Easy, healthy baked chicken wings recipe, prepared Greek-style with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano! I love finishing these with a sprinkle of feta and fresh parsley.
Serve them Greek-style with a side of creamy Tzatziki sauce to dip. More ideas and tips below, so be sure to read on!
In my mind, you really can’t go wrong with chicken wings. And it is nice to have a healthy, delicious option; that’s exactly what these chicken wings with a Greek twist are!
They’re pretty easy to make, requiring a sheet pan and two simple steps:
First, the chicken wings take on a delicious Greek-style marinade with bold flavors like garlic, lemon and oregano. Then, after some time marinating, we spread them on a baking sheet or two to bake. That’s pretty much it!
And I do strongly feel that serving these easy wings with Greek tzatziki sauce–thick, tangy, and creamy yogurt and cucumber sauce–is the way to go. But I do have more ideas and some important tips for you, so be sure to keep reading!
Baked chicken wings with a Greek twist
The biggest draw to this easy baked chicken wings recipe is definitely the Greek flavors in the marinade!
No surprise here, the Greek-style marinade begins with a combination of quality extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve EVOO) and lots of lemon juice and lemon zest.
From there, we add a good amount of crushed fresh garlic cloves along with dry oregano, and sweet paprika for a little depth and color. For me, a little kick, thanks to cayenne pepper, seals the deal . But you can omit the cayenne pepper, if you prefer.
A few important Tips
These wings are super easy to make, your active time is fairly minimal. And like I said earlier, this recipe involves two simple steps: marinate the wings, then bake them. Still, here a few tips to help you arrive at the best Greek baked chicken wings:
1. To save time, buy already cut chicken wings. Most grocery stores carry “party wings” which are already separated into “wingette,” the flat part of the wing that contains two bones, and “drummette,” which is the part that looks like a tiny drumstick.
2. For best flavor, marinate the chicken for 2 hours or up to one night. To do that, simply toss the chicken wings in the marinade, cover and refrigerate till later.
3. Remove wings from the fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before baking. You don’t want to start with ice cold chicken wings fresh out of the fridge, This can lead to overcooking and uneven cooking.
4. Spread the wings in one layer on a large sheet pan or two. Do not over-crowd the chicken wings to that they are each touching the sheet pan and are in contact with its hot surface as they bake.
5. For crispier skin, place the baked wings under the broiler for a brief time, watching carefully.
How long to bake chicken wings?
For this recipe, I typically use chicken wings that are already cut or separated into “wingette” and “drummette.” Baked at 400 degrees F, already cut chicken wings should take about 45 to 50 minutes.
Keep an eye on the wings, and if you’re not sure, use an instant read thermometer to determine if they are done (internal temperature should read 165 degrees F at the thickest part of a chicken wing.)
To finish, place the wings under the broiler briefly to achieve a nice golden brown color and crispier skin.
Can I make them ahead of time?
These easy chicken wings are the perfect party appetizer, and there are a couple of ways you can prepare them ahead of time, if you need to:
1. Marinate the chicken wings a few hours ahead or even overnight and bake before your guests arrive (preferred option.) Keep the marinated wings in the fridge in a tight-lid container until you are ready to bake. About 1 1/2 hours or so before your guests arrive, you can work on getting the wings ready and baked. Leave the wings at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes or so, then spread them on one or two sheet pans and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until ready.
2. You can prepare and bake these Greek chicken wings one night in advance. Let them cool then refrigerate (do not leave them out more than 2 hours.) To reheat, take the baked chicken wings out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so. Spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Heat at 350 degrees F heated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Tip: you can sprinkle a tiny bit of water on your baked chicken wings before heating to prevent them from drying out. And do check on the wings occasionally, smaller size wings will warm through quickly.
Serve them, Greek-Style!
These baked wings are great just as is, but they can be the perfect centerpiece to a wonderful Greek or Mediterranean-style spread along with Tzataziki sauce (perfect for dipping), or hummus.
And as a vegetarian option next to these wings, I’ve often served these baked zucchini; sweet potato fries; or roasted cauliflower next to my baked wings as a vegetarian option!
Leftovers: how long will these keep?
You can store leftover Greek chicken wings in the fridge in a tight-lid container for 3 days or so. And as mentioned earlier, take them out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you are ready to reheat. Reheat in 350 degrees F heated-oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Watch the quick video for how to make Greek baked wings:
You may also like these chicken recipes:
Grilled Chicken Wings
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Greek Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 6
Description
Easy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe; prepared Greek-style with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. Finished with a little feta cheese and fresh parsley and served with a classic Greek Tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO)
- 2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup lemon juice)
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- Salt
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
For the Wings
- 3 lb chicken wings
- Crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
- Sliced lemons, for garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
To Serve
- Tzatziki sauce (see recipe here)
Instructions
- Make the marinade a couple of hours and up to one day ahead of time. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and the remaining marinade ingredients (only add the cayenne if you want spicy wings).
- Now add the chicken wings and toss to coat the wings evenly. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the chicken wings on a large baking sheet and bake in the heated oven for 45-50 minutes or till ready (internal temperature should register at least 165 degrees F). Move the chicken wings to the top rack and broil briefly until the skin turns golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes or so.
- If serving with tzataziki sauce, make the Tzatziki sauce according to this recipe, while the chicken wings are baking. Transfer the sauce serving bowl, and cover the sauce and refrigerate until ready for use (just give the sauce a little stir just before serving).
- Transfer the chicken wings to a serving bowl or platter. Garnish with feta cheese, lemon slices, and a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve with the Greek Tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: If you have the time, allow the chicken wings to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or up to 1 night. Take out of the fridge about 15 minutes or so before baking.
- Cook’s Tip: For best results, be sure to spread the chicken wings in one layer on a large sheet pan (do not crowd the pan. Use 2 pans if needed.)
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!) and all-natural sweet paprika.
- SAVE! Try our Greek olive oil bundle! Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle, or create your own 6-pack or 3-pack or our all-natural or organic spices.
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Greek
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has been updated with new information for readers’ benefit. Enjoy!
Since I discovered your website I have made several of your recipes, all excellent. Since it was Super Bowl weekend, and I’m in Phoenix and hosting a watch party, I decided to make these wins exactly as written except I 1/2’d the Cayenne Pepper. Everyone loved it, and there were no leftovers, but I made one BIG mistake. I bought three packages of wings, as in uncut. Now I I know from experience how difficult it is to cut those little suckers up.
Oh, no! Lol! Lesson learned! Glad everyone enjoyed the wings. You certainly put some extra work into them :).
Can I use air fryer? How long?
Hi, Azalea. I’m sure these will work in the air fryer, but we’ve never tried it, so not sure of the right temp setting or timing. I recommend taking a look at the instructions/recipe guide that came with your air fryer for some guidance. Enjoy!
You knocked it out of the ballpark with this one….delicious!
Yay! Thanks, Kayce!
Made these tonight for the first time. Will be on the schedule. Only mistake was not buying more wings to make. The tzatziki worked very well with the wings. Thank you.
Could these be possible frozen in the marinade until ready to cook?
Hi, Niquie. I’ve never tried that myself with this particular recipe, but I don’t see why not.
This was crazy!!!!!! The smell of my flat, the children devoured it. O never post about my recipe outcomes but ..Wow.
How would you recommend using legs/thighs? Time wise and ratios etc
Thank you! This would be great with legs/thighs. I recommend cooking until these pieces reach an internal temp of 165 degrees F. You can also check out my Baked Chicken Drumsticks and Baked Chicken Thighs recipes for some cooking guidance. As far as the marinade ratios… this recipe calls for 3 lbs of chicken wings. If you are using an equivalent amount of thighs/legs, you can start with the ingredient amounts as stated and adjust from there. This isn’t something I’ve tried before personally, so it’s hard for me to give you precise measurements.
I would put some marinate between the skin and meat and let sit maybe overnite.
Recipe looks AMAZING I see you didn’t mention the amount of salt. I assume this means: “salt to taste”. However I know some salt is needed for the marinade to work. Is there an absolute bare minimum amount needed?
I’ve never really measured… I’m sorry. It really is just to taste.
Can you cook these in an air fryer. Instead. Sounds great. But would like to use my air fryer…temp and how lon ???
Hi, Roberta! I’m sure it’s possible, but I have personally never used an air fryer, so I can’t really advise on specifics here. If you give it a try, please let us know how it turned out!
Do you pour the marinade on the baking sheet with the wings or take them out of the margarita and place on baking sheet?
Would this work in a baking/casserole dish or is a baking sheet better?
Hi, Shae! I prefer to use a baking sheet here. And, no, you do not pour the marinade over the wings before cooking. Simply take them out of the marinade, and place them on the sheet. Hope that helps!
I making marinade and dipping sauce tonight / prep tonight………..
BUT QUESTION,,,,Can I use “White Wine Vinegar” instead of “White Vinegar” ???
SOOOOO Excited to have found your site. I went o Corsica and Sardinia years ago…LOVE the food. I would give anything to go back and visit the places that inspire you….Thank you so much for your site!!
Victoria O.
Hi Victoria, apologies but I’m not able to answer questions immediately as they come in, and I realize you were making the recipe at the moment you asked the question. This is a very forgiving recipe and the one substitution between white wine vinegar and white vinegar should not make a big difference.
Can I BBQ these wings? If so, how should I do it? Temperature n Time? Can I use a sheet pan?
Thanks
Sure, Irani! If you prefer to grill them outdoors, you can. Grill the wings on a medium-high heated grill. Keep the grill mostly covered but be sure to flip the wings occasionally, until they are golden brown and well cooked through (somewhere around 20 to 25 minutes). Enjoy
Can you grill these instead?
Absolutely!
Thank you for this great Greek style Chicken wings recipe! It’s delicious. I grated the garlic in a microplane instead. It still great. I used my chicken wings I got from my pantry where I live to clear my freezer. Also, thank you for helping me clean out my freezer. I appreciated it.
So glad to hear it, Tanya! Thank you for sharing
So happy to help :). Glad you like the wings!!
Why not use the yogurt in the marinade? Like buttermilk, wouldn’t that acid and enzymatic qualities of the yogurt serve to tenderize the meat?
YOu can use yogurt-based marinades, of course. Here is our recipe for a yogurt marinade: https://privnotes.com/Hcw3x1YI#ThY2oe1Z
Would this work with thighs?
Sure, Mike! You can use the same flavors/marinade on thighs. Your baking time will vary.
Sure! Just be aware that you may have to adjust the amount of marinade and cooking time.
This was so good!! My husband really loved it!
Awesome!
Yay! Thanks, Toni!
ok YUM! thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hahaha! Yes, YUM, indeed! Glad you loved them! Thanks, Lisa!