Baking chicken wings in the oven results in perfectly tender, fall off the bone wings. Maple mustard chicken wings are a unique wing flavor combination perfect for entertaining or an easy meal. Tender wings are tossed in a maple syrup wing sauce that is a little sweet, tart and sticky. Use fresh, party cut wings and real maple syrup for best results.
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Tips and Tricks
What do you serve with these wings? These wings are a great appetizer for any sports game, movie night or board game night. You can also serve them as a party appetizer at your next birthday or holiday party. Because they are versatile, you can serve them with other chicken wing flavors like teriyaki or other party appetizers like Italian Stromboli or Meatball Subs. Sometimes we even just eat them for dinner with Air Fryer Tater Tots.
How do you store cooked chicken wings? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
How do you reheat these wings? To reheat these wings you can either warm them up in the microwave or the oven. To reheat wings in the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes. Be sure to do it on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet for easier clean up.
Are these wings as crispy as frying? No, these wings do not get as crispy as fried wings. Baking the wings does give the skin a great texture. Tossing the wings in sauce also takes away from the crispy factor but they definitely aren’t soggy either. The chicken becomes tender and the bones pull apart easily.
Ingredients
- Party cut chicken wings - These wings come already separated in flats and drumettes
- Canola oil - any neutral oil will work here
- Kosher salt
- Maple syrup (affiliate link) - ideally use the real stuff
- Dijon mustard - adds a tart flavor to balance out the maple syrup
- Whole grain mustard - provides texture and flavor
See recipe card below for quantities.
Do you need to use real maple syrup? Real maple syrup has the best flavor and no additives. Additives can change how the sauce cooks and tastes. Since it is a primary ingredient in the recipe, quality matters if you’re able to get your hands on it. Look for maple syrup as the only ingredient.
What type of wings do you use for this recipe? This recipe calls for cut wings, so that the flat and drumette are separate and the tip is discarded. I buy my wings already prepped like this but if you can only find the full wing, you can cut them yourself.
Be sure to save the wingtip for stock in the freezer. Pull the wings apart and cut at the joint, your knife should easily slide through the drumette, flat and wing tip. These are also called party cut wings.
Do you have to use both types of mustard? I recommend using both types of mustard because they offer two different flavors and textures. If you don’t really don’t particularly like one type of mustard you can leave it out.
Method
How do you make oven baked chicken wings? Start by preheating the oven to 400 F. While it’s preheating, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, in a large mixing bowl, toss wings in canola oil until well covered and season with kosher salt. Place on the lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Cook for 30 minutes or until beginning to brown and registering about 165 F internally. Remove wings from the oven and place in a clean mixing bowl. Toss to coat with maple syrup completely.
Place wings back on the baking sheet in a single layer and cook for another 10 minutes until the maple syrup is starting to caramelize.
Remove the wings from the oven and place in the large mixing bowl with both types of mustard. Toss well to coat evenly. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Can you make these on foil instead of parchment paper? Yes, parchment paper or a silicone mat are nonstick so I recommend those before foil. However, if all you have is tin foil, spray it lightly with cooking spray to avoid the wings from sticking. You don’t want to try to clean off caramelized maple syrup from a sheet tray.
What temperature should wings be cooked to internally? To be safe for consumption, chicken should be cooked so they reach 165 F, internally. However, chicken wings are dark meat and because of the extra connective tissue, they are more tender when cooked to a higher temperature.
I’d recommend cooking until at least 175 F internally and up to 190 F internally. To check the temperature use an instant thermometer (affiliate link)
Does it matter how you place the wings on the sheet pan? I prefer to put the wings and drumettes separately. Partially because it looks nice and also because the drumettes are bigger, so I put them in the back of the oven where it is hotter.
I also recommend putting both flats and drumettes on the sheet pan so that the flatter side is on the sheet pan. This will result in a better browning and more flavor.
Can you add the maple syrup at the beginning of the cooking time? No, it is important to mostly cook the wings before adding the maple syrup. The maple syrup will absolutely burn if it is cooked on the wings for 40+ minutes.
Hint: Separate drumettes and flats on the sheet tray so the drumettes can be in the back of the oven where it is hotter. This will cook your drumettes faster and won’t overcook your flats.
Variation
Oven baked wings produce fall of the bone tender chicken wings. Change the sauce up depending on your mood. I recommend tossing the wings with sauce after they are cooked completely.
- Teriyaki sauce
- Garlic and parmesan
- Honey BBQ
- Lemon pepper
Equipment
Use a silicone baking mat (affiliate link) or parchment paper to avoid cleaning up a mess of caramelized maple syrup on your baking sheet.
Top Tip
Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer to ensure even cooking good browning.
Oven Baked Maple Mustard Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 lbs cut chicken wings
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or neutral flavored oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 - 1 ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Using a mixing bowl, toss wings in canola oil until well covered and then season well with kosher salt.
- Place the wings on a baking sheet, making sure the flat sides are making contact with the baking sheet for maximum browning. I separate the drumettes and flats so that I can put the drumettes in the back of the oven where it is hotter.
- Cook for 30 minutes until beginning to brown and skin is getting crispy. The wings should register about 165 F internally.
- Remove wings from the oven and place in a large mixing bowl. Toss to fully coat with maple syrup. Place wings back on the baking sheet, making sure the browner side is facing up. Cook the wings for another 10 minutes until the maple syrup is starting to caramelize and smell sweet.
- In the large mixing bowl add the hot wings and both types of mustard. Toss well to coat evenly and serve immediately.
Notes and Accommodations
- Cooking time is for cut wings, which means drumettes and flats are separate.
- If you aren’t cooking on parchment paper or a silicone mat, use tin foil and spray it lightly with oil to avoid a sticky mess from the maple syrup.
- Use real maple syrup for the best flavor.
- Reheat these wings on 350 F in the oven on a covered baking sheet for 10 minutes or until warmed through or in the microwave.
This recipe was originally posted on February 11, 2021. It has been updated with clearer instructions and better tips and tricks on April 11, 2022.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
