Martha Stewart Emerils Oven Roasted Chicken Wings Recipe

15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in a 500-degree oven. Emeril Lagasse’s Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings, featured on Martha Stewart, tosses 4 pounds of wings in lemon juice, melted butter, and a dry rub of garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper, dried thyme, cayenne, and coarse salt, then roasts them on a baking sheet until browned and crispy.

I make these Martha Stewart chicken wings every time I need a game day appetizer that actually delivers. This baked chicken recipe is one of the best chicken wing recipes I have found because the spice rub and melted butter build a crust that does not need frying, and the cayenne gives just enough kick without burning anyone out. Emeril’s recipe, one of Martha Stewart’s best chicken dishes for feeding a crowd.

Try More Appetizer Recipes:

• Baked Chicken Wings
• Buffalo Wings
• Spinach Artichoke Dip

Why You Will Love These Oven-Roasted Wings:

• No frying, no mess: These wings roast at 500 degrees and come out with a crispy crust that rivals anything from a fryer. I do not even set up the deep pot anymore when I can get results like this from the oven.
• The spice rub is serious: Garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, thyme, and cayenne all go on at once with melted butter. Emeril does not hold back on seasoning and it shows. Every wing has a thick coating of flavor.
• Feeds a crowd fast: 4 pounds of wings for 8 people, done in 35 minutes. I have doubled this recipe for parties and it scales without any issues. Just use two baking sheets.

Season The Wings Ahead Of Time

People who make these wings regularly say the flavor gets even better if you toss the wings with the dry rub the night before and refrigerate them uncovered. I add everything except the melted butter, let the rub sit overnight, then toss with the butter right before they go in the oven. The overnight rest lets the salt and spices penetrate deeper into the meat, and the uncovered fridge time dries out the skin so it crisps faster at 500 degrees.

Emerils Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken wings, cut in half at joint (wing tips removed)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Blue cheese or ranch dressing, or barbecue sauce, for dipping

How To Make Martha Stewart Emerils Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings

1. Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Season the wings: In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with the lemon juice. Add the ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and coarse salt. Add the dried thyme, crushing it between your fingers as you go. Add the cayenne and melted butter. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
3. Roast: Arrange the wings in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, then rotate the sheet and flip the wings. Cook until the wings are browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
4. Serve: Serve with blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, or barbecue sauce for dipping.

Recipe Tips

• Consider skipping the foil: Emeril says to line the sheet with foil, but I have found the wings crisp up better when they roast directly on the pan. The foil can trap steam underneath and make the bottoms soft. If you skip it, just spray the pan with oil first and cleanup is still easy.
• Crush the thyme between your fingers: Emeril specifically says to crush the dried thyme as you add it. This releases the oils and wakes up the flavor. I do this over the bowl so nothing falls on the counter.
• Single layer is non-negotiable: If the wings overlap, they steam instead of roast. I use two baking sheets when I double the recipe rather than crowding one pan. The crunch depends on air circulation.
• Flip at the 20-minute mark: This is when you rotate the sheet and flip every wing. It takes a minute with tongs and ensures both sides get evenly browned and crispy. I set a timer so I do not forget.

What Goes Well With These Roasted Wings

Emeril says blue cheese or ranch for dipping, and I always make a batch of blue cheese dressing from scratch because it is thicker and tangier than store-bought. A bowl of coleslaw on the side cuts through the richness of the butter and spice.

If I am making a full game day spread, I add a tray of onion rings and a stack of celery and carrot sticks. That is a complete table and nobody leaves hungry.

How To Store Leftovers

Store the wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The spice rub flavor actually gets stronger overnight. I would not freeze these because the crispy skin turns soft after thawing.

To reheat, I spread them on a baking sheet and warm them at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. The oven crisps the skin back up. I eat leftover wings cold more often than I reheat them, honestly. Cold with blue cheese straight from the fridge is a legitimate snack.

FAQs

• Why is the oven set to 500 degrees? Emeril roasts the wings at 500 degrees because the high heat crisps the skin fast while keeping the meat juicy inside. Lower temperatures dry the wings out before the skin gets crispy. I was nervous the first time I set my oven that high for wings, but it works.
• Can I use orange juice instead of lemon? People who have made this recipe with orange juice instead of lemon say it works well and adds a slightly sweeter flavor. I have not tried it myself, but the swap is worth experimenting with if you do not have lemons.
• How spicy are these wings? The 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne adds a mild to moderate heat. I would call it a warm tingle, not a burn. If you want more kick, add another 1/4 teaspoon. If you are cooking for kids, cut the cayenne in half or leave it out entirely.
• Do I need a dipping sauce? Emeril suggests blue cheese, ranch, or barbecue sauce. Honestly, these wings are so well-seasoned that I have served them without any sauce and people did not even notice. The butter and spice rub create enough flavor on their own.

More Appetizer Recipes:

• Pull-Apart Sliders
• Guacamole
• Cheesy Black Bean Nachos

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 8)

• Calories: 380
• Total Fat: 26g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sodium: 640mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 2g
• Protein: 32g