck, or just craving some delicious finger food! Coated in a flavorful dry rub that includes bold spices like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and just a hint of spicy cayenne, the wings develop delicious, perfect crispy skin while keeping the meat tender and juicy on the inside.

About Crispy Dry-Rub Chicken Wings

I recommend serving these wings with a side of celery sticks and your favorite sauce, such as ranch or blue cheese dressing, bbq sauce, or for a different spin, try my tangy yogurt dressing. You can also serve them with some sweet potato fries or a simple green salad for dinner.

Overall, this crispy baked dry rub chicken wing recipe is a must-try for any chicken wing lover. This easy recipe uses simple ingredients and is oh-so-customizable and delicious. Try making it the next time you have guests over, and watch them disappear!

Why You’ll Love These Dry-Rub Chicken Wings

They’re so easy! These crispy dry rub wings are super simple, require minimal ingredients and you don’t need a fryer! Bake them in the oven or the air fryer for perfectly crisp skin.
Healthy finger food! These chicken wings aren’t fried, which means they have much less fat and calories than traditional chicken wings, making them a great protein-packed snack!
Less mess! Omitting the messy, sticky sauce means that everyone can choose their own sauce and there’s less to clean up for the cook (that’s you!).
Fan favorite app! Is there any app that’s better for watching sports than delicious chicken wings? I don’t think so! Crispy baked dry-rub chicken wings are perfect for any party, get-together, or sports event.

How to Make Oven-Baked Dry-Rub Chicken Wings

The best thing about these wings is how easy they are to make. No messing with sticky sauces, AND you can make these wings in both an oven and an air fryer.

PREP. Start by thoroughly drying the chicken wings with paper towels, then cut the tips from the whole wings and cut the wings through the joints into halves. Next, mix together the dry rub (salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and cayenne pepper) in a small bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the dry rub for the yogurt dressing.

SEASON. Place the wings in a large mixing bowl and pour dry rub over the wings, mixing well with your hands to evenly distribute the spices.

DRY BRINE. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the wings skin side up on a wire rack on top of the parchment. Refrigerate uncovered for one hour, or overnight. You can skip this step and go straight to the oven, but that hour in the fridge really helps with getting the wings extra crispy!

BAKE. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Melt your butter and brush it gently all over the wings, then lightly sprinkle wings with aluminum-free baking powder (NOTE: This is baking powder, *NOT* baking soda – my favorite is Clabber Girl). Bake the wings for 25 minutes, then flip the wings to ensure that they cook evenly, and crack the oven door to let out some steam. Cook for 20 more minutes, or until the chicken wings are crispy, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken wing (without touching the bone) reads 165°F. Rest for three minutes.

MAKE THE DIP. You can obviously use your favorite wing dip here, but let me go out on a limb here and say the tangy yogurt dip is DA BOMB and you should definitely give it a try. Plus, it takes two minutes to throw together. Simply mix the lemon juice, vinegar, spices and yogurt together and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

SERVE. When they're done, the wings should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and will be golden brown and crispy on the outside.

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

If you’re short on time, you can make the dry rub chicken wings in an air fryer (so much healthier than deep frying, and takes a fraction of the time as an oven). The wings still turn out crunchy on the outside and perfectly tender inside, but you may have to air fry them in batches depending on how large your air fryer basket is.

PREP. Start by thoroughly drying the chicken wings with paper towels, then cut the tips from the wings and cut the whole chicken wings through the joints into halves. Next, mix together the dry rub (salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and cayenne pepper) in a small bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon of the dry rub for the yogurt dressing.

SEASON. Place the wings in a large mixing bowl and pour dry rub over the wings, mixing well with your hands to evenly distribute the spices.

AIR FRY. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the wings in the basket, making sure that they're not touching each other. Cook the wings for 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cook time to ensure even crisping.

MAKE THE DIP. Mix the lemon juice, vinegar, spice mix and yogurt together and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

SERVE. When they're done, the wings should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and will be golden brown and crispy on the outside. Take the wings out of the air fryer carefully with a set of tongs and allow them to rest for three minutes before serving.

Top Tips for Perfect Crispy Oven Baked Wings

Follow these four simple tips to make the crispiest wings in the oven, every time:

Dry brine. After you’ve seasoned your wings, place them on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, skin-side up. Pop the rack in the fridge for about an hour (or more) before cooking. This will help the skin dry out and the wings will better absorb the salt (similar to my dry brine turkey method), creating an incredibly crispy skin outside while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
Rack it up. Bake your wings on the wire rack on top of the sheet pan to allow the hot air to circulate around the entire wing, maximizing crispness.
Buttah is bettah. Right before you put your wings in the oven, gently brush them with melted butter and sprinkle on your baking powder. You’ll be floored at how crispy this step makes the wings!
Let off some steam. At the 25-minute mark (or about halfway through baking), crack the oven door for a few seconds to allow some steam to escape — less moisture equals more crunch.

Frequently asked questions

What goes best with crispy dry-rub chicken wings?

Serve with a side of celery sticks and your favorite sauce, such as ranch or blue cheese dressing, bbq sauce, or for a different spin, try my tangy yogurt dressing. You can also serve them with some sweet potato fries or a simple green salad for dinner.

Can I use a different type of seasoning for the dry rub?

Yes, you can customize the dry rub to your liking. You can use any combination of spices that you prefer. However, I highly recommend using paprika and garlic powder, as they give the wings a delicious smoky flavor.

Can I use chicken drumettes instead of wings?

Yes, you can use chicken drumettes instead of wings. The cooking time may vary slightly, so make sure to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F before serving.

Can I use a different type of dipping sauce?

Yes, you can use your favorite dipping sauce with this recipe! Some popular options include barbecue sauce, honey mustard, buffalo sauce, or even hot sauce.

Can you skip the dry-brine period in the fridge?

Yes, if you’re short on time, you can skip this step and go straight from seasoning the wings to the oven or air fryer, but the dry-brining time in the fridge does wonders for getting that crispy texture.

Can you omit the baking powder?

Yes, you can. If you’re using baking powder, the chicken wings will have the texture of a fried chicken wing. Without the baking powder, they will still get nice and crispy but with it, they will be browner in color and taste more akin to fried chicken.

Can I change up the spices in the dry rub?

Of course! You can use whatever spices you want here to make these chicken wings your own. Try a pinch of cumin, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, chili powder, or ranch seasoning, or add a bit of brown sugar to mix it up.

How long do chicken wings take to bake?

Every oven is different, so cooking time will vary, but oven-baked chicken wings typically take about 45 minutes at 425°F to be both crispy and fully cooked, and they will take about 15 minutes at 400°F in the air fryer.

How do I store baked chicken wings?

These dry-rub chicken wings will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.

Can you freeze the baked chicken wings?

Yes! Cool slightly and place fully baked chicken wings in an airtight container or a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to four months.

How do I reheat chicken wings?

To reheat these chicken wings, put them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, or to get them crispy again, bake them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes. If reheating from frozen, I’d recommend reheating them in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Substitutions

If you don’t have plain greek yogurt for the dressing, you can substitute the same amount of sour cream.
If you don’t have fresh lemon juice, you can substitute the same amount of lime juice.

Special diets

If you have a special diet you're adhering to, here are some ways you can adjust this recipe.

Gluten free: No gluten in this recipe — rejoice!
Dairy free: Swap out melted ghee, olive oil, or another plant-based butter for the butter, and use a dairy-free yogurt for the dressing.
Whole30 / Paleo: Opt for melted ghee instead or olive oil of melted butter and use a dairy-free, sugar-free dipping sauce (make sure to check the label for sneaky ingredients!)
Keto: Hooray, this recipe is already keto-friendly!

Related recipes

If you’re looking for other game-day apps, try these:

Perfect homemade guacamole // Your tortilla chips just won’t feel complete without some homemade chunky guac
Sweet and spicy black bean salad / dip // Ditch the fork and dip your chips into this black bean “salad” and watch your taste buds do a happy dance!
Blistered shishito peppers // Another amazing finger-food choice that is easy to make and oh-so-snackable

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Before you go...

If you make these crispy dry-rub chicken wings and love them, please leave me a comment and rate this recipe! I love to hear from you do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram — seeing your delicious creations is my favorite!

One more thing!

This recipe is part of my air fryer recipes — check out the rest of the collection!