Spice things up — by not going spicy at all. This garlic parmesan wings recipe is a savory, buttery, garlic-and-herb infused dream.
But wait, there’s more: check out my buffalo keto chicken wings or my chipotle lime chicken wings. Not in the mood for wingin’ it? Check out my full list of keto chicken recipes.
The Chicken Wing, Elevated
These are kind of like the buffalo baked chicken wings’ more sophisticated older brother. I’m definitely not suggesting that a great deal of technique and nuance in flavor doesn’t go into making classic wings (rant & recipe here). It’s just that these wings taste a little more like what you’d expect from a sit-down restaurant. That isn’t also a bar.
Why I humbly declare these to be better than all other garlic parmesan wings on the internet:
- They’re saucy, even though there’s no traditional sauce. I use more butter than most, and it coats the wings quite well.
- The garlic is mellow, because – unlike a lot of the recipes out there – I saute it first. This also infuses the butter.
- Texture, texture, texture. Nobody should have to suffer through rubbery skin or dried out chicken.
- Dip, or don’t. You won’t find yourself needing ranch to cool these puppies off. But if you want to dip I won’t judge.
Curious about the carbs in chicken wings? Looking for keto wings? This is the recipe for you. These are perfect keto appetizers, no ingredient swaps or substitutes necessary.
The Secret! How to make Extra Crispy Wings
- Remove liquid from the surface of your wings. This will allow our baking powder and salt to adhere to the surface, which is important for actually crispy wings.
- Baking powder is your best friend: this will get the skin of your garlic parmesan chicken wings extra crispy without needing a fryer. TRUST ME. Psst — baking soda is not a substitute here.
- Make sure to use an oven-safe rack inside your rimmed baking sheet — this will allow the air to fully circulate around the parmesan garlic wings, getting them crispy on all sides. Also, be sure to place a sheet of parchment in between the rack and pan for easy cleanup.
What is Garlic Parmesan Sauce Made of?
The parmesan garlic sauce is made of…
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh garlic – most recipes use garlic powder. Instead, I like to saute fresh for a delicious garlic butter sauce.
- Lemon zest (Trust me when I tell you that the brightness from the zested lemon really takes these up a few notches.)
- Salt + pepper
- Chopped parsley
If you’re asking yourself… self… are garlic parmesan wings keto? Or are garlic parmesan wings gluten free? The answer is yes. Every ingredient in these scrumptiously crispy and butter-doused parmesan garlic wings is low carb AND gluten free.
How to Cook Garlic Parmesan Wings?
Follow the recipe instructions below for how to make garlic parmesan wings in the oven (my preferred way of making these!!). Or follow these tips if you’d rather bake them differently:
- How to make garlic parmesan wings in air fryer –> For air fryer wings, you can skip the baking powder. Then, spray your air fryer with cooking spray and place wings in a single, non-touching layer on the tray (you’ll need to do this in batches if cooking the entire 3 pounds of wings). Cook wings at 360 F for 12 minutes. Flip, and cook for 12 more minutes. Increase the temp to 390, flip the wings a third time, and bake until the skin gets crispy (about 9 minutes).
- How to make garlic parmesan wings in deep fryer –> Since these wings don’t have a flour coating, they won’t get as crisp in a deep fryer. So if you’d like to deep fry, I suggest tossing them in 1 cup of flour (along with the salt and pepper, skip the baking powder)a
Storing + Reheating
Store any leftovers you have in the fridge, and reheat in the oven — be sure to dust with additional parmesan and parsley after baking. Keep in mind, wings are best served fresh!
Serving Recommendations
Again, I don’t think garlic parmesan wing sauce is necessary. But, if it’s sauce you’re craving, you can’t go wrong with keto ranch dressing. OR! For an interesting spin, try dipping these in Caesar.
as chicken wings, butter, parmesan, and garlic are already low in carbs.
Recipe Variations
- Make ’em spicy. Mix in red pepper flakes, or add hot sauce to the butter parmesan combo. Or get fancy with your added spice addition.
- Sweeten ’em up. By adding a touch of honey for honey garlic wings.
- Lime cilantro variation. Swap lemon for lime zest and parsley for cilantro.
More Chicken Recipes
- Keto Chicken Curry
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- Keto Pulled Chicken
- Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Chicken Crust Pizza
Garlic Parmesan Wings
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Wings:
- 3 Pounds Chicken Wings tips removed, drumettes and flats separated (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Baking Powder (Note 2)
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Garlic Parmesan:
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan freshly grated + divided (Note 3)
- 4 Teaspoons Lemon Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven the 425 F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place an oven-safe wire rack inside the baking sheet. Aggressively pat dry the wings (3 pounds) in paper towels, and place in a large bowl.
- Coat wings. Combine baking powder (1 1/2 tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half the baking powder combo over the wings, toss, then sprinkle the other half. Toss until the wings are fully and evenly coated.
- Bake. Spread wings onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Sauce. Melt butter (6 tablespoons) over medium heat in a small saute pan. Add the minced garlic (6 cloves), and toast until fragrant (1-2 minutes) stirring constantly as it can burn easily. Remove from heat, and stir in black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon), half the parmesan (1/4 cup), and lemon zest (4 teaspoons).
- Serve. Once wings are done baking, toss them in a large bowl and pour the sauce on top. Toss to evenly coat. Place on a serving platter and use a spatula to scrape the bowl and top the wings with any remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parsley (2 tablespoons) and remaining parmesan (1/4 cup). Serve immediately.
Fans Also Made These Low Carb Recipes:
Lindsey's Tips
- Separate the wings by slicing the joint between the drummette, flat, and tip (discarding the tip). OR! Buy "party wings" which have already been divided. Win!
- Baking powder is a must here, don't even think about subbing in baking soda friends.
- Parmesan. We want to sprinkle half the parm on top, otherwise, it will make the sauce too thick to coat the wings.
- Wings are best served fresh!
- Reheating. Reheat your leftovers in the oven, but again, best served fresh.
- Nutritional information is based on 1 serving if you divide this recipe into 4 servings (since all wings are a different weight, this is the most accurate way to calculate)
Nutrition
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Most delish recipe I’ve ever made <3 <3
Yay! So happy you enjoyed Shane!
We always order the parmesan chicken wings during wing night! I’m so excited to try this recipe!
Yay! Let me know how it goes Wanda!?
Loved your flavorful and healthy chicken recipe. Baked sounds good. This chicken is flavorful and best Dinner option too.
Yahoo! I’m so happy you enjoyed as much as I do! ?
I wasn’t sure about making these because they are keto, but they are so delicious!
Right Kylie? So glad you enjoyed it!?
What delicious wings! They look absolutely incredible. Love the addition of the lemon zest and the variety of options.
I’m so glad you enjoyed Tara!?
recipe’s so handy especially on a weekend with friends!! Thank you Lindsey!
Yay! SO happy you enjoyed Vanessa ?
Lindsey, can you air fry?
Hi Deborah! I’m sure you can, although I haven’t air-fried wings before (I’m usually making a bigger batch than can fit in my air fryer). I would use the baking powder combo on the wings, and follow baking instructions for an air fryer recipe, such as this one. Let me know how it goes!
Made these wings for dinner tonight and they were a grand slam! Simply fabulous!
Yahoo! So happy to hear that Katie 😁
I put my wings in the fridge UNCOVERED in a single layer for a couple of hours. The dry air n the fridge dries them out better than all the patting with paper towels.
LOVE that idea! Thanks Kathy, can’t wait to give it a try!