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    Home / Recipes / Keto Appetizers

    Crispy Dry Rub Chicken Wings Recipe

    By Lisa MarcAurele on May 6, 2020 92 Comments - This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure

    43200 shares
    5-Ingredient Recipes Simple Keto Meals Jump to Recipe
    dry rub chicken wings pinterest image
    dry rub wings
    Dairy-FreeNut-FreeEgg-FreeKid FriendlyPaleo

    These simple dry rub chicken wings are oven-baked to crispy perfection and flavored with an easy blend of spices. They pack in all the spicy taste without any messy sauce!

    crispy dry rub chicken wings recipe pintrest image
    Jump to:
    • 💛 Why you'll love it
    • 🔪 Directions
    • 📒 Air fryer option
    • 💭 Tips
    • 📚 Related recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of trying out new keto wing recipes. I just love experimenting with different seasonings and spices.

    This time, I went with something a little different. My usual sauces are delicious, but they can also be messy.

    These low carb dry rub wings are the perfect alternative. They’re crispy, super flavorful, and so easy to make!

    All you have to do is apply the dry rub and bake. You’ll be amazed how simple this recipe is.

    Whenever I make these chicken wings for my family or friends, they are always a huge hit. Everyone loves them! They’re the perfect easy dish to make for a quick appetizer or a game day party.

    Platter of dry rub chicken wings

    💛 Why you'll love it

    This recipe is different from my other wing recipes because it doesn’t use a sauce.

    Instead, you’ll make a dry rub for chicken wings by mixing together common spices. This mix is then rubbed into the skin, which is where the name comes from.

    This gives you a perfectly crispy and flavorful batch of wings!

    I like to use a regular baking rack to lift the chicken pieces off the pan. This allows them to really crisp up in the oven. Putting them directly on a pan can cause sticking as well as some softness.

    I also turn on the broiler for the last 10 minutes of baking to really help them get crispy!

    🔪 Directions

    Making chicken wings with a dry rub is so easy. There’s no sauce to make, so all you have to do is prep and put them in the oven.

    We’ll start by getting the wings ready:

    1. Dry the wings with paper towels to remove excess liquid, then place them into a large bowl.
    2. Coat the wings with olive oil, taking your time to rub it into the skin of each one.
    3. Combine all of the seasonings in a wide shallow bowl.
    4. Sprinkle half of the season mix onto the chicken wings, then rub the spices into the skin of each one. 
    5. Flip the wings, sprinkle with the remaining half of the spice mix and rub into the skin.
    step by step recipe photos

    Next, all you have to do is bake the wings until crispy:

    1. Line a shallow baking pan with tin foil (for easy cleanup later), then place a baking rack on top.
    2. Transfer the seasoned wings to the baking rack.
    3. Bake the wings in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. Flip each wing, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
    4. Turn the oven broiler on low and broil for 10 minutes.
    5. Remove the wings from the oven. 

    Your wings are ready to enjoy! Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing if desired.

    finished dish on platter

    📒 Air fryer option

    This dry rub wings recipe also works with an air fryer!

    Follow the preparation steps of drying the wings and rubbing them with olive oil followed by the spice mix.

    Then, follow these simple steps:

    1. Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
    2. Cook at 360°F for 25 minutes.
    3. Flip the wings over.
    4. Increase the temperature to 400°F, and cook for 4 more minutes.

    That’s it!

    💭 Tips

    You'll find tips for the perfect seasoning and flavor below!

    Getting the rub stay on wings

    There are two very important steps to making sure the rub stays on your wings.

    The first is using paper towels to dry the wings before rubbing them with olive oil. If there is too much moisture in the skin, they won’t absorb the olive oil. And the oil is what makes the dry rub stick.

    Second, make sure you massage both the oil and the rub into the skin of the wings. If you just sprinkle it on, a lot will fall off when you transfer the wings to the baking rack.

    serving of wings on plate

    Amount of rub to use

    I recommend using as much of the dry rub as you can. Since we aren’t using a sauce, all of the flavor comes from the chicken wings dry rub.

    If you have spice mix leftover after you’ve rubbed as much as you can into the wings, that’s okay. Just be sure each one has been generously seasoned.

    Other flavors

    You can do so much with different flavors! Some of my favorite versions are teriyaki wings, salt and vinegar wings, and air fryer buffalo wings. 

    📚 Related recipes

    Looking for more easy keto appetizers? Check out a few of these other delicious bites:

    • Keto Sausage Balls are dairy free, gluten free, and low carb for an appetizer that anyone can enjoy!
    • Taco Salad Dip made with ground beef makes a delicious dip and can be served with low carb tortilla chips.
    • Keto Bacon Wrapped Chicken are super juicy and flavorful for irresistible finger food!
    • Low Carb Spinach Dip is a delicious hot appetizer that’s always a hit with any crowd.
    • Cauliflower Bread Sticks are easy to make for a cheesy finger food to serve at parties or to whip up for a satisfying snack!

    ★ FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, AND INSTAGRAM FOR MORE EASY KETO RECIPES.

    📖 Recipe

    Platter of dry rub chicken wings

    Dry Rub Chicken Wings (Oven or Air Fryer)

    Author: Lisa MarcAurele
    4.59 from 51 votes
    Tired of wings drenched it hot sauce? This recipe for dry rub wings uses a spicy blend of seasonings which can be made as hot as you like.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Print Pin Review Recipe Save Recipe View Collections Save Recipe
    Servings 7 people
    Calories 186

    Video

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds chicken wings about 20 wingettes & drumettes
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
    • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper more for hotter wings
    • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Dry wing pieces with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
    • Place wings in a large bowl and rub olive oil evenly into each piece.
    • Combine all seasonings in a bowl.
    • Sprinkle half of the season mix onto the chicken wings and rub in. Flip wings and sprinkle remaining half onto wings and rub in.
    • Place rack over shallow baking pan with sides (line pan with foil for easy cleanup). Place seasoned wings on rack.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, flip each wing, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
    • Turn oven broiler on low and broil for another 10 minutes.
    • Remove from oven. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing if desired.

    Notes

    For crispier wings, the chicken wings can be steamed for about 30 minutes then cooled and dried in the fridge before using. Steaming renders off some of the fat which will result in crispier wings.
    To air fry, place the wings in a single layer then cook 25 minutes at 360°F. Flip each piece, then cook 4 more minutes at 400°F.
    Greasing the rack with oil is recommended if not using a non-stick one.
    Ground chipotle pepper powder can be used for some of the chili powder. For milder wings, use less cayenne. To spice it up, add in more cayenne.

    Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

    low carb yum simple keto cookbook

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3pieces | Calories: 186 | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 570mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 1055IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.4mg

    Additional Info

    Net Carbs: 1 g | % Carbs: 2.3 % | % Protein: 30.1 % | % Fat: 67.6 % | SmartPoints: 5
    Values
    Array
    (
        [serving_size] => 3
        [calories] => 186
        [carbohydrates] => 2
        [protein] => 13
        [fat] => 13
        [saturated_fat] => 3
        [cholesterol] => 53
        [sodium] => 570
        [potassium] => 181
        [fiber] => 1
        [sugar] => 0
        [vitamin_a] => 1055
        [vitamin_c] => 0.7
        [calcium] => 22
        [iron] => 1.4
        [serving_unit] => pieces
    )
    

    Note on Nutritional Information

    Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

    © LowCarbYum.com
    Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
    Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.

    Originally Published: January 16, 2015... Last Published: May 6, 2020

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    Lisa-Profile

    Lisa MarcAurele has been creating keto friendly recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!

    Lisa's recipes have been featured on popular magazine sites including Fitness, Shape, Country Living, Women's Health, and Men's Health. Her long-awaited cookbook, 5-Ingredient Keto, is also a popular go-to for those on a low-carb lifestyle. Learn more about Lisa....

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      « Previous 1 2 3
    1. Phillip Smith

      February 20, 2022 at 5:00 am

      How is it possible to evenly rub 1 tablespoon of oil on 20 wings?

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        February 22, 2022 at 7:26 am

        If you watch the video, you'll see how it's done. It may not be perfectly even, but I toss them around in the oil and rub with my hands.

        Reply
        • Michael

          April 01, 2022 at 6:12 pm

          I see no video link

        • Lisa MarcAurele

          April 02, 2022 at 8:09 pm

          If you jump to recipe, the video is above the ingredients.

    2. CleaRing

      January 21, 2022 at 10:02 pm

      I was wondering if it`s better to marinate the meat for some amount of time before cooking, and if you have a recommendations.

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        January 22, 2022 at 4:10 pm

        You shouldn't need to marinate the wings before cooking. There is plenty of flavor from the dry rub.

        Reply
    3. Toni Baumgardner

      January 09, 2022 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      These wings were absolutely Outstanding!!! I had to make 2 batches because my son ate the entire 1st batch (30 wings). Very easy to make and great flavor.

      Reply
    4. Gayle Hebert

      December 31, 2021 at 5:29 pm

      Hiya! Love the sound of this rub but I only eat breasts. Can I use this rub on them and how long would I cook them? Thanks in advance for a reply.

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        January 01, 2022 at 9:50 am

        You can use the rub on breast meat too. Cooking time will vary based on size and whether you are using skinned and boned or skinless deboned. But generally, the time will be about the same or a little longer.

        Reply
    5. Vanessa

      March 16, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      This dry rub is AMAZING. I cook my wings a little differently but the rub was perfection. Thank you!

      Reply
    6. DiNah

      December 09, 2020 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Just consumed a bunch of delicious wings! I was looking for a recipe that wasn't deep fried or had sweetener, this hit all those points, plus very tasty. I did what QQ suggested, 250 for 15 mins, 450 for 12 mins, turned them once halfway through, then broiled for 8, turning them over once halfway through. For the next batch I think I will shorten the broiling a bit because they got a little charred. The wings were crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, perfect.

      Reply
    7. QQ

      July 25, 2020 at 5:20 pm

      The best receipe for chicken wings - easy, fast and good taste. The spice mix was spot on and well balanced except I up the salt a bit. Instead of steaming, I first baked them @250 for 15 mins to reduce the moisture, followed by @450 for 12 mins and finished by @500 broiled for 8 mins. They are crispy outside and very moist inside. Perfect for a quick meal! The other method I like is to pan fry the spice until fragrant before applying to the wings or drumsticks and marinate for a few hours before oven bake when I have time.

      Reply
    8. Christine Doxsee

      July 03, 2020 at 10:10 am

      Can heavy whipping cream be substituted fo unsweetened almond milk

      Reply
      • Lisa MarcAurele

        July 03, 2020 at 2:47 pm

        Are you asking for another recipe? There's no almond milk in this recipe. But generally, you can use heavy cream or cream diluted with water instead.

        Reply
    « Previous 1 2 3

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