Crispy, juicy chicken wings tossed in garlic butter and Parmesan, served alongside baked baby potatoes, make this simple dish perfect for a weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend at home.
Picture this: a snowstorm is tormenting the city, and you’re stuck inside. What do you do? Watch movies? Play board games? Finish one of those three books sharing the same space on your bedside table, defying all laws of physics?
One thing you probably won’t be doing is leaving the house for fresh groceries. And no one is likely to come delivering them, either. Times like these are a good reminder that it’s nice to have a few kitchen staples on hand. Dinner doesn’t feel like such a drag when you have a couple of key ingredients lying around. Take these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, for example.
Half of the ingredients are what I consider staples in my kitchen: salt, black pepper, good olive oil, garlic, and butter. I won’t add Parmesan to this list, though the truth is, there’s almost always a chunk of it sitting in my fridge.
Chicken wings can be tucked away in the freezer, and along with the forever (hopefully) affordable and abundantly available baby potatoes, these humble ingredients transform into something greater than the sum of their parts. And the best part? It all happens on a single sheet pan.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
What we have in our hands is a very well-rounded dish: there’s protein, carbs, fat, acid, and even fresh greens! (cough cough, a scanty sprinkle of chives, but let’s keep it between the two of us.)
There’s rarely a dish that a generous grating of parmesan cheese and slathering of butter won’t solve or improve. And there’s plenty of both here. So we know from the get-go that wherever we’re going, it’s bound to be something great. And if you mess it up, there’s nothing that a little more parmesan or butter can’t fix, I always say.
The baby potatoes are cooked until crisp, and so are the wings. Actually, the wings are juicy and crispy: a complexity of textures all on their own! That alone would be enough for me, but hear me out: while the oven does all the work, and you’re just waiting around for your food to be ready, grab a little bowl, melt some butter, add some minced garlic, some grated parmesan cheese, then pour that flavorful, magical bomb over your wings as they come out of the oven and voila. The snow might be falling outside, but in your kitchen, things couldn’t be warmer or cozier.
A Note From the Kitchen
If you happen to be making this for yourself and need a screen next to you playing something, anything as you eat your meal, I have a great movie recommendation for you!
Now picture this scenario: a beautiful, hard-working, overachieving, fabulous Diane Keaton inherits a baby (don’t ask me questions, just watch it), and her life is all of a sudden turned upside down. She leaves New York City in search of a simpler, more manageable life where she can raise her new baby, but this is a busy, successful businesswoman! Life has bigger plans for our two protagonists, of course. So unexpected things inevitably happen. Awful things. Great things. Wonderful things!
Doesn’t it sound great? Well, it is! Baby Boom is a movie hailing straight from the ’80s and written by the incomparable Nancy Meyers. It’s sweet, lighthearted, and fun – just like these Parmesan potatoes and wings, which I hope you’ll make and tell me about in the comments!
You Might Also Like…
Chicken Piccata (with a twist): Tender chicken breasts bathed in a bright, lemony sauce get an unexpected twist – think capers, fresh herbs, and a touch of something unexpected that makes this classic feel new.
Chicken Parmesan with Homemade Tomato Sauce: Crispy, golden chicken topped with melting mozzarella and smothered in a rich, homemade tomato sauce. A classic (well) done from scratch.
Green Chicken Pot Pie: The classic chicken pot pie filled with a vibrant green filling, all encased in buttery, flaky pastry. Cozy, hearty, and perfect for nights when you want something warm and satisfying without fuss.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Hearts of Palm and Corn: Juicy chicken thighs braised until fall-apart tender, paired with sweet corn and briny hearts of palm. A simple, elegant dish that feels special enough for guests but easy enough for weeknight cooking.
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Equipment
- Ingredients
1 lb chicken wings
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp garlic powder, divided
2 tsp onion powder, divided
12 baby potatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp chives, chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
½ lemon, zest and juice
black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking and encourage browning.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and a few grinds of black pepper. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
In the same bowl, toss the potatoes with the remaining olive oil, remaining garlic powder and onion powder, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet around the chicken wings and add the unpeeled garlic cloves.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the wings and stir the potatoes. Continue baking for 15–20 more minutes, until the wings are deeply browned and cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and transfer everything to a serving platter. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and mash into a paste.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the melted butter, chopped chives, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Once the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic into the bowl and mash with, then whisk to combine.
Pour the butter mixture over the wings and potatoes. Sprinkle with more parmesan, chives, and a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.
