Garlic Butter Chicken Wings

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Garlic butter chicken wings, these crispy baked chicken wings make a perfect party appetizer. Ready in about 40 minutes.

After making Hot Lemon Pepper Wings and Peanut Butter and Jelly Wings recently, I thought I’d try something garlicky. After all, chicken and garlic are a match made in heaven! Add some butter and a pinch of red chili flakes, and you will have the most delicious, crispy garlic butter chicken wings.

This chicken wing recipe is

• Quick and easy: It takes only 40 minutes to have dinner ready, and all you must do is mix a few ingredients.
• Simple ingredients: Just the party wings and a few pantry items like butter, garlic, and chili flakes.
• Flavor: The combination of butter and garlic is a classic that never disappoints.

Recipe ingredients

Chicken wings:

• 2 lbs (900 g) – about 8-9 whole wings or 16-18 flats (wingettes) and drumettes.
• If you can get split pieces with the tips removed (party wings) is perfect; if not, cutting them at the joint is easy (See Expert Tips).

Butter:

• I usually use unsalted; it allows me to control the salt I need for a recipe more easily.
• However, salted butter is perfectly fine; just make sure you adjust the salt you need accordingly.

Garlic:

• Be generous with the garlic, I had 3 large garlic cloves, but you can easily use 4 or 5; it will be delicious.

More spices: red chili flakes, oregano, sweet paprika, fine sea salt or Kosher salt, and ground black pepper. You will also need a bit of vegetable or olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Step-by-step instructions

• Garlic butter glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, and add oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, chili flakes, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well (1).

• Coat wings: Dry the meat pieces with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl. Pour over the butter mixture and stir well to coat (2).

• Marinate (optional): Cover the bowl with plastic foil and refrigerate the wings for 30 minutes or overnight (See Expert Tips).

• Bake the garlic butter wings in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Flip with tongs and bake for another 20 minutes or until crispy and cooked through; the internal temperature should be 165°F (75°C) (3,4).

Expert tips

How to split whole chicken wings?

• Place one whole wing on a cutting board. Hold the tiny drumstick (drumette) and stretch the joint open. The flat part (wingette) should still be on the work surface. Cut through the joint.
• If there is any resistance, move the knife a few millimeters more on the right or left until you find the right place to go through the skin and between the bones quickly.
• Remove the wing tips as well if still attached.

• Don’t wash the chicken; the bacteria will only be destroyed during the cooking process. Washing the meat will spread the bacteria all over your sink without removing it from the meat entirely. 

• The butter will set again if you marinate the chicken in the fridge. Bring to room temperature to soften the butter again and stir well. Alternatively, microwave the pieces for 35 seconds, mix well, and microwave for another 10 seconds if the butter is not fully melted again.

• Rack: If you don’t have a wire rack, bake the wings on parchment paper, it works fine. However, a wire rack is even better, as it allows the air to circulate, making the wings crispier. 

Recipe FAQ

How to serve?

• Appetizer: The garlic butter chicken wings will serve 5-6 people. You can serve them with a dipping sauce, for instance, buffalo or hot sauce, blue cheese sauce, etc. But honestly, I prefer them without any sauce; I love the simple garlic and butter flavor.
• Serve them with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, celery sticks, bell peppers, carrots, cucumber sticks, etc.

• Main course: You will have enough for two adults and two kids or 2-3 adults. You can serve them with potato wedges or fries, mashed potatoes, noodle or potato salad, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, etc.

• The garlic butter wings are perfect for any game day during the Super Bowl or the football season, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, great for parties, barbecues, etc.

More quick appetizers

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