Cooking Lesson #1100: Naked Crispy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Wings

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin”? I’m a wing man. No, not that kind of wing man—I love simple Lemon-Garlic Chicken Wings. My wings are easy and foolproof, saucy and have super crispy skin. They take very little time to put together, and they come out perfectly after 35 to 40 minutes of baking time. If you’re not into lemon and garlic, you can customize the flavors to your liking.
 
I love these chicken wings because they’re quick and simple and chicken is relatively inexpensive. Thanks to one key technique you will really love the incredibly crispy, bubbly chicken skin.
 
Read on to discover the ChefSecret on making crispy skin chicken—wings, thighs and breasts. Read ahead before you start to cook my Crispy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Wings.
 
Why are they naked? Naked wings refer to chicken wings that are not battered or breaded.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Salt soak cycle:  15 to 60 minutes
Cook time:  35-40 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 wings / 2 servings
 
Ingredients 
6 to 8 whole chicken wings (all three joints)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large lemon, thinly sliced (around 1/8 inch) and de-seeded
6 tablespoons peeled and crushed garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400º F.
2. Place a rack in the middle of the oven.
3. Lightly season the chicken wings with salt on both sides. Set aside at room temperature while you prep everything else.
4. In a 9 x13-inch baking dish or rimmed sheet pan add the lemon slices, garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to combine.
5. Firmly press paper towels to the skin side of the salted wings to remove any liquid on the surface, then transfer to the baking dish and pull any skin from underneath the chicken to the sides so that it can get crispy.
6. Drizzle the chicken with the remaining olive oil and use your fingers to make sure the oil coats all the skin evenly.
7. Bake the wings at 400° F until the chicken is cooked through, the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the lemons are softened, about 35-40 minutes.
8. If the chicken is cooked but the skin isn’t crispy yet, broil until the skin is your desired color.
9. Remove the cooked wings from the oven and let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving, spooning plenty of the softened lemons, garlic and sauce onto the plate with the chicken wings.

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ChefSecret:  For really crispy chicken skin, salt the skin in advance, then pat it dry with paper towels right before roasting. The salt pulls out some moisture from the skin, and the paper towels remove all that moisture from the surface, prepping it to bubble and crisp up into a beautiful, well-seasoned, golden-brown finish that I know we all crave.
The salting step doesn’t take long. I only ask that you salt the skin at least 15 minutes in advance—ideally while the oven is preheating and you’re prepping the other ingredients—but you could also do this up to an hour beforehand.
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Quip of the Day:  Q. What do you call someone who likes both the flat and drum chicken wing types?  A. Biwingual.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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