Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Here's a family favorite.  If you have a kid in sports who needs to grab a quick meal between school and practice, then stock your fridge with chicken wings. These wings are good hot or cold. They'd be great for a picnic or a potluck.  Since my son is on summer break, I have been stocking the fridge for lunches while I am at work.  Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 to 5 pounds chicken wings

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesean cheese

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3 eggs

2 tablespoons water

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1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Non-stick cooking spray (I use PAM)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut wings into three sections, discarding wing tips.  Rinse wings in kitchen strainer; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; toss with kitchen tongs to coat.  Generously coat two roasting pans with non-stick cooking spray. I use the roasting pans that came with my oven... they measure about 15" x 12" x 2".  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  In a shallow dish (I use a pie pan), combine the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese; stir to combine.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and water; whisk to combine.

4.  In a second shallow dish (pie pan), combine the flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper; stir to combine.

5.  To bread the chicken wings, dip in the wings in the seasoned flour, a few at a time, and tap them together to remove the excess flour, and then place the wings in the egg mixture.  When all the wings are in the egg mixture, stir with a spoon or a spatula until all the wings are coated with egg.  Remove the wings from the egg mixture a few a time and roll in the breadcrumb mixture, lightly coating all sides of the wings. Place the crumb coated wings in the prepared roasting pans.
6.  Place the wings in the preheated oven.  (Note: my oven is not big enough to place the pans side to side so I stagger the pans on two different racks in the middle of the oven like this... see photo). 

7.  Bake wings for 15 minutes and then move the pan on the lower rack to the upper rack, and the pan on the upper rack to the lower rack. Bake 15 minutes longer.  If your pans and oven allow you to place the pans side by side, then just cook the wings on the first side for 30 minutes and go to next step.
8.  Remove pans from the oven.  Spray the wings with more PAM, and then turn the wings over with kitchen tongs.  Return the pans to the oven.  Bake 15 minutes and then move the pan on the lower rack to the upper rack, and the pan on the upper rack to the lower rack. Bake 15 minutes longer.
Total cooking time: 1 hour (30 minutes on each side)
(Note: I live at high altitude.  If you don't live at high altitude, 1 hour might sound like a long time to cook these wings.  You might adjust your time to about 22 to 25 minutes per side.)

Remove wings from oven and place on paper towels.  Enjoy some right away and store some in the refrigerator.  To store these wings, I line plastic storage containers with more paper towels, allow the wings to cool, place the wings in the containers in a single layer, and refrigerate. I do not put the lid on the containers until the wings are completely cool.