Check Your Pantry For Baking Soda Before You Bake Chicken Wings

We aren't all lucky enough to have deep fryers in our kitchen gadget collection, but without one, it's still possible to make extra crispy chicken wings at home. The secret to crispy chicken wings that are baked rather than fried is the perfect coating ingredient: baking soda. Similar to how starch is the secret ingredient to crispy fried chicken wings, baking soda is the perfect coating to bake chicken wings without oil and still keep that crispy, crackly crust. 

Here's the science behind it: Baking soda works by altering the pH level of the chicken skin, making it more alkaline. This higher pH breaks down the peptide bonds in the skin, allowing it to brown and crisp up more efficiently in the oven. When you toss your wings in a mixture of baking soda and salt before baking, the baking soda helps draw moisture away from the skin, ensuring that it becomes crispy rather than soggy during cooking.

The result is a wing with a beautifully browned, crunchy exterior that rivals fried versions, but without the added fat of oil. Plus, because the baking soda is used in small quantities, it doesn't impart any noticeable flavor to the wings, allowing the natural taste of the chicken and any seasonings you add to shine through.

Once you've discovered the magic of baking soda, achieving crispy, oven-baked chicken wings becomes a breeze. Pat your chicken wings dry thoroughly before coating them in a mixture of seasoned baking soda — salt is a must, but the other seasonings are up to your preference. For expertly-seasoned Buffalo wings, for example, you'll definitely want some garlic powder in there, though smoked paprika or cayenne pepper can add a nice kick.

As your wings bake, the baking soda helps to dehydrate the skin, allowing it to crisp up beautifully while keeping the meat inside moist and tender. For best results, arrange the wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet to ensure hot air circulates evenly around each piece, promoting uniform crisping. Bake at a high temperature, typically between 400 degrees Fahrenheit and 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and remember to flip the wings halfway through so that they brown evenly all over. For an extra crispy finish, you can increase the oven temperature slightly in the last few minutes of baking or even broil them briefly, keeping a close eye to avoid burning.

If you're using an air fryer, the same principles apply — pat the wings dry, season them well, and cook at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The air fryer's intense circulating heat will produce wings that are just as crispy as those baked in the oven, but with even less cooking time.

Everyone knows that the phrase "deep fried" usually isn't going to show up in a recipe labeled "healthy." Fried foods taste great, but they don't always make us feel great. Luckily, baking chicken wings is a completely viable option for healthier, tasty, juicy, and crispy wings if you've got baking soda. When wings are baked or air-fried, they cook in their own natural fats, resulting in a crispy yet lighter, less oily version of fried wings while keeping the meat juicy on the inside.

Nutritionally, baked wings have a significant edge. On average, a serving of six deep-fried chicken wings can contain around 600 calories and 40 grams of fat, largely due to the oil absorption during frying. In contrast, the same serving of baked chicken wings typically contains just a little more than half those calories and fat.

Moreover, because you're using baking soda in small quantities, there's no compromise on flavor. Baking wings with baking soda rather than frying them in oil also retains more of the chicken's natural flavors and any spices you've chosen to use, making it a deliciously healthier option for wing lovers. The outcome is a batch of golden, crunchy chicken wings that deliver all the satisfaction of perfect fried chicken wings but with less fat. There's also way less mess to this kind of dredge — no egg, flour, oil, or breadcrumbs required!