Salt and pepper are the foundation of all good things. In Chinese cooking, the “pepper” is usually white pepper, rather than your standard black pepper. These simple, perfectly crispy Baked White Pepper Chicken Wings let both flavors really shine.
Add a beer, or maybe a big scoop of white rice, and you’ll be wondering how these simple baked chicken wings can be so tasty.
What does white pepper taste like?
While freshly ground black pepper has a certain floral, pungent aroma, white pepper has an earthy, more uniformly hot/spicy character that gets right to the back of the throat.
I think white pepper’s heat gives it an edge relative to black pepper. Greater quantities of white pepper = spicier, whereas greater quantities of black pepper = simply more “seasoned,” if that makes sense.
For example, if you’ve ever made our Hot and Sour Soup, you may have been surprised to realize that the “hot” flavor comes from white pepper rather than chilies!
How to Bake Crispy Chicken Wings In The Oven
Anyone who’s ever bitten into freshly fried Salt and Pepper Pork Chops or Salt and Pepper Squid knows that white pepper adds a great spicy kick to fried dishes!
While I love fried foods as much as the next animal brain, the mess of frying and unpredictable oil temperatures can sometimes be too much for this food blogger.
However, attempting “baked” equivalents of fried foods can feel like rolling the dice on non-crispy results.
Not to worry, though! We did some careful experimenting in the kitchen—I’m talking side-by-side, single wing comparisons with carefully controlled variables—to create the right formula for perfectly crispy baked chicken wings:
- Seasoning: It’s important to marinate the wings in advance for at least 20 minutes and then dredge them in a seasoned coating. Note, if you’d like your wings less spicy, you can reduce the amount of white pepper. I’ve provided a range in the recipe.
- Temperature: The oven should be HOT. 475 degrees F/245 degrees C does the trick.
- Coating: A mixture of flour and cornstarch makes for a great crisp coating. The cornstarch lends crispness, and the flour lends heft. Tossing the wings in the marinade bowl allows the flour to cling to them with the help of the liquid pooling in the bowl.
- Brushing: Brushing the wings with a light coating of oil helps get the crisping process started.
- Baking: Parchment paper on the baking sheet prevents the wings from burning and cooking unevenly! Flipping them halfway through also makes sure they have a chance to sizzle and crisp on the baking sheet.
Baked White Pepper Chicken Wings: Recipe Instructions
In a large bowl, marinate the chicken wings with ½ – 1 tablespoon white pepper, 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder (if using), and 2 teaspoons oil for at least 20 minutes or up to a day in advance.
Next, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F/245 degrees C. Combine ½ cup flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ – 1 tablespoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder (if using).
Toss the chicken wings in the flour mixture, adding a few handfuls to the marinade bowl until the wings are thoroughly coated. Using the same bowl as the one the wings marinated in is key, as the accumulated liquid in the bowl helps the flour coat them. You may not need all the flour, so add it a handful at a time.
Space the chicken wings evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the wings lightly with oil.
Bake the chicken wings for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, and cooking until they’re crisp and golden. These would also be great in an air fryer!
Season with salt to taste before serving, if desired.
Baked White Pepper Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds whole chicken wings (about 14 wings)
- 1-2 tablespoons white pepper powder (divided)
- 2 teaspoons salt (divided)
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (plus more for brushing)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, marinate the chicken wings with ½ - 1 tablespoon white pepper, 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder (if using), and 2 teaspoons oil for at least 20 minutes or up to a day in advance.
- Next, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F/245 degrees C. Combine ½ cup flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ - 1 tablespoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder (if using).
- Toss the chicken wings in the flour mixture, adding a few handfuls to the marinade bowl until the wings are thoroughly coated. Using the same bowl as the one the wings marinated in is key, as the accumulated liquid in the bowl helps the flour coat them. You may not need all the flour, so add it a handful at a time.
- Space the chicken wings evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the wings lightly with oil.
- Bake the chicken wings for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, and cooking until they’re crisp and golden. These would also be great in an air fryer! Season with salt to taste before serving, if desired.
Lee says
This is my go to site whenever I need an inspiration as to what to make. This is a great recipe ! I tried it in an air fryer and the oven method and they both came out great!
I’m making it again today but with drumstick instead. We’ll see how that goes. Thank you very much for all your fantastic recipes !
Judy says
Yayyyyy! So glad you enjoyed it.
Gretchen says
Made these New Years Eve. Easy, crispy and delicious. Made it again last night with some thighs. I chopped the thighs into smaller pieces. It was awesome.
Judy says
Awesome!
Cindy Perilli says
Just made these through three cooking method. Oven, toaster oven, and air fryer.
Winning method: air fryer at 380 degree Fahrenheit for 25 minutes then 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes.
Wish I could share a pic here. The air fryer produced chicken that looked just like it was deep fried and much crunchier.
As for the oven method – put the non flat side down first because if you don’t and when you have to flip them you may rip some of the skin off and it won’t be pretty anymore.
The chicken was very good! I used 4.5 lbs of chicken wings and the amount of ingredients is still good for that.
Kaitlin says
Thank you, Cindy! This is great intel. We may have to pick ourselves up an air fryer in the post-Christmas sales. Happy new year!
Jeff Goldner says
We do love our chicken wings and this is another keeper. My wife made these for our (Jewish) Christmas party last night. So good. We ran a bit low on the white pepper – and corn starch – so we used more Sichuan pepper (and nearly ran out of that too!). And we were using a gluten-free flour mix which happened to have corn starch in it anyway. So not so much substitutions as making do with what we had.
Off to the Asian market today to restock on essentials :)
Jeff Goldner says
One more thing – we did not use parchment paper. At 475, it’s a bit hot for paper (Fahrenheit 451, right?). Used non-stick foil instead. I might make a small batch in the air fryer next time but you can bet the leftovers will get reheated in that.
Kaitlin says
Wonderful! Great to know that it worked well with gluten-free flour too! Sounds like it was a real party.
As for the parchment paper, I actually found that the foil made the wings more likely to burn unevenly. The parchment paper absorbs some of the grease and keeps the wings golden instead of charred at the points of contact! Good luck with the next batch :)
Belinda says
Wow, utterly delicious with stemed rice. A great treat for xmas lunch.
I have forwarded the recipe to my extended family all over the world.
Kaitlin says
Thank you so much, Belinda! Couldn’t agree more with the rice, these wings are dangerous for new year’s low-carb resolutions! hehe
Amaya says
Just tried it for tonight’s dinner on the air fryer (200’C is best, to bring out that ‘deep-fried’ look) and it is amazing!
I think I didn’t coat it very well but all the more reason to give it another go :D
Kaitlin says
Hi Amaya, thank you for the air fryer intel! Next time’s the charm, I can feel it ;)
Mjr says
These came out very tasty. I was on little bit skeptical going in, but they worked. He did set off my apartment fire alarm a couple times because the high heat you cook at generates a lot of smoke. I wonder what these would be like with a bit of space is like nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Kaitlin says
So glad you liked it! Sorry about the fire alarms! Hahah, let us know how your experimenting turns out with spices and brown sugar!
Bob Reid says
Wow! I just made these and I couldn’t believe how crisp they were. If I had been served these I would swear they were deep fried. I used cut wings and it worked great. I didn’t find the Sichuan too prominent so I may play with that. But again, wow, you really hit it out of the park with this one!
Bob Reid says
Sorry, I forgot to rate the recipe.
Kaitlin says
Thank you so much, Bob! :)