This easy chicken recipe of zesty baked Italian style chicken wings is simple, healthy and delicious. Mediterranean flavors made with a garlicky Italian dressing of fresh Italian herbs. Bake in the oven or use air fryer option for crispier wings.
These zesty baked Italian chicken wings are perfect for any occasion, whether you're hosting a game day party or simply craving a flavorful snack. With a perfect balance of tangy and savory flavors, these wings are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Plus, they're easy to customize with your favorite dipping sauces like avocado basil pesto or serve alongside a refreshing salad like this kale mango salad for a complete meal.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Versatile: perfect for lunch, dinner, side dish, game-day finger food, picnic or backyard bbq. An easy party food for game day, family and friends. Can also be made in an air fryer in 16 minutes for super crispy wings!
- Baked not fried: oven baked chicken that's not fried. A delicious recipe with light and zesty flavors you can feel good about.
- Finger food: the perfect finger food when watching the big game, with garlicky Mediterranean flavors.
- Easy: just toss in an Italian dressing and bake. No marinating required.
You can serve these crispy oven baked chicken wings on a bed of rice or alongside my Crunch Cabbage Salad, Kale Mango Salad or my Maple Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower. If you love chicken wings then you'll love my Sticky Baked Sesame Chicken Wings.
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make Zesty Italian Chicken Wings:
Ingredient Notes:
- Fresh garlic: adds a pungent depth to the Italian dressing.
- Fresh herbs: I use a mix of oregano, rosemary and cilantro but you can also substitute with basil, thyme or parsley.
- Crushed red peppers flakes: adds some zesty heat. Add more or less depending on your taste.
- White wine vinegar: is used in many Italian dressings and gives a tangy pop.
- Chicken wings: they're often sold as drumettes and wingettes, which work well for sharing because it will double your quantity of wings.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap fresh garlic for garlic powder or onion powder.
- Any hot sauce or your favorite sauces can be substituted for the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce will work well in place of the white wine vinegar. Fresh lemon juice can also be swapped in.
- Whole chicken wings can be substituted for the drummettes and wingettes. You'll get 4-5 whole wings in a pound and about 8-10 drummette and wingettes in a pound (about half a kilo).
- No fresh herbs on hand? Use Italian seasoning, or a blend of dried Italian herbs instead. For ¼ cup of fresh herbs, substitute a total of 1 tablespoon of dried herbs.
How to Make Zesty Italian Wings
Step 1: Thoroughly pat wings dry with paper towel.
Step 2: Make Italian dressing by mixing olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, crushed red peppers, white wine vinegar, sea salt and pepper.
Step 3: Toss wings with Italian dressing.
Step 4: With tongs, place wings on prepared pan in a single layer. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown with crispy edges.
Step 5: Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the dipping sauce by combining the extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh herbs and crushed red pepper flakes.
Step 6: To serve, either toss wings in dipping sauce or serve wings on a platter with a side dish of dipping sauce. You may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil to the side of dipping sauce.
Air fryer option - preheat air fryer to 400°F. In batches, place prepared wings in a single layer in air fryer basket and bake for 16 minutes, flipping wings half way through (8 minutes per side).
Grilling option: place prepared chicken wings on medium heat grill, and grill, flipping wings part way through, until the wings are crisp and the juice runs clear, about 25 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Italian dressing: make sure the wings are fully coated with the Italian dressing before baking. Marinate for an hour or overnight to deepen the flavors but they're also perfectly delicious if baked right away. Sprinkle the finished wings with parmesan cheese if you do dairy.
- Crispy wings: if you want crispy baked Italian chicken wings, set them under the broiler for a few minutes at the end of baking. Keep and eye on them though since they can burn easily!
- Dipping sauce: Toss them in the dipping sauce before serving to intensify the flavors, or add an extra tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil and serve the dipping sauce on the side.
Frequently asked questions
Baked chicken wings can last up to 2 hours at room temperature so they're perfect for picnic, party, or game-day get together. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, and frozen for up to 3 months.
You'll get 4-5 whole wings in a pound and about 8-10 drummette and wingettes in a pound (about half a kilo).
These zesty Italian chicken wings can easily be made in an air fryer. Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Place the dressed wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Bake for 16 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through. The wings will be golden brown with crispy edges.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Do not leave the baked wings at room temperature for longer than 2 hours before refrigerating or freezing.
- Freezer: store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For best results, store the raw marinated wings, thaw and bake as instructed.
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Recipe
Zesty Baked Italian Style Chicken Wings
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
Italian dressing for wings:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs (I use a mix of oregano, rosemary and cilantro)
- 2 teaspoons crushed red peppers flakes
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lb (900 grams) chicken wings (drumettes and wingettes)
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (an extra 2 tablespoons if using as a dipping sauce)
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs (I use a mix of oregano and cilantro)
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you like it extra zesty)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, crushed red peppers, white wine vinegar, sea salt and pepper. Thoroughly pat wings dry and add to mixture. Toss well to coat.
- With tongs, place wings on prepared pan in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown with crispy edges.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the sauce by combining the extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, crushed red pepper flakes.
- To serve, either toss wings in Italian sauce or serve wings on a platter with a side dish of dipping sauce.
Notes
- Air fryer option - preheat to 400°F. Place wings in air fryer basket in a single layer and bake 16 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Wings will be golden brown and crispy.
- Thoroughly pat wings dry with paper towels. This will help Italian herb dressing to stick to the wings.
Sage Scott
These were a delicious alternative to the super saucy BBQ style wings we usually make. A tasty twist!
Jacqui Wilson
Hi Sage, I'm so glad you enjoyed the wings!
Bob in Chagrin Falls,OH
Very tasty. Crispy wings without sticky sauce.
Jacqui Wilson
Hi Bob,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the wings. It's a favorite recipe at our house.