These Dry Rub Chicken Wings are so easy and so full of flavor. All you need are some chicken wings, spices, brown sugar, and baking powder, then cook them in your preferred method (bake, smoke, grill, air fry). They’re a crowd pleaser and great for serving company, a BBQ, game day, or really anything.
Jump to:
What is a dry rub?
A dry rub is a mixture of spices that gets added to meat without the use of oil and before the food is cooked. Using a dry rub creates a super flavorful coating on the food.
Ingredients
Very simple and accessible ingredients are needed for these baked dry rub wings.
- Chicken wings: I like to buy the “party wings” because these are already cut by the butcher to separate the wingette (flat) and the drumette. You can alternatively buy whole chicken wings and then will need to cut them into three parts (tip, wingette, drumette) and discard the wing tips.
- Spices: A seasoning blend of light brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, aleppo pepper, cayenne pepper powder, kosher salt, and black pepper for so much flavor. The smoked paprika and aleppo pepper add a perfect hint of smokiness, with a little heat from the cayenne.
- Light brown sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness that’s balanced by the cayenne.
- Baking powder: Adding this helps the wings get crispy skin. You could use cornstarch instead if you prefer.
- Cooking spray: Just a bit so the wings don’t stick to the rack or tray (depending on what method you use to cook them)
Step by step instructions
This is a super simple chicken wing recipe with tons of flavor that takes just about no time to prep. I like to make them in the oven for ease, but additional cooking methods are listed below.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling (apples, blueberries, cinnamon, lemon juice, sugar, salt) and toss to combine well.
Carefully transfer the apple mixture into a baking dish and rearrange to fill as many gaps as you can so it lays in a somewhat even layer.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the crumble topping (light brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, butter). Work the butter into the mixture (using your hands is easiest) until the ingredients are all hydrated and you’re able to squeeze the mixture together and it clumps.
Put the crumble on top of the fruit.
Bake!
Air fryer cooking instructions
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Once preheated, add the wings to the air fryer basket in a single layer with a little space around each (fry in multiple rounds if needed). Cook for 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 8-10 minutes until deeply golden brown and cooked through.
Grill cooking instructions
Warm your grill to 425°F with two sides – direct and indirect heat (aka flame on one side and not on the other). Start by putting the wings on the indirect heat for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Then to char them up a bit, put them on the direct heat for just 3-5 minutes.
Smoker cooking instructions
Smoke the wings at 250°F for about 2 hours.
Tips and tricks
- Let the chicken wings come to room temp before you cook them. This will help them cook evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. Chicken should be an internal temperature of at least165°F to be safe to eat. Wings are forgiving though, so it’s better to be safe than sorry, and cook these a bit more.
- Pat the wings dry before adding the spice mixture – this is an important step as it helps ensure the seasoning really sticks.
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- You can prep the wings up to 2 days in advance, just season them, cover them, and let them sit in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook them.
Storage and reheating
- After cooking, store leftover wings in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat,
- Warm in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
- Alternatively, you could warm them in the microwave for a few minutes but this is not my recommended method.
- To freeze, let the cooked wings come to room temperature then store in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then warm in the oven.
What to serve with wings
- For a dipping sauce: You can go classic with ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or buffalo sauce. You could also do something a little unique like chipotle mayo or avocado cilantro ranch.
- To serve alongside wings, try 4-ingredient corn fritters, sour cream and onion dip, or refried bean nachos.
Flavor variations
If you want to use different spices, below are some good variations to try!
- Spicy: crank up the heat by adding more cayenne powder
- Ranch: try using a ranch seasoning packet
- Taco: use a taco seasoning mix or make your own.
- Lemon pepper: use store bought lemon pepper seasoning for another easy option
FAQs
I definitely highly recommend that you do because this helps air circulate around the wings so they get crispier.
Before! This allows the flavor of the spices to adhere to the wings.
Sure! Chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, any would work! Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Generally, 35-40 minutes at 425°F.
Yes! You can make the dry spice rub and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
More chicken recipes
📖 Recipe
The Best Dry Rub Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl mix together the spices, brown sugar, and baking powder.
- Using paper towels, pat the wings dry then add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the dry rub and toss to evenly coat the wings. (You could alternatively do this in a ziplock bag).
- Put a wire rack over a baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Lay the wings out in a single layer leaving 1 inch around each.
- Put the wings in a 425°F oven. Cook for 25 minutes, then flip and cook for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. If you like them really crispy, bake for even longer.
Video
Notes
- Let the chicken wings come to room temp before you cook them. This will help them cook evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through. Chicken should be an internal temperature of at least165°F to be safe to eat. Wings are forgiving though, so it’s better to be safe than sorry, and cook these a bit more.
- Pat the wings dry before adding the spice mixture – this is an important step as it helps ensure the seasoning really sticks.
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
- You can prep the wings up to 2 days in advance, just season them, cover them, and let them sit in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook them.
Leave a Reply