If you thought making homemade gluten-free chicken wings would be complicated, think again! This easy buffalo wing recipe requires 5-minutes prep, a simple shake coating of baking powder and cornstarch, and unique baking method to achieve a tender, moist interior with extra crispy skin. Toss in the sticky gluten-free buffalo sauce and enjoy a platter of restaurant-worthy, finger-licking wings made with extreme ease!
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Gluten-Free Wings Are This Easy?!
Before starting the recipe testing process for gluten-free buffalo wings, I’ll admit I was a little intimidated. Skeptically I thought making oven baked wings wouldn’t produce the extra crispy skin and juicy, moist interior I was hoping for.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised just how easy (and affordable!) it is to make homemade wings with a simple coating of baking powder and cornstarch. Anytime you can make GF snacks and apps without speciality ingredients, that’s a win in my book. (Hello, cheesy baked GF jalapeño poppers!)
Why use baking powder on chicken wings? Well, first of all it is an ingredient we all have on hand. So even if you are unfamiliar with GF cooking, anyone can make this recipe!
What does the baking powder do for buffalo wings? This is a perfect example of how cooking techniques relies on science. Baking powder raises the pH level, which causes the bonds to break down in the skin, making it extra crisp.
However, this GF wings recipe also uses a bit of cornstarch in the coating as well. I do this for two reasons. First, I wanted to eliminate the risk of a potentially aluminum taste from using too much baking powder. Also, cornstarch seals in moisture, while creating a barrier for crispy skin. This is the magic behind making crispy gluten-free sweet and sour chicken as well.
Now that we have an easy, naturally gluten-free coating for the wings, what is the best way to cook them? Good news! No messy deep-frying necessary. It’s possible to get superior texture in the oven.
Place the wings on a wire rack fitted inside a baking sheet. This allows heat to fully circulate around and crisp the skins. Also, I borrowed a technique America’s Test Kitchen chicken wings, starting the baking process at a lower oven temperature.
First bake the wings in a 250ºF oven to render the fat, and bake the meat without loss of moisture. Then turn the oven to 425ºF, which crisps the skin and seals in the juices. The best gluten-free chicken wings come out with perfect oven crisp results!
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Dry those wings.
We’ll start with a lower oven temp, so preheat to 250°F. To dry the wings, line a baking sheet with a single layer of paper towels. Arrange them on top and layer with another layer of paper towels on top. Press to absorb any moisture.
Easy shake coating.
In a large ziplock bag, combine the baking powder, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Add the chicken and shake until evenly coated. Hard part is over!
Best oven crisp baking method – juicy and tender plus crispy!
Start off the bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack. This renders the fat and makes the meat fall apart tender. Leave the baking sheet in the oven and increase the temperature to 425℉ for 20 minutes longer. Here we are starting to crisp up the skins.
Now adjust the rack to the upper third of the oven. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for 20 additional minutes. Perfection!
Saucy time.
While the wings are baking, combine the buffalo sauce in a large bowl, or see more yummy sauce ideas below. Transfer the hot, crispy wings to the bowl and toss to combine. Game on!
GF Chicken Wing Sauce Options
To make the buffalo sauce melt the butter and combine with hot sauce and a small amount of honey. Stir together in a large bowl and then toss the crispy baked buffalo wings when they come out of the oven.
Wings are one of my favorite gluten-free party food ideas because you can make them plain and offer a variety of sauces. If you are using a prepared, store-bought sauce, be sure to read ingredient labels carefully and check the manufacturer’s website.
- BBQ sauce, such as Sweet Baby Ray’s
- Gluten-free Teriyaki
- Honey garlic sauce
- Lemon peper
- Jerk sauce
- Hot honey sauce
Air Fryer Method
To make crispy wings even faster, using an air fryer is a great option! You will have to make the wings in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. Arrange in a single layer, with room for heat to circulate around them.
Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 15-16 minutes, flipping the wings over halfway through.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Extra Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Wings (Baked)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings and drumettes, (about 20 wings / drumettes)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or sweet paprika
Gluten-Free Buffalo Sauce
- ¼ cup melted butter, see recipe notes for spicy sauce
- ¼ cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ranch or blue cheese dressing,, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with a single layer of paper towels. Arrange the chicken wings on top and layer with another layer of paper towels on top. Press to absorb any moisture and dry the chicken.3 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
- In a large ziplock bag, combine the baking powder, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Shake to combine. Add the dried chicken, reseal, and shake again until evenly coated.2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Discard the paper towels and line the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack over the foil. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the chicken wings on the rack, evenly spaced.
- Bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack. Leave the baking sheet in the oven and increase the temperature to 425℉. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Move the baking sheet to the upper third of the oven. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for 20 additional minutes.
- During the last 5 minutes of baking combine the buffalo sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Once the wings are done baking carefully transfer the wings to sauce bowl and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately with leftover wing sauce and dressing.¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup hot sauce, 1 tablespoon honey
Notes
Spicy Buffalo Sauce
Increase the hot sauce to ⅓ cup and decrease the butter to 2 tablespoons. You may or may not add the honey.Reheating Buffalo Wings
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and arrange the wings on a baking sheet. Lightly spritz with water so the wings don’t dry out as they reheat. If you do not have a spray bottle, I just wet my fingers and very lightly drip some water over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until hot.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
Hi Melissa! These are our family’s favourite wings ever !
Have you ever tried this recipe with thighs?
Hey Lori,
Yay! I love hearing this! I haven’t tried this, but I don’t see why not. Sounds like a very tasty idea. Will you let me know how it turns out if you decide to give it a try?
Best,
Melissa
Is the 1st part of the recipe correct where you say oven temperature at 250 (seems too low)?
Hi Donna,
No, that’s right! They start off at a low temp to get the chicken nice and fall apart tender, kind of like smoked wings. Then you finish up at a high temp to make the skin nice and crispy. Hope you decide to give the recipe a go!
Best,
Melissa
Thanks, I will try them!!