These Garlic Parmesan Wings are a great alternative for people who don’t like the classic spicy Buffalo Sauce Chicken Wings. This Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce is really easy to make and coats the wings beautifully!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings - On a Platter and Held in Hand

Chicken wings are a MUST for me when I’m watching any kind of game or sports, and even though I like the classic Buffalo Wing Sauce for coating, inevitably there’s always someone at my house who can’t do spicy food.

So I’ll usually make these Garlic Parmesan wings as an option as well. Not to suggest that this variation is anything subpar.

I make chicken wings so often that I’ve naturally made numerous different kinds, including Honey Garlic Chicken Wings and Korean Chicken Wings, and they’re all satisfying in their own ways.

Why I Love This Recipe

Only 5 ingredients – All we need for the sauce is Parmesan, butter, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. It’s simple, but oh so good.

The sauce takes 5 minutes to make – You’re really just mixing the ingredients together, and keeping it in a bowl waiting to be tossed with your hot chicken, straight out of the oven or fryer. There’s no cooking needed.

Delicious flavor – I do like classic hot wings, but I honestly do really love the garlic parmesan flavor profile as well. It’s classic in its own way, with sharp, nutty Parmesan and the subtle sweetness of a good butter.

Garlic Parmesan Wings - Piled on a Platter with Dipping Sauce

Tips for the Best Results

Use a good quality butter – Different brands make wildly different tasting butters. Some don’t taste like much of anything, while others have incredibly rich flavor, that slightly sweet dairy fat flavor all humans love. Get a delicious butter. My favorite brand is Kerrygold. Plugra and Vermont Creamery also make great butter. If you look up butter taste tests online, you’ll see that they are definitely not all equal.

Use good quality parmesan – Same deal as the butter, the variations in quality are huge. Some parmesans tastes bland and rubbery, and that isn’t yummy. For the best results, use a real deal aged Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy. Belgioso is a decent domestic brand.

Toss the chicken with the sauce at the last moment – Wait as long as you can to toss the chicken wings with the garlic parmesan sauce, as it will naturally start to soften the skin and make it less crispy.

You can cook the chicken wings however you prefer for this homemade garlic parmesan sauce, including air frying, deep frying, or baking.

The method I use here is the one from my baked chicken wings post, but the actual cooking method doesn’t matter that much. Regardless of how you cook the chicken, it’s just a matter of tossing the wings in the sauce right before serving.

Garlic Parmesan Wings Recipe - Served on Platter with Dipping Sauce in Bowl

Let’s dive in to the process, and you will see that this garlic parmesan sauce is embarrassingly easy to make, but I guess buffalo sauce is too. Easy is always a good thing as long as it’s delicious too!

Step by Step Overview:

To get started, combine grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dried oregano, kosher salt, and melted butter in a large bowl.

Adding Butter to Bowl with Spices, Herbs, and Grated Parmesan

I melt butter quickly in the microwave, but you may also melt it in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat.

Note: If there are any other spices you’d like to add, like black pepper or a touch of onion powder, add them here as well.

What about fresh garlic?

I personally find that using freshly minced or pressed garlic cloves is overwhelmingly spicy and sharp. Using garlic powder makes for a more cohesive experience and coats the wings evenly.

You’re aiming for a buttery garlic cheesy flavor here, and using raw garlic is too strong.

I highly recommend grating your own fresh parmesan here as well. Don’t buy pre-shredded parmesan for this, as it usually isn’t as delicious as freshly grated parmesan, and sometimes the pieces are hard to chew or rubbery.

You also want to use a high quality parmesan, like parmigiano reggiano from Italy. It tends to have a more salty and flavorful density to the cheese.

Stir that all together to combine:

Garlic Parmesan Sauce - In a Mixing Bowl with Green Spatula

The sauce is now ready to stand by for your cooked chicken wings, and as I mentioned before, I cook them using this Baked Chicken Wings method.

There are hundreds of reviews (over 600!) with raves about how much people like them more than deep fried renditions. They really are worth a try if you’re looking for something that’s a little healthier, or if you think setting up the deep fryer is annoying.

Chicken Wings Recipe - With Side by Side View of Various Methods on Cutting Board

Over the years I have continued to retest the method against new “hacks” like coating in baking powder, nonstick cooking spray, and so on. But I still find you get the most crispy chicken wings in the oven when coupled with the parboil method, with no added coatings.

If you follow the classic deep fryer method, make sure you keep the crispy wings on a paper towel or wire rack after cooking, uncoated, until they are ready to serve.

Always wait to toss the chicken wings in the sauce right before serving:

Wings Tossed In Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce

If any leftover garlic butter sauce pools on the bottom, you can serve it in a ramekin for dipping:

Garlic Wings Dipped Into Parmesan Sauce in Bowl

What to Serve This With

These parmesan garlic wings pair so nicely with game day classics like Blue Cheese Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Nacho Cheese Sauce. Having an assortment of finger foods like this always make for the perfect party appetizer during football season.

I also recommend Homemade Guacamole with Jalapeño Tomato Salsa, or a classic Antipasto Platter with an Everything Bagel Cheese Ball.

If you need finger food ideas that are also great for parties, I love Potato Croquettes, Bacon Wrapped Dates, and Homemade Pierogies.

The full printable Garlic Parmesan Wings Recipe is below, with a video of the full cooking process right below that if you’d like it.

These garlic parm wings are compatible with the ketogenic diet and other low carb diets. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQ

How do you store leftover Garlic Parmesan Wings?

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can you freeze Garlic Parmesan Wings?

Yes, in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

How do you reheat Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings?

Do not microwave, or the skin will be soggy. Heat the chicken in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes, until hot. The skin will not be as crispy as the first time you cooked it. If reheating frozen leftovers, thaw them the night before in the fridge. While you can technically reheat frozen wings in the oven, because they have to warm up a lot more, they are more prone to drying out.

Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Close Up Of Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wing with Platter in Back

Garlic Parmesan Wings

Servings: 3 , easily scales
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Crispy Chicken Wings tossed in a buttery garlic parmesan sauce. It’s a great alternative to the classic buffalo hot wing, especially for people who don’t like spicy food.
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Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs chicken wings (10 pieces)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp salt + more for the water
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Heat up a big pot of boiling water. Season the water with salt, like you would for cooking pasta (taste the water, it should taste a little repulsively salty, like sea water).
  • Boil the chicken wings for 7-8 minutes, then drain well and dry very well with a paper towel. If you don’t dry them really well now, they won’t get crispy in the oven.
  • Place the wings fatty side down on a sheet pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes on one side, then flip the pieces over and bake for another 5 minutes on the other side. The skin should look crispy crackly golden on the side that was in contact with the sheet pan.
  • Combine the garlic powder, oregano, salt, Parmesan, and butter, then toss the chicken pieces in the mixture. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Do not microwave, or the skin will be soggy. Heat the chicken in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes, until hot. The skin will not be as crispy as the first time you cooked it. If reheating frozen leftovers, thaw them the night before in the fridge. While you can technically reheat frozen wings in the oven, because they have to warm up a lot more, they are more prone to drying out.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 149mg, Sodium: 346mg, Potassium: 224mg, Vitamin A: 795IU, Vitamin C: 0.8mg, Calcium: 204mg, Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas