Cajun Chicken Wings

Satisfy your snack cravings with the ultimate Cajun chicken wings. This simple oven baked recipe brings a perfect blend of crispy texture, juicy meat, and bold Big Easy flavors with a tantalizing honey glaze. Discover the secrets to beautifully crispy, cajun rubbed wings that will have everyone begging for more!

📝 Ingredients

• 2 Pounds Chicken Wings (– separated into drumettes and flats (SEE NOTES))
• 2 TBS Cajun Seasoning ((SEE NOTES))
• 1 TB Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• to taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• 1 TBS Unsalted Butter
• 3/4 cup Honey (– coarsely chopped (SEE NOTES))
• 1 1/2 TBS Ketchup
• 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1/4 heaping tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 TBS Lemon Juice
• Optional Garnishes: Fresh Chopped Parsley and Lime Wedges

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pan: Adjust your oven racks to the upper and lower third positions. Then, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Then, place a wire rack on top of the aluminum foil in the baking sheet. Next, spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the wings from sticking and then set the pan aside.
2. 2Dry and Season the Chicken Wings: Line a clean work surface with paper towels and place the chicken wings on top. Using more paper towels, pat the wings completely dry. Next, transfer the dry wings to a large mixing bowl or into a resealable bag. Sprinkle the Cajun spice rub, baking powder, smoked paprika, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt all over the chicken wings. Toss the wings or seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the chicken wings in the seasonings.
3. 3Arrange Chicken Wings on Baking Pan: Transfer the cajun spice coated wings to the wire rack, arranging them so they’re SKIN-SIDE-UP and in a single, evenly spaced layer. (Note: Don’t over-pack or overlap the wings on the wire rack or they’ll end up steaming instead of roasting.)
4. 4Bake Cajun Wings at 250-Degrees on Bottom Shelf: Place the wings into the oven on the lower third rack and bake for 30 minutes.
5. 5Bake Chicken Wings at 425-Degrees on Upper Shelf: Quickly open the oven door and move the baking pan of chicken wings to the upper third shelf. Close the oven and increase the temperature to 425-degrees. Let the chicken wings bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top skin on the chicken wings is crispy. Remove the wings from the oven and flip them over. Return the wings to the upper third shelf and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown, the skin is crispy, and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165-degrees Fahrenheit.
6. 6Meanwhile, Make the Honey Glaze: Add the butter to a small saucepan and place the pan over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the honey, ketchup, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and scant ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together and let the sauce come to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, immediately reduce the heat and let the honey sauce cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the lemon juice and then taste the glaze and adjust to suit your tastebuds. Keep the sauce warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. 7Glaze the Cajun Rubbed Wings: Toss Cajun Rubbed Wings in Honey Glaze: Remove the cajun dry rub wings from the oven and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour half the honey glaze over the wings and toss well to fully coat them in the sauce. Add more glaze if needed or transfer the remaining glaze to a small bowl for dipping.
8. 8Serve Cajun Chicken Wings in Honey Glaze: Transfer the honey glazed cajun wings to a serving platter and sprinkle fresh chopped parsley all over the wings. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, celery sticks, carrot sticks, and remaining honey glaze on the side. Enjoy!