Crispy Cajun Wings

Perfectly crispy oven-baked wings with a buttery, spicy Cajun coating deliver deep flavor and satisfying crunch without the mess of deep frying.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: 4th of July, crispy, easy, father's day, game day, guilt free, labor day

Servings: people

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (without salt - recipe note #1)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt omit or adjust if using Cajun seasoning with salt added (recipe note #1)
3 pounds chicken wings drumettes and flats separated (look for 'party wings' at the grocery store)

Adjust oven racks so that one rack is in the upper-middle and one is in the lower-middle.
Preheat oven to 250 °F (121 °C).
Set an oven-safe wire rack into a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Spray wire rack generously with non-stick spray or brush with oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and salt.
Pat chicken drumettes and flats dry with paper towels. Add to bowl with cornstarch mixture and toss to coat evenly. Arrange in a single layer on rack in baking sheet. Bake on lower-middle rack for 30 minutes.
Move wings to upper middle rack and increase oven temperature to 425 °F (218 °C). Bake 35-40 minutes more until golden brown, rotating the sheet half way through. Leave oven on.

When wings have baked for ~35 minutes at 425 °F (218 °C), make the sauce. Add butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. When it melts and starts to sizzle, add 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and whisk, just until fragrant and foamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Remove from heat.

Remove crispy wings from oven transfer with tongs to a large bowl; pour Cajun butter sauce over and toss to coat evenly. Arrange wings on serving platter and garnish with parsley if desired. Serve hot.

I've found that Cajun seasoning blends vary a lot in saltiness. I usually start with 1 tablespoon, but if you're using a particularly salty blend, you might want to use less. Personally, I prefer using a salt-free Cajun blend – it gives me more control over the final flavor. I typically mix 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt-free seasoning with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Don't have a salt-free blend? No worries! I often make my own using spices I already have in my pantry. Here's a basic recipe: mix 2 tablespoons paprika (I like 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika and 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika), 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and oregano, 1 teaspoon each of black pepper and onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste). It's easy to adjust and customize to your liking. Play around with the proportions until you find your perfect blend!

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