Crispy BBQ Chicken Wings with Ranch (Printable Version)
Crispy wings with smoky BBQ glaze and creamy homemade ranch—ideal for entertaining and game day celebrations.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joints, tips removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
→ BBQ Sauce
07 - 0.5 cup barbecue sauce, gluten-free
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
→ Ranch Dressing
10 - 0.5 cup mayonnaise
11 - 0.25 cup sour cream
12 - 2 tablespoons buttermilk
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
16 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
17 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
18 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
19 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
20 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Garnish and Serving
21 - Celery sticks
22 - Carrot sticks
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and place a wire rack on top.
02 - In a large bowl, toss chicken wings with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
04 - While wings bake, combine barbecue sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm and stir until smooth.
05 - Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, chives, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
06 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl and toss with warm BBQ sauce until well coated.
07 - Serve wings immediately with ranch dressing, celery sticks, and carrot sticks on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of baking the wings on a wire rack creates that perfect crispy exterior without deep frying, something I discovered after years of soggy-bottomed wings.
- The homemade ranch brings a cool, herby balance that store-bought versions just cant touch, and guests always ask for this recipe specifically.
02 -
- Overcrowding the baking sheet is a disaster I learned about the hard way, as steam gets trapped and youll end up with rubbery instead of crispy wings.
- Adding a tiny splash of lemon juice to the ranch dressing was an accidental discovery when I was out of white vinegar, and now I wouldnt make it any other way.
03 -
- If youre short on time, you can skip separating the wing sections and just score the joints deeply with a knife, which helps them cook more evenly while staying connected for easier handling.
- The real secret to perfect wings is letting them rest for 5 minutes after coating in sauce, which allows the glaze to set instead of sliding right off with the first bite.