You can’t beat these crispy Keto Chicken Wings dripping with luscious garlic parmesan sauce. They are the ultimate low carb Game Day finger food!
Have I ever mentioned that chicken wings are my favorite food group? Yes, I really do think these unassuming little chicken parts deserve their own food group. I consider them to be a very important part of my low carb diet.
And these Garlic Parmesan Wings are seriously addictive. They have a crispy, golden brown exterior and succulent meat. The buttery, garlicky sauce certainly doesn’t hurt either!
My whole family loves these keto chicken wings. We find ourselves jostling and fighting for that last one on the tray. Even when I make a double batch!
Can’t get enough of that garlic parmesan combo? Check out my Keto Garlic Parmesan Knots made with fathead dough, and my Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts for more.
Easy crispy wings at home
Want to know how to make crispy keto chicken wings in your oven? This little tip blew my mind when I first learned about it. But it really does get the skin nice and crispy without the trouble of deep frying.
And it uses a common ingredient that you likely have in your pantry right now: Baking powder.
I first discovered this little trick from Recipe Tin Eats. I found it hard to believe that adding a little baking powder would result in such delectable wings. But it does, it really does!
And I’ve since used this same trick for other recipes such as Buffalo Drumsticks and Cajun Wings. I even used it to crisp up the skin for some Keto Fried Chicken.
Reader Testimonials
“Hello heaven! These wings are unreal – bursting with flavor, and crazy easy! I have a new go-to game day recipe!” — Courtney
“Made these tonight for “living room tailgating” and they were perfect!! Served them with a Bleu cheese/ranch dressing and that really went well with the garlic Parmesan!” — Naomi
“THESE WINGS ARE SOOOOOO GOOD!! THESE WINGS ARE AMAZING!! Follow the directions – you won’t be disappointed! I NEVER leave feedback, but man, you gotta make these wings!” — Mary
Ingredients you need
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- Chicken wings: You can use fresh or frozen wings. If using frozen, make sure to thaw them completely. Pat the wings VERY dry before adding the baking powder and seasonings.
- Baking powder: This is the secret ingredient to crispy keto chicken wings. Use aluminum free baking powder, as some people notice a bitter taste with brands that contain it. Don’t use baking soda as it will taste very strong and unpleasant.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. I tend to use salted for savory recipes like this.
- Garlic: Either press or mince the garlic finely. You want small pieces to get good coverage over the wings.
- Parmesan: I like to use the very finely, somewhat powdery, grated Parmesan that comes in a tub in the cheese section, because it sticks to the wings a little better. But you can also use freshly grated Parmesan. Note that I am not referring to the junky Kraft variety that comes in a green can, as that often contains fillers and anti-caking agents.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh parsley adds better flavor and color, but if you only have dried, you can use that too. Use only 1 ½ teaspoons of dried parsley.
- Seasonings: Paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Step-by-step directions
1. Coat with baking powder: Place half of the wings in a heavy duty ziploc bag and sprinkle with half of the baking powder. Shake vigorously to coat, then place the wings a greased baking. Repeat with the remaining wings and the remaining baking powder.
2. Add seasoning: In a spice jar, combine the paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle lightly over the wings on both sides.
3. Bake at low temp: Bake 30 minutes at 250ºF minutes, until the wings feel dry and crisp. This first baking phase helps render the fat and crisp up the skin.
4. Bake again: Increase the oven heat to 425ºF. Place the wings back on the rack, skin side down. Bake 15 minutes, then flip over once more and bake another 10 minutes.
5. Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a microwaveable safe bowl or in a saucepan. Whisk in the garlic and parsley. Pour the sauce over the chicken wings and then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Toss well to coat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Expert tips
This is honestly the best method for oven-baked wings out there. The baking powder does add a fair amount of saltiness, as does the Parmesan, so use a light hand with the salt until you know how they taste.
You can also prepare these garlic parmesan wings in an air fryer. You don’t need the baking powder to crisp them up, but many readers still use it to make the wings extra crispy.
Air Fryer Method: Place the wings skin side down on the air fryer rack and cook at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook again for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the skin is crispy. I use the air fryer for my pickle brined wings.
Store any leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. You can re-heat them in a warm oven, although they will never be quite as crispy as when they are freshly cooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
While chicken wings on their own are keto-friendly, you will want to steer clear of
wings that have a thick breading or are served with sugar-laden sauces. These keto garlic parmesan wings are super crispy and have only 1.3g net carbs per serving so they’re a great choice.
Look for wings that are coated in naturally sugar-free seasonings and sauce. Classic Buffalo sauce is usually sugar-free, as is garlic parmesan and lemon pepper. Cilantro lime is another good option. And you can always use my sugar-free BBQ sauce if you’re craving sweet wings!
Baking powder is slightly alkaline and it raises the pH levels on the chicken’s skin. This breaks the proteins down more easily giving you the crispy brown skin we crave. It also reacts with the natural juices in the wings to form carbon dioxide. This creates small bubbles in the skin which also helps create a crunchy texture.
What to serve with keto chicken wings
Enjoy these delicious buttery wings as is or serve with one of these delicious sauces:
- Chunky Feta Dressing
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- Sugar Free Carolina BBQ Sauce
- Keto BBQ Sauce
- Sugar Free Honey Mustard
Garlic Parmesan Wings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings
- 1 ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250ºF and place a baking rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the rack with oil to prevent sticking.
- 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.
- In a spice jar, combine the paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle lightly over the wings on both sides.
- Bake 30 minutes, until the wings feel dry and crisp to the touch. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 425ºF. Flip the wings so that they are skin side-down and bake 15 minutes. Then flip them over once more to be skin side up and bake another 10 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a microwaveable safe bowl or in a saucepan. Whisk in the garlic and parsley.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken wings and then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Toss well to coat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Karisse says
How would you change the cooking time and temp for using drumsticks? It’s what we have. :/
Carolyn says
You are in luck! I have a drumstick recipe that uses the same method. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/baked-buffalo-chicken/
Sandra D says
Thanks for adding an air fryer cooking option, Carolyn! I’m excited to try these wings, they sound delicious 🙂
Carol says
These are delicious! My husband and teenage son love them!
Kathy Murphy Crow says
Best wings ever
Adam Findley says
What’s the serving size?
Carolyn says
Depends entirely on how big your wings are. Best thing to do is weigh the batch after cooking and divide by 8. Or count the number of wings and divide by 8.
Merja says
These wings are so good! Made them in air fryer. Easy and fast! Will make these often!!
Joni says
I’m going to make this into chicken burgers. Putting the ingredients in the burger except the coating. Then cover in pork rinds to crisp.
Dani says
Thank you for the recipe! My friends and family loved it! I couldn’t find grated parmesan, so I ended up getting the shredded parmesan and just put it in the food processor to make it smaller! Thank you again!
Janene Bea says
These wings were beyond delicious, everything about this recipe was perfection!!!
Nancy says
Excellent recipe. We really enjoyed it! Great flavor. No other dip or sauce needed. Just wish we could have found meatier wings.
Suzanne says
No need to eat out when you have a recipe like this! I followed the recipe exactly as written and this has so much flavor. Easy to make and staying right on plan!
Carolyn says
Yay!
Savage Chris says
Do you start w frozen work defrosted wings? They look amazing!
Carolyn says
I used raw wings. If yours are frozen, please thaw them first.
Dads3hs says
I would like to adapt this recipe for boneless skinless chicken wings. What temperature would I cook them and would I cook them twice like you would for wings? I think the dressing sauce would be great with the chicken thighs. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Sorry, I don’t really know. I don’t make boneless wings.