Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings are a tasty appetizer great for any occasion. These flavorful wings are made with homemade BBQ seasoning and sauce.

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What Makes BBQ Baked Chicken Wings Perfect for Game Day! 

Chicken wings are everyone’s favorite snack, but many folks are trying to eat just a bit better these days. This baked BBQ chicken wings recipe offers an alternative to deep-fried wings that still taste amazing but doesn't contain all the fat and calories that accompany frying in oil.

So, go ahead and bake up a batch of oven BBQ chicken wings and indulge without any of the guilt. 

What Makes This Recipe for Easy Baked Barbeque Chicken Wings the One You Will Want To Have On Repeat

Outdoor grilling may be your preferred cooking method when the weather is good, but it’s a hassle to drag out the grill in the middle of winter. Don’t let that stop you from eating what you love.

This recipe combines a killer homemade barbeque sauce with the can’t-fail simplicity of cooking in an oven to make wings that are as tasty as they are easy to make.

Whether preparing snacks for a crowd or dinner for your family, you will want to keep this recipe close to the oven. 

Ingredients For Barbeque Baked Wings

For the chicken:

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken wings

For this recipe, it is up to you whether you want to separate the winglets and the drumettes or keep the wings whole. For the BBQ sauce, you’ll need:

• Ketchup
• Apple cider vinegar
• Bourbon
• Brown sugar 
• Smoked paprika
• Ground cumin 
• Granulated onions
• Dry mustard powder
• Salt 
• Black pepper 

For the chicken seasoning, you’ll need:

• Your favorite poultry dry rub

If you don’t already have a favorite dry rub for chicken, there are many options. You can try a commercial brand like Traeger’s Chicken Rub with Citrus and Black Pepper or just keep it as simple as possible by using more of the dry ingredients from the sauce and keeping the same proportions. 

How To Make Easy BBQ Baked Wings

To prepare the sauce for the BBQ baked chicken wings recipe:

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the smoked paprika, ground cumin, granulated onions, and dry mustard powder to the saucepan.
3. Toast the spices until they become fragrant, one to two minutes. Use a silicone spatula to stir the spices and keep them from burning. 
4. Stir in the remaining BBQ sauce ingredients.
5. Bring the sauce to a low simmer for about five minutes whiles stirring and scraping down the sides of the saucepan.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Preparing to cook the easy BBQ baked wings:

1. Evenly space two racks in the oven, and preheat your oven to 425°F. 
2. Line two baking trays with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top.
3. Trim any excess fat from the chicken wings. 
4. Pat the trimmed chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
5. Shake a few chicken pieces in a plastic bag containing the dry seasoning. 
6. Space out the seasoned chicken on the wire racks.
7. Season the remaining chicken pieces. 

To finish cooking the BBQ baked chicken wings:

1. Put the chicken in the oven for 40 minutes. Midway through the cooking process, flip the chicken and rotate the cooking trays for more even cooking.
2. Remove the chicken from the oven. Slather the wings all over with sauce.

3. Cook the wings for another 15 to 20 minutes until beautifully browned and crispy.
4. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the wings’ internal temperature is 165°F before removing the trays from the oven. 

Substitutions

No wings in the fridge? No problem. You can use the same recipe for cooking any chicken parts, but you must adjust the cooking times accordingly.

Always use a thermometer to double-check whether the chicken is fully cooked. 

Recipe Variations

Feel free to add or remove ingredients from the sauce.

If you don’t want to include alcohol in your sauce recipe, try replacing the bourbon with an equal amount of good-quality ginger beer. Despite its name, ginger beer doesn’t contain any alcohol, although it does pump up the sweetness and flavor of the sauce. Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer is an excellent choice. 

Equipment You Need 

All you need for this recipe is an oven and a digital instant-read thermometer, but a silicone basting mop makes applying the BBQ sauce a lot easier. 

What To Serve With BBQ Baked Wings

Your favorite barbeque sides will pair wonderfully with this baked BBQ chicken wings recipe. If you want something new, try Corn Salsa or Charro Beans. 

How To Store The Leftover Wings

This BBQ baked chicken wings recipe makes a lot of chicken, so you’re sure to have some extra. Cool the chicken to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken should keep fresh for up to three days.  For keeping the wings longer than three days, freeze them:

1. Arrange the chicken wings on a baking tray and freeze solid.  
2. Once the wings are frozen, put them in a freezer bag for up to two months. 

What’s the Best Way to Reheat BBQ Baked Chicken Wings?

Try reheating leftover BBQ wings in the oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Remove the thawed wings from the fridge about ten minutes before cooking to allow them to warm up a bit.
3. Place the wings on a wire rack set on a baking tray. Pour water under the wire rack to prevent the chicken from drying out in the oven. 
4. Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and cook for about 8 minutes
5. Remove the aluminum foil, turn the oven to 450°F, and cook the wings for three to five more minutes until they crisp up. 

Print Recipe

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

Baked barbecue chicken wings are a great appetizer for a party or game day.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 5 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Baked BBQ Chicken Wings

Servings: 8

Calories: 311kcal

Ingredients

Homemade BBQ Sauce

• ⅔ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup bourbon
• ¼ cup brown sugar

Chicken Wings

• 4 pounds chicken wings
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Homemade BBQ Sauce

• Place all the BBQ sauce ingredients into a pot and stir until fully blended.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.

Chicken Wings

• Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack over each tray and coat the racks with cooking spray.
• Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.
• Add the chicken wings to the bowl with the spice mix and toss until evenly coated.
• Arrange the wings on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about ½ inch apart.
• Bake, flipping every 20 minutes, until browned, crispy, and cooked through.
• After 40 minutes remove the wings from the oven and coat them in BBQ sauce.
• Then place them back on the rack and cook for an addition 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

Party chicken wings are ones already cut into flats and drumettes and without tips. If they are not available, you can use whole ones and cut them before coating them with the dry rub.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 464mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg