Skip the restaurant and enjoy these easy homemade Garlic Parmesan Wings for dinner! Baked crispy chicken wings are an appetizer the whole family will love.
This post is sponsored by Klarbrunn.
Parmesan Garlic Wings
Whether you first tried garlic parmesan wings at Wingstop, Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s, Hooters, or Domino’s, you know that this wing flavor is so tasty. Like so so so good.
I’ve been trying to recreate all of my favorite restaurant meals at home, and this has been on my list of “must make meals” for a while.
I’m so excited that I finally got a chance to make (and eat) them. They’re amazing!
The garlic paired with that salty parm is such a match made in heaven, and I’m sure you’ll love them, too!
I’ve partnered up with Klarbrunn to bring you this homemade takeout recipe. I love serving it with an ice cold can of their Natural Sparkling Water – the combination of these wings and their sparkling water truly tastes like a night out at a restaurant! You can find out where to buy Klarbrunn here.
Important Tips
Do not let the butter simmer. You want it to just barely melt, because if it simmers, it will separate. That ruins the flavor and texture of the sauce.
Toss the wings with the parmesan right before serving. Don’t add the parmesan to the garlic butter sauce. If you add it to the sauce, it will clump up, and it’ll be really hard to evenly coat the wings in the sauce.
What Is Garlic Parmesan Sauce Made Of?
Garlic parmesan sauce is normally a thick and creamy sauce that would be more fitting as a pasta sauce or as a white pizza sauce.
With chicken wings, we want something totally different, which is why it’s important to dress the wings in stages. You’ll add the flavorful garlic butter to the wings before the final bake, and then you’ll toss the wings with the parmesan just before serving.
Ingredients
For packing so much flavor, this recipe has a surprisingly short ingredient list. To make garlic parm wings, you’ll need split chicken wings (flats and drumettes), cornstarch, salt, pepper, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and seasoning salt.
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Wings
Start by tossing the dried wings in the cornstarch, salt, and pepper mixture. Next, you’ll bake the wings most of the way. (See the recipe card below for the full written printable instructions.)
While they’re baking, melt butter, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne together.
Toss the wings in the sauce and bake for a little bit more, then toss the crispy wings in the parmesan, and serve. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
How To Fry Chicken Wings
I like baking the wings because the prep time is lower and it’s healthier, but I can’t deny that fried wings taste amazing. If you want fried wings, you’ll need to:
Really press the cornstarch dredging into the wings, then let them rest in the fridge for about 15 to 30 minutes (make sure they’re on a large enough surface that the wings aren’t touching each other). Repeat that process with another coating of dredging and resting in the fridge.
After that, fry them in 375 F (190 C) oil for 9 to 12 minutes (or until the internal temperature of the thickest part reads 165 F on an instant read meat thermometer).
Optional Adaptations
There are a few ways you can play with the flavor of these wings, but my favorite way is to grill them. If you’re going to do that, grill the wings without the cornstarch. You can see the full written instructions showing you how to grill wings in my Sticky Grilled Wings recipe.
Feel free to play with how spicy it is by adding more cayenne, and if you like a little sweetness to balance the spice, I’d recommend using honey. Since honey is so sticky, it makes a great sweet addition to wing glazes.
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Chicken Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our entire chicken recipe section! Some reader favorites are:
Crispy Baked Garlic Parmesan Wings Recipe
Skip the restaurant and enjoy these easy homemade Garlic Parmesan Wings for dinner! Baked crispy chicken wings are a favorite appetizer, too!
Ingredients
Chicken Wings:
- 36 chicken wings (3 pounds, wings and drumettes)
- 2/3 cup cornstarch*
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garlic Parmesan Sauce:
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Frank’s)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Pinch ground cayenne pepper (plus more to taste)
- Fine sea salt (to taste)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese**
- Seasoning salt (for garnish)
- Fresh diced parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Dry the chicken wings with a paper towel, then add them to the cornstarch bowl. Toss to coat the wings in the dry mixture.
- Take a rimmed baking sheet that has a matching baking rack, and line the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet, and spray it with oil so that the wings don’t stick. Place the wings on the greased rack, evenly spaced so that they each have a little room.
- Bake the wings for 40 minutes, then pull them out of the oven, but leave the oven on.
- When the wings are nearing the end of their initial 40-minute cook time, start making the sauce.
- Before you start melting the butter, measure out the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and sea salt into a jar or onto a plate. The butter will separate if you take the time to measure each spice after it’s melted.
- In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter, but don’t let it simmer (the sauce will turn greasy and will separate if you let it simmer, so you’re aiming for just barely melted). When the butter is almost finished melting, turn the burner off. Add in the spice mixture and the hot sauce. Mix and immediately remove the skillet from the burner.
- Transfer the wings to a large heat-safe bowl, and pour the garlic butter sauce over them. Toss the wings with tongs to evenly coat them in the sauce.
- Bake the wings for an additional 20 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and crispy.
- Transfer the wings back to the heat-safe bowl, and toss with the freshly grated parmesan. Plate and sprinkle seasoning salt on top, and add the optional diced parsley (if using).
Notes
*You’ll only end up using about 1/3 cup of cornstarch to coat the wings, but it’s a lot easier to toss the wings in the dredging mixture when there’s more than you need. If you don’t have 2/3 cup available, you can make it with just 1/3 cup.
**It’s so important to use freshly finely grated parmesan. The kinds that are already shredded are coated in a starch that will make it impossible for it to melt into the hot wings.
These were even better the next day when I reheated them in the air fryer. The skin was so crispy and they were absolutely amazing - I definitely recommend crisping them up in an air fryer if you have one!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 635Total Fat: 46.9gCarbohydrates: 8.4gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 42.5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. This was calculated assuming only 1/3 cup of cornstarch actually stuck to the chicken.
Try making these quick and easy garlic parmesan wings at home for the best homemade takeout food!
