Cajun chicken wings are coated with our favorite spicy dry rub mixture and baked until crispy. They're super easy to make and perfect for your next party.
Are you looking for the next party hit, a tasty appetizer for the Super Bowl, or a similar occasion? Try our baked hot and crispy Cajun chicken wings; you will not regret it!
Why? They are easy to make; all you must do is mix the seasoning and rub the wings with it, and they are ready in less than one hour. Not to mention that they are incredibly crispy and delicious!
Ingredients: 1 main ingredient + spices + oil
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
And if you like delicious wings, make sure to check our popular recipe for Honey Lemon Pepper Wings or the Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings. Or learn How to Parboil Chicken Wings to make them cook faster. Try some Baked Turkey Wings, too; you can use this dry rub to season them as well.
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Recipe ingredients
Wings: About 2 lbs (900 g) would be 8-9 whole wings or 16-18 wingettes and drumettes. To make things easy, it’s preferable to buy party-style wings (already separated at the joint). Otherwise, cutting the wing pieces in the middle, it’s very easy.
Cajun seasoning: Our mixture makes about three tablespoons of dry rub (approximately 1.2 oz/ 35 g). You can make more and store the rest in a small jar in the cupboard; it will be great for at least three months or longer. You can buy Cajun seasoning if you have a favorite brand.
Olive oil or vegetable oil for coating the meat and spraying or brushing the rack.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Cajun chicken wings?
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Coat the rack with cooking spray or brush it lightly with a bit of oil.
- Make the Cajun dry rub: Mix all the spices in a small bowl.
- Cut whole pieces: If the wings are whole, cut them at the joint into wingettes and drumettes (detailed instructions below).
- Dry them well with a paper towel.
- Season: Place chicken wings in a large mixing bowl. Pour the oil on top and coat the meat pieces with it. Sprinkle with the Cajun spice rub and rub well to coat evenly.
- Bake: Arrange the pieces on the wire rack in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 20 minutes or until the required internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) is achieved and the wings are crispy.
How to divide whole chicken wings at the joint?
- Find the right spot between the bones, where a sharp knife will easily go through the joint. Hold the drumette in your hand, stretching the joint open. The wingette should still be on the work surface. Cut through the joint; you should not encounter any serious resistance.
- If there is any resistance, it means you didn’t hit the right spot between the wings. Try again, a few millimeters more on the right or left of the joint, until you find the right place. The knife should easily go through the skin and between the bones.
How to achieve crispy chicken wings
- Cook them at high heat and on the rack. The rack allows the hot air to circulate all around them and keeps them from lying in a pool of fat, which will prevent them from getting very crispy on one side.
- For extra crispy skin, refrigerate the seasoned wing pieces for 2 hours and up to 12.
- Another tip would be to prolong the baking time (5 to 10 minutes). That makes the skin crispier but also the flesh dryer. That’s why I prefer not to overdo it with the baking time.
Tip
Don't wash the chicken before cooking: The bacteria are only destroyed during cooking; washing will spread it all over your sink.
Using aluminum foil instead of parchment paper is preferable, as you will bake these delicious wings at a high temperature.
Recipe FAQs
It helps make the Cajun wings super crispy, but it will work without it as well.
Refrigerate as soon as they’ve reached room temperature. Keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Freeze for 4 to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Reheat the baked Cajun chicken wings in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) on a lined baking sheet for about 10-20 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat in the air fryer at 370 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Flip halfway through.
How to serve?
Appetizer: Serve the hot wings with your favorite dipping sauce, buffalo sauce, or hot sauce. When making Cajun chicken wings for a party, I like to offer a platter of vegetable sticks with it.
Main dish: Serve with oven-baked potato wedges, fries or mashed potatoes, salad, Purple Cabbage Slaw, or roasted vegetables.
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📖 Recipe
Baked Cajun Chicken Wings (Dry Rub)
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 wire rack
Ingredients
Cajun dry rub (Notes 1,2):
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt or Kosher
Wings:
- 2 lb chicken wings preferably split, 900 g (Note 3)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Coat the rack with cooking spray or brush it lightly with a bit of oil.
- Cajun dry rub: Mix the spices in a small bowl.¾ teaspoon ground black pepper + ½ teaspoon ground white pepper + ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper + ¾ teaspoon ground cumin + ¾ teaspoon onion powder + 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder + 1 ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder + 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder + 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano + ¾ teaspoon dried thyme + ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg + 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt or Kosher
- Cut wings at the joint into wingettes and drumettes if they are not already split at the joint.2 lb chicken wings 900 g
- Dry them well with kitchen towels.
- Rub: Place wings in a large bowl. Pour the oil on top and coat the meat pieces with it. Sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning and rub well to coat evenly.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Bake: Arrange the chicken wings on the wire rack and bake for 20 minutes.
- Flip with tongs and bake for another 20 minutes or until the required internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) is achieved and the wings are crispy.
Notes
- Seasoning: You can use your favorite brand of Cajun seasoning if you like, but our dry rub is excellent.
- Make a double batch of the seasoning and keep the rest in a small jar in the cupboard; it will be great for at least 3 months, probably longer.
- Wings: 2 lbs are about 8-9 whole chicken wings or 16-80 split ones.
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