These Persian chicken wings are baked to crisp perfection and slathered with a tangy spice rub that will make you think you’re eating kabab that you slaved over for hours. This recipe comes together quickly, requires no long marinating time and will bring smiles to all of your guests.
What is it about eating chicken wings that makes it not just more fun but so much more delicious than regular chicken? Is it because they are small snack size food and snacks are so much more fun to eat?
When you think chicken wings, you probably thinking of the spicy mainstay. And yeah, those are pretty addicting. But sometimes you want to enjoy a meal without flames shooting out of your mouth.
Chicken wings, no matter what flavor you add to them, are just plain fun eats. They make a great appetizer, snack and yes, enjoy them as a main dish.
And crispy wings to boot? Without using a messy deep fryer? I’m all in!
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Recipe highlights
- Flavor: These wings taste just like char-grilled jujeh kabab, Persian chicken kabob and share the same golden saffron color.
- No Marinade: Instead of a traditional yogurt marinade, I use my dry rub mix. And because it is a dry rub, you do NOT need to plan dinner to far ahead. It does not need a long marinating time.
- Quick: Forget the deep frying normally associated with crispy wings. This recipe creates crispy, lip smacking wings in the oven.
- Texture: The citric acid in the spice mix acts as the acid used to quickly tenderize the meat and give the chicken some tang! The saffron and turmeric give the chicken its classic golden hue.
- Part Food: Whether you are making wings for your family or a super bowl party, these wings are a unique and a real crowd pleaser!
Ingredients needed
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- Chicken wings: You can use this recipe with both bone-in chicken wings.
- Saffron: You want high quality saffron. The amount you need depends on the quality. If you find that your rice is not a vibrant yellow, you are probably using a lesser quality saffron. Choose long crimson colored strands of saffron, not orange or yellow. You will also need a mortar and pestle. If you purchase already ground saffron, you could be getting colorants that are added and not pure saffron. This is why I recommend buying strands of saffron.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is bright yellow, aromatic and offers a different flavor than saffron. Turmeric and saffron are not interchangeable, but two totally different spices and flavors.
- Paprika: There are many varieties of paprika, from smoked to sweet, so use your favorite.
- Citric acid: So usually in chicken marinades, we use an acid like lemon juice. But since this is a dry rub, I use citric acid to tenderize and flavor the meat.
- More spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried mint, salt and pepper.
Step-by-step directions
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- Prep the wings. Combine spices in a small bowl. Remove any of the wing tip in your chicken wings. These can burn easily so I remove them.
- Place wings on rack. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place them on a greased cooling rack placed on top of a foil covered baking pan. You want to use a rack that is oven safe like this one.
- Coat the wings. Season the wings liberally on both sides and place them in one layer on the rack.
- Bake the wings. Bake at 425ºF for 30-40 minutes, flipping them over halfway into the baking. My oven runs very hot, so if yours does too, then bake at 400ºF. They are done when the edges are lightly browned.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
If you are making large batches of wings, you might have to work in batches. You do not want to overcrowd the baking sheet while it bakes because you want the hot air in the oven to circulate around the wings so they will get crispy all around.
I usually make two batches of wings (about 5 pounds) and keep the cooked wings warm in a second oven or warming drawer. Or while everyone is watching the game and enjoying the wings, I have the second batch cooking for round two!
You can serve up these chicken wings alone or with other great sides like my easy white queso, some creamy garlic hummus, mast o khiar (Persian yogurt and cucumber) or salad shirazi. You can also make it a meal by serving it with Persian rice.
If you do end up with any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover wings in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
You can easily grill these wings. If you want them kabab style, gently slide the marinated wings on wide metal skewers. Set up your grill for two zone heating, so you have direct and indirect heat. Place the skewers over indirect heat for about 10-15 minutes, rotating the wings halfway through. Place the wings over direct heat for a few minutes to sear and char the wings a bit. Be careful as flareups can happen.
Most dry rubs do not require sitting on the meat for hours or overnight. I usually coat the chicken and let it wait while the oven preheats. You can also leave the dry rub on for several hours for the spices and citric acid to really penetrate the meat.
The dry rub sticks to the chicken wings very well without the addition of oil. This rub also contains citric acid which helps add zing but also tenderizes the chicken. You end up with delicious crispy wings!
Persian Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon paprika smoked or sweet
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley measured then crushed with your fingers
- ¼ teaspoon dried mint measured then crushed with your fingers
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid
Instructions
- Combine spices in a small bowl. Remove any of the wing tip in your chicken wings. These can burn easily.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place them on a greased cooling rack placed on top of a foil covered baking pan.
- Season the wings liberally on both sides and place them in one layer on the rack.
- Bake at 425ºF for 30-40 minutes, flipping them over halfway into the baking. My oven runs very hot, so if yours does too, then bake at 400ºF. They are done when the edges are lightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I just got back from a trip to Egypt and brought home some beautiful spices, one of them being saffron. While searching for ways to use it, I stumbled across your Persian chicken wings recipe—and I have to say, it was a game changer. From the moment they started cooking, the kitchen filled with the warm, aromatic scent of saffron and spices. The wings took on this gorgeous golden hue as they baked, and when I finally pulled them out, the flavor matched the beauty. The recipe has just the right balance, enhancing the saffron and herbs without overpowering them.… Read more »
Hi Dorothy!
Thank you so much for leaving such a kind review. I am so happy you like the wings. They are a huge favorite with my family.
I hope you try more of my saffron recipes. I have A LOT, both sweet and savory!
Laura
I downloaded your 12+ saffron recipes e-book and I’m working my way through that. I’m eyeing a few I really want to try; but I don’t have the rosewater. The mashed potatoes and saffron salt are next in line.