Description
These New Orleans Chicken Wings are a flavorful treat featuring crispy baked wings coated in a rich homemade Creole seasoning and garlic butter. Perfectly spiced with a blend of paprika, brown sugar, and aromatic herbs, these wings bake to golden perfection, offering a delicious mix of smokiness and subtle heat. Ideal for gatherings or a satisfying meal, they’re best enjoyed fresh from the oven, garnished with fresh herbs for an extra burst of freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Wings
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb chicken wings, cut up (wingettes & drumettes)
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely minced
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander/cilantro, parsley, or sliced green onion (optional, for sprinkling)
Homemade Creole Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (tightly packed)
- 2 1/2 tsp paprika (regular/sweet)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced) and line a large baking tray with foil followed by baking paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Prepare seasonings: In a small bowl, mix the unsalted butter with crushed garlic cloves. In another small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the Creole seasoning thoroughly.
- Season the wings: Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle half of the Creole seasoning over them. Toss well with your hands to coat evenly. Add the remaining seasoning and toss again to ensure every wing is coated. Pour the garlic butter over the wings and toss once more to distribute the flavors evenly.
- Arrange wings on tray: Lay out the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the prepared baking tray, making sure to leave space between them to avoid crowding, which helps the juices caramelize and keeps the wings crispy.
- Bake and baste wings: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 45–50 minutes. At 30 minutes and 40 minutes into baking, baste the wings with the tray juices to keep them moist and flavorful. Continue baking until golden and cooked through.
- Final basting and serve: Remove the wings from the oven, baste generously with all the remaining juices in the tray, then transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with your choice of fresh herbs or green onions if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Serves 4 as a meal, or 8 to 10 as a snack.
- Chicken wings can be whole (Z shape) or cut into drumettes and wingettes; use about 1.5 kg / 3 lb if whole wings are used.
- Other chicken cuts: Chicken ribs (1 kg / 2 lb) require shorter baking time (40 minutes), basting at 25 and 35 minutes. Bone-in thighs or drumsticks can be used following the same recipe and quantities stated.
- Vegetarian alternative: Use cauliflower tossed in olive oil, garlic, and Creole seasoning, then roast similarly.
- Spice substitutes: Use 1 tsp table salt or 2 tsp sea salt flakes instead of kosher salt; smoked paprika or hot paprika can adjust flavor and heat level; cayenne can be omitted or replaced with chili powder or chipotle powder.
- Avoid overcrowding the tray to prevent watery juices that won’t caramelize; if juices are watery, remove wings and reduce juices in the oven before basting again.
- Leftovers keep 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months frozen; reheat best in the microwave to maintain moisture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: New Orleans / Cajun
Keywords: New Orleans chicken wings, Creole seasoning, baked chicken wings, homemade wings, spicy wings, Cajun chicken
