Looking for how to season chicken wings? This Crispy Dry Rub recipe has the best homemade spice blend. These party wings have the flavor of smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and more.
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Table of Contents
Why Readers Love This Recipe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Made these for my hubby today and he promptly devoured all 2 lbs by himself! Such an easy, yet delicious wings recipe. Thanks Brandi for another winner!
~Libby
You would be shocked by how epic your wings turn out when you use your own blend of spices. You are in direct control of the flavor. That's what I love most!
| Yield: | Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Total Time: |
| 4 servings | 10 mins | 20 mins | 30 mins |
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Wings
- Flour
- Chicken Rub Seasoning
What Does Dry Rub Mean?
A dry rub is a blend of dry spices and herbs that is applied and rubbed onto the surface of the food to add flavor before cooking. This helps amplify the flavors of the spices and herbs. You can allow the wings to rest in the rub (refrigerated for 30 minutes to overnight) if you want the flavor to really penetrate into the chicken. This is completely optional.
The purpose of a dry rub is to create a crust around the chicken or meat. A dry rub will enhance the flavor of the chicken without using moisture or a liquid marinade. Rubs are usually a little more coarse than simply adding seasoning.
The main difference between a dry rub and a marinade is the absence of moisture. A marinade will tenderize the meat. A dry rub does not.
As a rule of thumb, when applying a rub you should apply enough to fully coat the chicken or meat. You don't want to see any empty spots. Add more spices if necessary.
What Type of Wings to Use
I love to use party wings that are already split as opposed to whole chicken wings. Party wings will cook at a more even and consistent temperature. Feel free to use whole chicken wings if you like.
What Does a Homemade Dry Rub Taste Like?
This rub has the flavor of smoked paprika, a hint of sweetness from brown sugar or sweetener along with garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder. Get my Dry Rub for Chicken Recipe here.
How to Make the Rub Spicy
Add cayenne pepper to taste. I typically add at least a teaspoon.
How to Make Crispy Dry Rub Chicken Wings
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pat the chicken dry and place it in a large bowl or plastic bag.
- Add flour, smoked paprika, brown sugar or sweetener, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste to the chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully coated.
- Bake or air fry.
How to Substitute Flour
You can use 1-2 tablespoons of baking powder (enough to fully coat the chicken). You can also omit flour completely and make naked chicken wings.
How to Reheat the Wings
The best way to reheat wings is on the grill or in the air fryer. I wouldn't microwave them. You can use the same cook temperature and reheat the wings until warm.
How to Make them Naked Without Breading
You make naked wings by simply omitting the flour. The cook time of the chicken will remain the same.
How to Reheat the Wings
The best way to reheat wings is in the oven or in the air fryer. I wouldn't microwave them. You can reheat them on 350 degrees until warm.
Can You Use Other Types of Chicken?
Absolutely! Chicken tenders, chicken breasts, or chicken thighs will work. Click the links to check out my other recipes for cook time.
Freezer Tips
I love to freeze these ahead of time to have on deck for quick and easy meals. Defrost the wings overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the air fryer or in the oven on 350 degrees until warm.
Substitutions and More Ways to Season the Wings
Homemade BBQ Rub and Seasoning
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning and Rub
Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Homemade Blackened Seasoning
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Cajun Seasoning
Pair With These Recipes
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Air Fryer Hush Puppies
Southern Potato Salad
Easy Spaghetti Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Slow Cooker Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breast
Southern Smothered Pork Chops
More Dry Rub Wings Recipes
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
Naked Chicken Wings
Cajun Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
How to Grill Chicken Wings
Crispy Ranch Chicken Wing
Air Fryer Turkey Wings
Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Traeger Smoked Chicken Wings
Flavored Wings Recipes
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Hot Lemon Pepper Wings
Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
Garlic Parmesan Wings
Smothered Chicken Wings
Honey BBQ Wings
Keto Low Carb Chicken Wings (Maple BBQ)
Crispy Dry Rub Chicken Wings
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings I use drummettes/split wings.
- ⅓-1/2 cup all-purpose flour Use enough to fully coat the wings.
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or brown sweetener
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika Adjust to taste. Use enough to fully coat the wings.
- 1 teaspoon chili powder Adjust to taste. Use enough to fully coat the wings.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder Adjust to taste. Use enough to fully coat the wings.
- ½ teaspoon onion powder Adjust to taste. Use enough to fully coat the wings.
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking oil spray I use olive oil.
Instructions
Oven and Baking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Pat the chicken dry and place it in a large bowl or plastic bag.2 pounds chicken wings
- Add the flour and all of the spices to the chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully coated with spices to avoid bland chicken. Add more spices if necessary.⅓-1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons brown sugar or brown sweetener, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper to taste
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add the wings. Spritz the chicken wings with cooking oil.cooking oil spray I use olive oil.
- Bake the wings for 20 minutes and then open and flip the wings. Spritz with cooking oil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is crisp and cooked through. Ensure the chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and place it in a large bowl or plastic bag.
- Add the flour and all of the spices to the chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully coated.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Spritz the chicken with cooking oil.
- Air fry for 15 minutes on 400 degrees.
- Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Spritz the chicken with cooking oil. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is crispy and cooked through. Ensure the chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
Notes
- As a rule of thumb, when applying a rub you should apply enough to fully coat the chicken or meat. You don't want to see any empty spots. Add more spices if necessary.
- You can substitute regular paprika if you wish, but the smoked paprika definitely takes these to the next level.
- You can swap the all-purpose flour for baking powder. You can use 1-2 tablespoons of baking powder (enough to fully coat the chicken). You can also omit flour completely and make naked chicken wings.
- You can use actual wings (instead of drums and flats) if you wish, you may need to adjust the number of ingredients needed to fully coat your wings.
- Salt is key for adding additional flavor to the wings. I typically use ¼ – ½ teaspoon for this recipe. I generally allow readers to salt to taste and their preference, considering what their diet allows. Keep in mind, the spices alone will provide flavor, but it needs to be amplified with salt.
- Start with ¼ cup of flour and add additional flour if necessary. The chicken should be fully coated.
- If you see white areas of flour on the wings, spritz the areas with oil.
- Foil can be substituted for parchment paper while baking. Your cook time may change, so keep an eye out on the wings while they bake. They will need to reach a minimum temperature of 165 degrees.
- Want to make them spicy? Add Srirarcha, cayenne pepper or Cajun Seasoning. So good! I typically add 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Libby says
Made these for my hubby today and he promptly devoured all 2 lbs by himself! Such an easy, yet delicious wings recipe. Thanks Brandi for another winner!
staysnatched says
haha! I love to hear that.
Sydney says
Your wings don’t ever miss!!!!! Soo easy and simple to make.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
AG says
Who knew it was so easy to make a dry rub?! Made these for a quick dinner and they are delicious!
Kristal says
I made these tonight for dinner and they were a hit!! I used the oven method that was outlined in the directions and used baking powder instead of flour, along with spraying them with olive oil before baking they were the crispiest most flavorful oven wings I’ve ever made!!
staysnatched says
So glad to hear that!
Abigail says
Sooo good. Best wings I’ve made!
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear they were the best!
Chris David says
Really delicious recipe. I love it yummy!!! It's really awesome. Will surely try this.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you think it's yummy.
Vaishali says
Nice blog. you did very well. I really loved this blog. Easy to understand explanation. Thank you for giving me this information.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Ashley says
The dry rub is perfect, we grilled instead of air fried this time around, with a meat thermometer they came out perfect, as usual with your wing recipes!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Katie says
Such a crowd pleaser! My family gobbled these up tonight. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. I omitted the flour and did the baking soda trick Brandi mentioned. Delish!!
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Deborah says
These look absolutely delicious and will make very soon. Have a quick
question, do we need to put these under the broiler when done or not?
Thank you, Brandi. Just signed up and cannot wait to see more of your
recipes!
staysnatched says
I don’t. You can if you want.
Eric says
I used both methods and used a little more paprika and added a little Italian seasoning. Air fryer batch turned out awesome. Oven batch was still good, but I think it needed to be cooked at the same temp (400) as air fryer. Just not as crispy. Overall, a really good recipe!
Vicky says
I made these wings for dinner tonight but I did add a few more spices. My son loved them and has already asked when we can have them again.
staysnatched says
Awesome.
Liz says
Perfect and no frying. Love it.
staysnatched says
I’m glad they were perfect!
Maira says
These were so super easy to make and so delicious! I did let them cook for an additional 5 minutes in the oven since the wings I had were on the bigger side, and they turned out perfect. I doubled the recipe made them for a Superbowl party and they were a huge hit!
staysnatched says
I’m glad they were a hit!
Trisha says
Can I dry rub them with flour and seasonings you suggested and let them set overnight in fridge before cooking the next day?
staysnatched says
Yes, but don’t add the flour until you’re ready to cook.
sb says
Did everything per instructions, and wings didn't brown much or crisp. Even continued to turn over and cook a little longer.
Next time will just buy my rub from store that I was out of.
staysnatched says
Interesting. Wings will brown with or without a rub or no seasoning at all. The meat has no choice but to brown when cooked. Did you bake or air fry?
Kim says
Did you make sure they were good and dry. Chicken won’t get real crispy if it is not dry.
Amber says
Thinking about using your recipe, I’m assuming the wings could be deep fried as well?
staysnatched says
Yep!
Carol says
Follow the recipe and at 400 in the air fryer they came out way too browned, almost looked burnt. Second batch I did at 375 and they were much better. My air fryer is the Ninja and I use it quite often so not sure what went wrong.
staysnatched says
I’ve never used a Ninja. Every air fryer cooks at varying speeds. You should do what works for yours.
Clare says
I followed the directions to the letter (with flour version). They didn't get brown on the outside. Maybe I didn't put enough oil? I really spritzed it but maybe it needs more? And it was kind of plain for me. The meat was good and I'll adapt some of this to try again but meh. Sorry 🙁
staysnatched says
Yep it sounds like you didn’t use enough oil or you didn’t cook them long enough.
Sabrina says
Was looking forward to an easy and tasty recipe today. Followed it to a "t" but used the oven. Did not come out crispy and didn't taste seasonings after doubling it. Disappointed.
staysnatched says
The air fryer works much better than the oven for crisping.
Debra Emmons says
Would cornstarch be a good substitute for the flour? If so, what proportion?
staysnatched says
I haven't tested it using cornstarch. Sometimes it's an equal swap.
Sydney says
Literally my go to chicken wing recipe don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore. I make it so often.
staysnatched says
So glad to hear that!
Tanisha says
We made these today for watching football. They were so tasty and easy to make!
staysnatched says
So glad to hear it!
Keishsam says
Love these wings. Just gave me my dinner idea for tonight 😋
staysnatched says
Wonderful!
Yoli says
Great recipe! My husband loves them. He devoured them!
staysnatched says
So glad to hear it!
Kathleen says
Awesome recipe. I particularly liked the substitute of baking powder for flour.
staysnatched says
So glad to hear it!
Nina says
They were very good!. Family loved them... But it needed a little more spices! Over all 9 out of 10.👍🏻
Nancy says
These were absolutely delicious. Nice and crispy, maybe one of the best I've tried. Tossed Trader Joe's General Tsao stir fry sauce after baking...unbelievable. This is definitely a keeper.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad to hear it!
Laura G says
Wings were really easy to make, thats the two stars. I followed the cooking instructions as noted but wings did not come out as crisp, I had to use the broiler for 5 minutes to complete that. I'm not sure if maybe too much flour? I also used the oven method, after reading sounds like air fryer is best. Then once cooked the wings were super bland. I felt bad for my husband that I had to cook something else. Sorry will not use again.
staysnatched says
Yep, the air fryer method is the best for crispy wings. You need to season to taste as instructed.
Laura G says
@staysnatched, oh I definitely followed the recipe.
staysnatched says
The instructions tell you to season to taste. You can't have bland food if you do that. The instructions also state the following:
As a rule of thumb, when applying a rub you should apply enough to fully coat the chicken or meat. You don’t want to see any empty spots. Add more spices if necessary.
These are flavorful when the instructions are followed.
Lynda says
I made the dry rub wings with cornstarch
I cooked them in my Air Fryer
They we so delicious
Exactly how I hoped they would be
Even more
Thanks
Now I'm going to try your next wing recipe
Yum yum
staysnatched says
Yes!
BAM says
Made these as the recipe was written, and they were the best! I might kick up the spices a bit next time. They turnout crispy and golden! Won’t mess my oven up again. Excellent recipe!
staysnatched says
Awesome! So glad to hear it!
Susie says
No way does putting these wings in the oven at that temp and time do they turn out looking like the picture. I had to put my in hot oil on the stove and fry them to get them nicely browned and crisp.
staysnatched says
You can air fry or bake these wings. Air frying is much better than the oven and yields better results.
M Smith says
These have become a staple in my house! Love the option to do them naked, and the dry rub recipe is *chef’s kiss*
staysnatched says
Yay! So glad to hear it.
Garlic Girl says
Delicious 😋. I made it for Sunday NFL Football food day. I was wondering if they liked it but when I heard nothing (no talking) I figured it was good. Plus, ate almost all the wings!! LOL!!!
staysnatched says
haha! That's how you know.
Ritu says
Thanks for sharing such a great recipe with us. My family loves this recipe. I made this recipe and served it to my friends at my house.
staysnatched says
You're welcome.
Teresa says
I used agave instead of brown sugar. Also, after they baked for 30 minutes, I bumped up the temp to 425 and cooked for 2-4 more minutes and they were so yummy!! I will be using this recipe a lot!!
staysnatched says
I love that idea!
Jane says
I made this rub on chicken tenders and air fried them on 400 for 20 minutes turning them after 10 minutes. They were delicious. Will be using this recipe for other chicken and going try on fish in the air fryer.
staysnatched says
Yum! It would work well for that.
Gail says
Looks good. I will try for a pot luck. Did you use frozen chicken wings?
staysnatched says
No, they were thawed.
Gail says
I can use frozen chicken wings but thaw them first?
staysnatched says
Yes.
Taise says
Very tasty and easy to make and ingredients you already have all the reasons this made me give it a 5 star. I used whole wings for dinner.
staysnatched says
Sounds so good!
Carol says
My husband loves chicken wings. This recipe is the BEST!!!
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad you like them.
Donna Hewett says
I live in New Mexico. Hum. Took thrice the cooking time and tasted like raw flour. Great for the Super Bowl. Ruined. Thanks for a ruined dinner!!
staysnatched says
I'm not sure why New Mexico matters here. This recipe worked just fine for so many others.
Terri says
Made these last night, cooked in the oven little longer than recipe indicated. I was disappointed how they came out, your pic looks very crispy & mine were totally weee not, looked more like baked wings. I’m going reheating/cooking in the airfryer hoping to a different outcome
staysnatched says
The air fryer is definitely the best method. If you bake them, then yeah they are going to look like baked wings.