Who wants crispy oven baked wings with a mouthwatering spicy dry rub? Then this Cajun Chicken Wings Recipe is for you!
I love chicken wings so much, I honestly believe they should be their own food group. And I am ever so grateful that most chicken wing recipes are keto-friendly. As long as they aren’t breaded or drenched in sugary sauces, they are a great low carb option.
One of my favorites are the Louisiana Hot Rub Wings from Wingstop. That spicy Cajun-style dry rub is fantastic paired with crispy wings. But since many chains use unhealthy oils to fry their wings, I decided I needed to make my own at home.
And these delicious Cajun Wings are the result. Succulent and juicy, with just the right amount of spice, they are a fabulous homemade copycat recipe.
Why you need to try this recipe
Deep fried wings are amazing and delicious… and a whole lot of work to make at home! And your house will smell like fried food for days, should you attempt it.
Many people think oven-baked wings can’t compare and I used to think the same thing, until I discovered the baking powder trick. It is a total game changer! I first used it on my Brown Butter Old Bay Wings, and I was instantly hooked.
And adding in some melted butter and some homemade Cajun seasoning makes them extra delicious. Crispy, flavorful, and a little spicy!
Ingredients you need
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- Chicken wings: I made 3 pounds of wings for this recipe, but you could easily do more or less, depending on what you need. I recommend smaller wings as they cook more quickly and crisp up better. And I really like the pasture-raised wings from Wild Pastures.
- Cajun seasoning: You can use store-bought or you can make your own. I provide a recipe below that I also use in my Keto Jambalaya. My recommendation for store-bought is definitely Slap Yo Mama!
- Baking powder: This is the secret to crispy oven-baked wings, and trust me it works! But make sure to get aluminum free baking powder, as the kind with aluminum can leave a metallic taste on your wings. And make sure you are using baking POWDER, and not baking SODA.
- Butter: A little melted butter helps the spice mix stick to the wings.
Step by step directions
1. Coat with baking powder: Place half of the wings in a heavy duty ziploc back and sprinkle with half of the baking powder. Shake vigorously to coat, then place the wings on the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining wings and the remaining baking powder.
2. Bake at low temp: Bake 30 at 250ºF minutes, until the wings feel dry and crisp. This first baking phase helps render the fat and crisp up the skin.
3. Toss with seasoning: Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl. Toss with the melted butter and about three quarters of the Cajun seasoning.
4. Bake again: Increase the oven heat to 425ºF. Place back on the rack, skin side down. Bake 15 minutes. Flip the wings over so they are skin-side up and sprinkle with the remaining Cajun seasoning. Bake another 10 minutes, then turn off the oven and let them stay inside until crisp to your liking.
Expert tips
Be sure to pat the wings very dry before tossing them with baking powder. Any amount of surface moisture will prevent the skin from crisping up properly.
Keep the salt to a minimum until you taste your wings. Baking powder is salty (being mostly sodium bicarbonate), and Cajun seasoning has salt as well. If you are using my homemade Cajun seasoning and you are sensitive to salt, leave it out entirely. Then you can add it to taste after they are cooked.
Air-fryer method: The baking powder trick is one of the best ways to get truly crispy oven-baked wings. However, you can also get really crispy, delicious wings in an air fryer. Simply toss the wings with the butter and seasoning, and air fry for 20 to 25 minutes. You can follow the same instructions I use for my Pickle Brined Chicken Wings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe for Cajun chicken wings is keto-friendly. The recipe serves 8 people, and each serving has only 1g of net carbs. The carbs come from the seasoning mix, which is just made up of spices and herbs.
Baking powder really does make oven-baked wings extra crispy. It is an alkaline mixture, which helps break down the proteins in the skin as it cooks. It also forms carbon dioxide, creating tiny bubbles in the skin similar to the bubbles that form during deep-frying.
These Crispy Cajun Wings are baked twice. First at 250ºF for 30 minutes to render some of the fat, and then again at 425ºF for another 25 minutes to brown and cook through. The total baking time is 55 minutes.
Related recipes
Cajun Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
Wings
- 3 lb chicken wings, patted very dry
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250ºF and place a baking rack above a large baking sheet. Lightly grease the rack.
- Place half of the wings in a heavy duty ziploc back and sprinkle with half of the baking powder. Shake vigorously to coat, then place the wings on the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining wings and the remaining baking powder.
- Bake 30 minutes, until the wings feel dry and crisp to the touch. Remove the wings and increase the heat to 425ºF.
- Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl. Toss with the melted butter and about three quarters of the Cajun seasoning. Place back on the rack, skin side down. Bake 15 minutes.
- Flip the wings over so they are skin-side up and sprinkle with the remaining Cajun seasoning. Bake another 10 minutes, then turn off the oven and let them stay inside until crisp to your liking.
Notes
Nutrition
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How much store bought seasoning should we be using?
I made these tonight and they were delicious thank you Carolyn.
Glad to hear it!
Did you did you use baking soda or baking powder? In the recipe it says to use baking powder but then it says it’s salty because it’s sodium bicarbonate… which is baking soda! Now I don’t know which one to use.
Leah, if you’re not aware, baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate too. Plus an acid and a starch to keep it from reacting until you add liquid.