The Best Paleo Chicken Wings

Once I told Joe that he could eat chicken wings while on our Whole30 Challenge he set off to make the best oven-baked paleo chicken wings. And I think he did it. These wings are crispy like fried wings but made in the oven.

Now I give you his recipe(s)

Crispy Oven Chicken Wings Technique

1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel
3. Toss wings in a mixture of equal parts salt and baking powder (1 tsp each is a good place to start) UPDATE: I now use 1 tsp salt: 2 tsp baking powder and toss wings using a gallon-sized ziplock bag.
4. Place wings on a baking sheet so that they are not touching each other.
5. Let sit uncovered in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
6. Preheat over to 450 degrees.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, turning wings, baking for 10 minutes, turning wings again, and baking for 5 minutes.
8. Dry excess grease from wings with paper towels and toss in prepared wing sauce.

Read more on the experiments leading up to this technique.

Classic Wing Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (mild) to 1/2 cup (medium) of Frank’s Original Red Hot
• 1/4 cup of Kerrygold unsalted grass-fed butter
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 2 tsp of lime juice

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat
2. Once butter is melted, mix in all other ingredients
3. Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until the wings are ready

Honey Garlic Ginger Soy Wing Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Kikkoman Ponzu citrus seasoned soy sauce – Note: Soy sauce usually contains wheat, so this one isn’t strictly paleo.
• 1/2 cup honey
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.
2. Allow to come to room temperature prior to use.

Jalapeno Lime Wing Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 red onion
• 2 celery sticks
• 2-3 jalapenos
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 4 small tomatoes*
• 1/4 cup tomato juice*
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• black pepper to taste
• *Note: 2 cups of strained tomatoes can be used in place of these ingredients.

Directions

1. Wash all vegetables, peel onion
2. Remove seeds from jalapenos, unless you want all the heat
3. Finely chop onion, celery, jalapenos in food processor
4. Transfer to blender
5. Add remaining ingredients and blend
6. Heat over low heat or allow to come to room temperature prior to use.
7. UPDATE: I’ve had the best results with this recipe when I cut 1/2 cup of this sauce with 1/4 cup of Kerrygold unsalted grass-fed butter using the same technique as the Classic Wing Sauce recipe.