Garlic Parmesan Wings

These oven-baked garlic parmesan wings are here to steal the show. Perfectly juicy inside and crispy on the outside, they’re a party appetizer that I love to make.

Craving more chicken wing and chicken recipes? Try lemon pepper wings, Korean chicken wings, and fried chicken wings.

I reckon chicken wings are the MVP of all appetizers, and my garlic parmesan wings always steal the show. I mean, how can anyone resist crispy oven-baked wings sprinkled with parmesan cheese?

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make garlic parmesan wings
4. Tips to make the best recipe
5. Storage instructions
6. More delicious ways to cook chicken
7. Garlic Parmesan Wings (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

• As crispy as breaded wings. You don’t have to bread chicken to make it crispy. Instead, the parmesan cheese replicates the texture while giving it a fabulous flavor. This makes them suitable for those following a low carb diet.
• Just like fried wings. Baked in the oven, these wings are less oily and much healthier than deep frying, but you’d never tell.
• Great for parties. Whip up a double or triple batch and feed a crowd for your next game day party. A warning, though: these will not last long.

Ingredients needed

This recipe calls for very simple ingredients. Besides the wings and a few spices, there isn’t much else that goes into it. Here is what you’ll need:

• Chicken wings. Skin-on chicken wings for the crispiest results. Also, I like to use a mix of wings and drumettes to satisfy all parties (my family seems to love the drumettes more!).
• Parmesan cheese. Always use freshly grated parmesan cheese as it tastes better, melts better, and sticks onto the wings better, too.
• Spices. I use a blend of paprika, black pepper, onion, and garlic powder.
• Butter. Softened to room temperature.
• Garlic. Minced.
• Fresh parsley. Finely chopped.
• Oil. Olive oil or any cooking oil of your choice.
• Kosher salt. To taste.
• Baking powder. It’s optional, but adding baking powder is the secret ingredient for foolproof crispy wings. Because we are coating them in parmesan, the wings will already crisp up, but add this if you want that extra crunch.

How to make garlic parmesan wings

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Start with preparing the seasoning mix. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Sprinkle the chicken wings with the seasoning mix and rub to coat them well. 

Step 2- Bake. Arrange the chicken wings on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake the wings on the middle rack for 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 450 degrees. 

Step 3- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small pot and combine it with minced garlic and chopped parsley leaves. Stir well. 

Step 4- Season and broil. Pour the sauce over the baked wings and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Bake the wings for another 5 minutes until the wings become crispy. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• Always pat dry the wings. Depending on the packaging of the uncooked wings, they often have excess moisture around them. Before seasoning them, pat them dry with a paper towel. 
• Line the baking sheet. The less mess, the better. To make clean-up a breeze, I like to use a rimmed baking sheet, which involves wrapping foil on all sides. Once the wings are cooked, I chuck it away.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan with chicken wings will cause the temperature of the oven to drop. Not only that, doing it will also prevent the wings from getting crispy on all sides. 
• Never add the sauce before baking the chicken wings. The garlic parmesan sauce is designed to stick to the wings. Adding it before the chicken is completely cooked with burn them. 
• Use a wire rack to bake. For extra crispy chicken wings, put a wire rack over the baking tray and arrange the chicken wings on it. The airflow will make the chicken crispy on all sides. 
• Use other cuts of chicken. While chicken wings work best for this recipe, you can also use drumsticks and quarters. 

Storage instructions

To store: Transfer leftover wings into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To freeze: Place leftovers in a shallow container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Reheating: You can reheat chicken wings in the oven or the air fryer. Do not microwave them as they will lose their crispiness. 

More delicious ways to cook chicken

• Boneless chicken wings
• Parmesan crusted chicken
• Oven fried chicken
• Chicken schnitzel
• Tandoori chicken

Originally published November 2022, updated and republished March 2024