Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, made with chicken wings tossed in a mixture of garlic, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese, perfect for game day!

For more great recipes for the big game, check out these Cream Cheese Sausage Balls, Spinach Balls, and Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings are a family favorite in this house, with only a few steps and some simple ingredients! They’re crispy on the outside, with juicy and tender meat on the inside, and you don’t need to worry about deep frying. This will be one of your new favorite chicken wing recipes!

The garlic and parmesan go perfectly with the chicken meat, definitely making this a crowd favorite. This is also a great option for people who don’t love spicy food, just leave the cayenne pepper out. It’s the perfect party appetizer for game day!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chicken Wings. You want a mixture of chicken wingettes and drumettes. The chicken wing itself had three parts, you can discard the wing tips (or save them to make stock afterwards). 

You can also use frozen wings that have already been separated. Defrost in the refrigerator before cooking. 

Garlic Cloves. This is a garlic parmesan recipe, so we’re going to use 10 cloves of fresh garlic. These get pureed in the food processor, so the garlic is evenly dispersed on the wings. 

Balsamic Vinegar. The trick to really crispy chicken skin is to parboil the wings first. The balsamic vinegar adds some flavor and a nice dark color to the wings while boiling. 

Parmesan Cheese. This is the main flavor of the dish! You can also use Romano cheese. 

Gluten Free Breadcrumbs. Just regular plain gluten free breadcrumbs. We add a lot of seasoning later, so if you use the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs you can adjust those seasonings down later. 

Lemon Juice. This adds a nice fresh flavor and helps bring out some of the savory notes in the wings. 

Olive Oil. We are using olive oil to help puree the garlic, and thin out the breadcrumb mixture so it spreads evenly on the chicken wings. You can also use melted butter here instead. 

Salt. Adding salt to the water when boiling the chicken adds a lot of flavor. Remember that a lot of the salt is left behind in the water! 

Sugar. Adding just a touch of sugar helps balance the savory and spicy notes in the wings, without making them sweet. 

Herbs and Spices. We’re using a spice blend when boiling the wings, and again when adding the garlic parmesan breadcrumb mixture. You can adjust the kosher salt and black pepper to taste. 

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Wings

1. Add chicken wings to a large pot, along with the balsamic vinegar, herbs, and spices. Fill the pot up with water to above the wings, leaving some room from the water to the top of the pot to allow the wings to boil without spilling over. Stir everything together, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. 
2. Allow wings to simmer for about 15 minutes. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer chicken wings to a wire rack on top of a sheet pan. Let the chicken wings dry for 15 minutes while you prepare the garlic mixture and preheat the oven to 450°F. Gently pat them dry with a paper towel to speed this part up.
3. In a food processor, combine garlic cloves, olive oil, spices, basil, lemon juice and sugar. Turn the food processor on to combine all ingredients into a thin paste. In a large mixing bowl, add garlic paste and breadcrumbs, stirring together to combine. Add the wings to the mixing bowl and toss until evenly coated with the garlic breadcrumb mixture. Add 1/2 cup of parmesan and toss wings for a few more seconds.
4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the wings out in a single layer, leaving some room between each wing. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan over wings, coating evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, or until wings are golden brown and crispy, and fully cooked through. Top with chopped chives or fresh parsley before serving. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Game Day Recipes

• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Potato Skins
• Philly Cheesesteak Dip
• Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos
• Spicy Sausage Cream Cheese Dip

Storage

Refrigerate garlic parmesan wings in an airtight container for 3-4 days. 

Freeze leftover wings in an air tight container for 3-4 months. Reheat on a sheet pan in the oven for crispy wings. Keep in mind that they may not be as crispy as they originally were. 

Recipe Variations

• Add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make these garlic parmesan chicken wings spicy! Or serve with a bottle of hot sauce or buffalo wing sauce on the side for hot wings. 
• Serve these parmesan garlic wings with dipping sauces like Homemade Ranch Dressing, or Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing! Or whatever your favorite dipping sauce is. 
• You can add more or less garlic to suite your tastes. Or add another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and use 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. 
• If you want to make these garlic parmesan wings extra flavorful, drizzle with melted unsalted butter and some extra grated parmesan cheese right before serving. Use about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of butter. 

Cooking Tips

• Make sure to leave some room between the boiling water and the top of the pot, to avoid spilling the hot water, and to make it easier to get the chicken wings out later. 
• If you skip the boiling step and go straight to breading and cooking the chicken wings, you’ll have to increase the cooking time and decrease the cooking temperature. 
• This garlic parmesan wings recipe makes a big batch, using about 3 pounds chicken wings. You can cut it down if you’re not making party wings.
• Watch your cooking time carefully, as the breading on these wings can burn if they’re left in the oven for too long!

If you loved this garlic parmesan wings recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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