The Ultimate Dry Rub For Crispy Chicken Wings
Looking to make a homemade dry rub for chicken wings that will knock everyone's socks off? It took me years of experimenting to come up with the absolute perfect combination of spices and seasonings that produce the best chicken wings ever.
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I don't know anyone who doesn't love some crispy chicken wings. They're perfect for a game day snack, and I like to smoke up a batch and serve alongside some smoked sausage as an appetizer at fmaily get-togethers. There are NEVER any leftover wings.
Why This Wing Rub Works
- It has the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and savory
- Baking powder is the secret ingredient that gives my wings that next-level crispiness
- This recipe works for all chicken wings: fried, baked, grilled, smoked, or air-fried
- No sauce required! I prefer my wings naked and that keeps the crisp intact. But you can easily toss these in your favorite sauce. Buffalo, BBQ, and Garlic Parmesan sauces all work well with is rub
Ingredients
My wing rub recipe uses simple pantry items you probably already have in your kitchen. The full measurements are in the recipe card below, and I've played with the ratios until I found the perfect balance of salt, sweet, and smoke. If you like your wings hot, just add extra chili powder and a little cayenne for that extra kick.
My Secret Ingredient To Perfectly Crispy Wings
There's one ingredient that surprises many people: aluminum-free baking powder.
Baking powder slightly raises the pH level of the chicken skin. That sounds kinda nerdy, but don't worry too much about the science. What it means to you is that it promotes browning of the skin, and it creates that crispy exterior that is so satisfying to bite into.
You can mix the baking powder in directly to your rub, or keep it separate and toss the wings with it before adding the seasoning.
How To Use Your Dry Rub
Before you rub your wings, take some paper towels and pat them completely dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispy wings and no one likes wings with rubbery skin. If you want to drizzle a small amount of cooking oil on the wings you can, but I find it unnecessary. Then just sprinle the rub generously on all sides of your your wings.
Pro-Tip - If you have time, pop them in the fridge on a wire rack over a baking sheet and let them chill uncovered for an hour. This will help dry out the skin even more, giving the wings a much crispier texture when cooked.
Once rubbed (and hopefully chilled) your ribs are ready for the grill, smoker, oven, or air-fryer.
If you try this dry rub for crispy chicken wings, please drop a comment below and let me know what you think!
