Hot and Spicy Baked Chicken Drumettes or Wings

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 03/29/21
Hot and spicy baked chicken drumlettes

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 3 pounds
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
240 Calories
15g Fat
6g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 66mg 22%
Sodium 467mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 18g
Calcium 36mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This is a go-to recipe for chicken wings or drumettes. The herb and flour coating makes them crisp up nicely in the oven, and the homemade hot, buttery sauce is amazing. Add extra cayenne pepper to the sauce if you like them super hot.

These spicy, great-tasting chicken drumettes are perfect for parties, tailgating, picnics, or everyday meals. Baking makes them a little lighter than the deep-fried versions and easier to make, too. Feel free to use trimmed, cut-up chicken wings in this recipe.

Enjoy these as a snack by themselves with celery and your favorite dip, or make some homemade crispy french fries or corn on the cob.

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Ingredients

  • For the Chicken:
  • 3 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 pounds (about 20) chicken drumettes
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • For the Sauce:
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, or more
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Few drops Worcestershire sauce
  • Serving suggestion: blue cheese or ranch dip, celery sticks

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this baked chicken drumettes or wings dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Wings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Hot and spicy chicken drumettes ingredients
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  2. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. In a food storage bag, combine the 3 tablespoons of hot sauce with vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the drumettes and toss to coat.

    Chicken drumettes with marinade in zip-top bag
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  4. Put the flour in another bag or a bowl and add the wings, a few at a time, and toss or shake to coat well. Arrange on the baking sheet.

    Flour-coated wings on baking sheet
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  5. Bake for 30 minutes.

    Baked chicken wings
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  6. Using tongs, turn each wing piece over. Return the chicken wings to the oven and bake for 30 minutes longer.

    Flipped wings in baking sheet
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

Make the Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for sauce
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of hot sauce, cayenne pepper, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted and the sauce begins to simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.

    Wing sauce in pot
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  3. Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the wings and toss gently to coat thoroughly.

    Wings tossed with sauce in a bowl
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  4. Serve as an entree or snack with blue cheese dip, ranch dressing, other dips, and some celery sticks.

    baked drumettes and wings
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck  

Tips

  • Use hot sauce such as Texas Pete or Frank's for heat.
  • Wings or drumettes will work for this recipe (or a combination of both).
  • Blue cheese or ranch are classic dips to serve with hot chicken wings, but a nice peanut sauce is also a fun option.
  • This recipe can be doubled, with the drumettes split up between two baking sheets, if you're feeding a big crowd.