Crispy Baked Turkey Wings

Name: Crispy Baked Turkey Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 split turkey wing pieces, tips removed (or 4 whole turkey wings – cut into drumettes and flats); 4 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; Baking Sheet; Wire Rack (Make sure it is oven-safe to high temperatures and designed to fit inside your baking sheet – this one is great!)

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Are you a wing lover? Then you will LOVE these crispy baked turkey wings! Super crispy skin, easy to make in the oven and gigantic wings are just so much more fun! Serve them up as a party appetizer tossed or dipped in your favorite wing sauce or serve as a main dish alongside your favorite sides. This turkey wing recipe sure is versatile!

Crispy baked turkey wings on a white plate with carrot and celery sticks and smalls bowls of buffalo wing sauce and blue cheese dip.

Here’s Why You’ll Love Them
Secret To Crispy Oven Baked Turkey Wings
Ingredients You’ll Need
Special Equipment
How To Make Crispy Baked Turkey Wings
Storage + Reheating
Ways To Serve Them
FAQ
More Turkey Recipes
Crispy Baked Turkey Wings Recipe

Here’s Why You’ll Love Them

These crispy roasted turkey wings are like gigantic chicken wings – what’s not to love?! Dress them up like chicken wings by tossing or dipping in your favorite sauce or serve as a turkey dinner with gravy, cranberry sauce and all your favorite sides.

Easy to make: This is a super easy turkey recipe. Just 10 minutes of prep time and then let the oven do the rest of the work!
Super crispy and healthier than deep frying: No need to deal with the oily mess from deep frying. These turkey wings get super crispy by baking them right in the oven. So what’s the secret? Find out below!
Crazy versatile! Serve them up as an appetizer or a main dish. Perfect for parties, game day, family game night, dinner or even as part of a small Thanksgiving meal. Woah! Talk about a versatile recipe!

Secret To Crispy Oven Baked Turkey Wings

So what’s the secret to making super crispy and delicious turkey wings that are baked instead of fried? There are a few tricks to achieving that crispy skin right in the oven!

A turkey wing being dipped into blue cheese dressing.

The Secret Ingredient

Any guesses? The secret ingredient to super crispy baked wings is baking powder! Sounds strange but it really does make a difference. I even use some in the dry brine for my spatchcock turkey recipe. The baking powder raises the skin’s pH levels which allows the bonds in the skin to break down more efficiently. This results in crispy, browned skin. Don’t accidentally grab the baking soda! It will make your wings taste bad. Make sure to use aluminum free baking powder! It has a neutral taste.

Make Sure Wings Are Dry

Dry wings crisp up faster so make sure to pat them dry with a paper towel first. If you have the time and the fridge space, you can also let them air dry in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Bake On A Wire Rack

Placing the wings on an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking sheet allows the heat to circulate around them better and the fat to drip off.

Start Low And Then Crank That Heat Up!

Baking the turkey wings at a low temperature first allows the the fat under the skin to melt and render out. Then cranking up the temperature and roasting at high heat gives you that super crispy skin

Closeup of crispy roasted turkey wings in a bowl with two dipping sauces.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Just 3 ingredients are needed to make this turkey wing recipe! Afterwards, you can dress them up with your favorite sauces and dips if you like.

Labelled image of ingredients needed to make crispy baked turkey wings.

Split turkey wings (tips removed): I like to purchase split wings to make it easy. If you have whole turkey wings, cut them into sections first. Split them into wingettes (flats) and drumettes and save the tips for another use like turkey stock or turkey gravy.
Baking powder: Use aluminum free baking powder. It has a neutral taste so you won’t taste it. DO NOT use baking soda by accident or your wings will have a disgusting metallic taste.
Salt: I like to use either sea salt. or Himalayan pink salt.

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

Possible variation: You can also add in any other spices or dried herbs that you like.

Special Equipment

All you need is a wire rack and a baking sheet for crispy oven baked turkey wings!

Baking Sheet: A regular baking sheet (half-sheet sized).
Wire Rack: An oven-safe, stainless steel wire rack that is designed to fit inside your baking sheet. Make sure the rack you use is oven safe to high temperatures. This wire rack is perfect for the job.
Digital Meat Thermometer (optional): A digital meat thermometer is the best way to ensure that the wings are cooked through. However, I find that by the time the skin is nice and crispy that they are always fully cooked. Just in case you want to double check, they are safe to eat at 165F (74C) but tastier above 175F (79C). The Thermapen is my favorite fast and accurate thermometer.

How To Make Crispy Baked Turkey Wings

Let’s make some! This turkey wing recipe is super simple to make. Just 3 easy steps!

STEP 1: Dry off the turkey wings. Use paper towels to pat the wings dry and place in a large bowl.

Split turkey wings being dried with a paper towel.

STEP 2: Toss wings in baking powder and salt. Combine the baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the wings and toss to evenly coat. They will just be lightly dusted.

Photo collage showing baking powder and salt being mixed in a small bowl next to a large glass bowl of turkey wings tossed in the mixture.

STEP 3: Bake! Line a baking sheet with foil and set an oven-safe wire rack on top. Brush or spray the rack with oil and arrange the wings on top in a single layer with some space between for heat circulation. Bake in a 300F (or 275F convection) oven for 20 minutes. Then increase the temperature to 450F (or 425F convection) and roast for 50-60 minutes, flipping halfway through (or until golden brown and crispy).

Turkey wings on a baking sheet before and after being baked in the oven.

Dig in! Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Then toss in your favorite wing sauce or serve them as is with your favorite dips or sides.

Photo collage showing turkey wings served as an appetizer and as a main dish.

Split turkey wings tossed in buffalo wing sauce served on a white plate with blue cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks.

Storage + Reheating

These definitely taste best when served fresh and usually disappear pretty quickly. However, any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, place the wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and pop the wings in for a few minutes on each side until hot.

Ways To Serve Them

These turkey wings are super versatile and can be served up in a number of ways:

Serve as an appetizer: Perfect party food! Great for a game day party, family game night or anytime you are having a casual get together with friends. Just dress them up like chicken wings by tossing or dipping in your favorite wing sauce with some carrot and celery sticks as well as some blue cheese or ranch dip served alongside.
Serve as a main course: Make it a meal by serving with your favorite sides. Some ideas include: any type of potato (mashed, wedges, baked, etc.), baked stuffing, rice, garlic butter green beans, or one of these salads.
Serve as part of a small Thanksgiving or holiday dinner: Planning a small Thanksgiving or holiday meal? Skip the whole turkey and just serve up these turkey wings instead. It’s easier and less expensive than roasting and carving a whole turkey. Serve with your favorite turkey dinner sides!

Graphic showing two ways to serve baked turkey wings.

FAQ

Why do you put baking powder on the wings?

Baking powder helps to make the skin crispy and who doesn’t love crispy skin?! It raises the skin’s pH levels which allows the bonds to break down more easily and also creates a layer of tiny bubbles. The result is crispier, more evenly browned skin.

Can I use baking soda instead?

NO!!! Do not accidentally grab baking soda. The wings will have a horrible metallic taste. Make sure to use aluminum free baking powder. It has a neutral taste.

How long does it take to bake the turkey wings

About 1 ½ hours – 10 minutes of prep, 20 minutes baked on low heat and then roughly 1 hour (or less) roasting on high heat, flipping halfway through. Exact timing will depend on the size of your wings and how crispy you like them.

Can frozen wings be used?

No! Wings must be fully thawed first.

Can I add seasonings?

Definitely! You can add some of your favorite spices and dried herbs in with the baking powder and salt mixture.

Why is my oven smoking while baking the wings?

There could be a few reasons why things are getting smoky. Make sure that no part of the wings are hanging over the edge of the baking sheet since fat dripping onto the bottom of the oven will definitely smoke up. Another reason for the smoke could be pre-existing grease in the oven that burns up at the high temperatures. If neither one of these reasons apply and you are still experiencing smoke, you can pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the baking sheet to prevent drippings from smoking. Just make sure that the water doesn’t touch the wings or they won’t get crispy.

Can this recipe be scaled? How much baking powder and salt would I use?

It sure can! The rough rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoon of baking powder plus ¼ teaspoon of salt for each pound of wings.

Baked turkey wings on a white plate with dipping sauces, carrot and celery sticks.

More Turkey Recipes

Did you make these turkey wings? I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram.