Crispy Baked Turkey Wings

Delicious crispy, Crunchy Baked Turkey Wings right from your oven – with simply olive oil and your choice of seasoning! These wings are similar to chicken wings, but have a unique turkey flavor and larger shape with tons of juicy, delicious turkey meat!

If you love chicken wings, you’re going to really love turkey wings. They are meatier, juicier, bigger, and packed with flavor – there’s a lot more to them, so there isn’t as much work, and the reward is a perfect crispy crunch – you can’t beat it!

At Ajpal, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

How to Bake Turkey Wings

Turkey wings have a hearty flavor similar to turkey legs you get at the fair – that perfect roasted turkey goodness – but we’re using a method just like in my crispy baked chicken wings to make these wings give you a perfect crunch you won’t believe – with just olive oil. No deep frying, no breading, no extra ingredients! You can give it a rub with a flavor you love, add a bit of oil, and roast away until these wings are ready to go – you’re going to love them!

You can toss them in wing sauce, just like chicken wings – or eat them as-is – it’s up to you! I hope you love this recipe as much as we do.

Crunchy Baked Turkey Wings Ingredients

To make these turkey wings, you’ll need:

• 2 large whole turkey wings (drumette + flat, connected) – The star + structure: lots of skin (aka crispy potential), collagen and fat that render for juiciness, and bones that protect the meat from drying out. Keeping the pieces connected slows moisture loss so the inside stays tender while the skin crisps.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil – Helps fat render evenly and promotes browning (Maillard reaction), prevents sticking, and acts as a glue so salt/pepper/rub adhere. Also gives a light, appetizing sheen.
• ¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt – Primary seasoning and texture helper: draws a little surface moisture (dry-brine effect) so the skin dries and crisps better; it also starts protein denaturation for a juicier bite. Kosher crystals are coarse, so they spread more evenly and are less salty by volume.
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper – Bright, peppery heat and aroma. Cracking it fresh releases volatile oils that bloom in the oven, adding complexity without masking the turkey flavor.
• 2 teaspoons wing rub of your choice (optional) – Layered flavor + extra color. Typical rubs bring:
• Salt (if included): more seasoning—reduce added salt accordingly.
• Sugar (brown or turbinado): deeper browning and a touch of sweetness.
• Paprika/chili: color, gentle warmth, smoky notes if smoked paprika.
• Garlic/onion powders: savory umami backbone.
• Herbs/spices (thyme, cumin, mustard, etc.): signature personality.

Crunchy Baked Turkey Wings Method

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you will use the following method:

Prep Turkey Wings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay parchment on baking sheet. Using a sharp, heavy knife, find the joint in the turkey wing, and cut the tip from the drumette. Add turkey legs to baking sheet and toss in olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and any rub.

Bake Turkey Wings to Crispy

Bake 20 minutes, flip, and continue until turkey legs are golden brown, with crispy skin and meat has reached 165 degrees internal temperature, flipping every 10 minutes, about 45 minutes total.

Sauce & Serve

In a small saucepan, mix 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup wing sauce and mix well to combine. Toss wings in sauce just before serving. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks to Perfect Crunchy Turkey Wings

Get spicy. Use any herb blend you love for your wings – we love Frank’s Red Hot rub, Cajun blackening spices, lemon pepper herbs, garlic parmesan seasoning, Italian herbs, or simply salt and pepper!

Use parchment paper. We tested this recipe with foil and parchment paper, and found the crispiest skin came from baking on parchment.

Sauce just before serving. We find it best to sauce just before eating wings to keep your skin the crispiest. I personally love using Nando’s spicy garlic sauce on turkey wings!

Crispy Baked Turkey Wings Recipe FAQs

Turkey is safe to eat when it has reached 165 degrees internal temperature. For turkey wings, you will start to see the meat separate from the bone, the fat will have reduced, and the skin will be crispy.

Pop under the broiler (be careful not to burn or place too close) for 5-10 minutes to crisp skin even more.

Turkey wings are a fabulous pick for people on low-carb diets – especially since most wing sauces are also keto and don’t contain added sugars!

What to Serve With Turkey Wings

Turkey wings are a bit of a non-traditional dish for Thanksgiving – but they work perfectly in a Keto Thanksgiving meal if you’re watching your sugars and carbs.

We love serving these with The Best Air Fryer Keto Rolls, delicious and easy Keto Garlic Artichoke Rolls, Garlic Herb Green Beans, Brown Butter Bacon Baked Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Acorn Squash, and Slow Cooker Keto Pumpkin Bread Pudding!

For more of our low-carb Thanksgiving recipes, check out some of our favorites below:

Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe

Keto Garlic Artichoke Rolls Recipe

Best Easy Keto Mashed Cauliflower

Slow Cooker Keto Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

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