New Orleans Cajun Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
These New Orleans Chicken Wings are bold, spicy, and packed with authentic Creole flavor. Coated in a homemade Creole seasoning blend and garlic butter, then baked to golden perfection, these wings deliver a mouthwatering taste inspired by the Adelaide Central Markets’ famous Vegas Poultry stall. Perfect as appetisers, finger food, or mains, they capture the essence of Louisiana cuisine with an easy oven-baked method that crisps the skin and preserves juicy meat inside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Total Time: 60-65 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings as a main, 8-10 servings as finger food 1x
- Category: Appetiser
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Cajun, Creole, Louisiana, New Orleans
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Wings
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb chicken wings cut up (wingettes & drumettes)
Butter Mixture
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely minced
Garnish (Optional)
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander/cilantro or parsley, or sliced green onion
Homemade Creole Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (tightly packed)
- 2 1/2 tsp paprika (regular or sweet)
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a large baking tray with foil and then baking paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Prepare Seasonings: In a small bowl, mix the unsalted butter with crushed garlic to make a garlic butter. In another small bowl, combine all the Creole seasoning ingredients thoroughly.
- Toss the Wings: Place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle half of the Creole seasoning over them and toss well with your hands to coat. Then add the remaining seasoning and toss again until all wings are evenly coated. Pour the garlic butter over the wings and toss once more to ensure an even coating.
- Arrange on Tray: Spread the wings out on the prepared tray skin side up, making sure they are in a single layer with space between to allow caramelization. Avoid crowding the tray to prevent watery pan juices.
- Bake and Baste: Bake the wings for 45 to 50 minutes. At the 30-minute and 40-minute marks, carefully baste the wings with the caramelized tray juices to keep them moist and flavorful. Continue baking until the wings turn golden and cooked through.
- Final Baste and Serve: Remove the tray from the oven and baste generously one last time with the tray juices. Transfer the wings to a serving plate, pour over every drop of the juices, and sprinkle with your choice of chopped herbs or sliced green onion. Serve hot and enjoy the bold flavors of New Orleans!
Notes
- Serves 4 as a main meal or 8 to 10 as finger food/appetisers.
- If using whole wings, use just under 1.5 kg / 3 lb and cut into pieces if desired. Save wing tips for stock or snacking.
- Other cuts: For chicken ribs use 1 kg / 2 lb and reduce bake time to 40 minutes, basting at 25 and 35 minutes. Bone-in thighs or drumsticks work well following this recipe.
- Vegetarian substitute: Cauliflower tossed with olive oil, garlic, and the spice mix roasted similarly.
- Substitutes: Table salt can replace cooking salt, smoked paprika can replace regular paprika but changes flavor slightly, and cayenne pepper can be swapped with chili powder or chipotle powder.
- Do not overcrowd the baking tray; overcrowding results in watery tray juices that won’t caramelize, reducing flavor impact. If juices are watery, remove wings and oven-reduce the liquid separately to thicken.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave for moistness.
Keywords: Baked chicken wings, chicken wings recipe, Creole food, Louisiana food, New Orleans food, spicy wings, Creole seasoning