Crispy BBQ Keto Chicken Wings (Oven-Baked!)

These oven-baked crispy keto chicken wings are a classic! The rub is made with lots of keto friendly spices and unlike many store bought BBQ seasoning it’s 100% sugar free and low carb. An easy bbq chicken wings recipe you’ll want to make time and time again.

There’s nothing quite like a good flavoursome chicken wing, right? Juicy meat and crispy skin that’s spicy and smokey, with the right balance of sweet and salty. Mmmh!

I like to serve these Keto Chicken Wings with a good dollop of mayo and a side of Keto fried rice or fresh salad like my Halloumi and Pomegranate Salad. They make a perfect Super Bowl snack or now that it’s BBQ season, why not throw some on the BBQ? They’re a real crowd pleaser.

Is it OK to eat chicken wings on keto?

Generally, it’s a sound YES. One large chicken wing on its own has exactly 0 carbs and contains around 18 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat. But it depends how you make them – it’s the sauce or the rub that adds the carbs.

Any shop bought marinades will contain large amounts of added sugars and should be avoided. If you’re adding a tomato based buffalo or bbq sauce, make sure it’s homemade (check out my easy sugar free bbq sauce recipe!). That way, you can keep carbs low and avoid an insulin spike.

If you add a sugar free spice rub, you’re staying perfectly keto. This crispy chicken wings recipe contains only 1.6 net carbs per portion – that’s just over 0.5 net carbs per chicken wing. You’ll love the smokey, spicy bbq flavour!

How to make bbq keto chicken wings – step by step:

1.) Prepare the rub by mixing all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

2.) Heat a large cast iron skillet or non stick frying pan and sear the chicken wings for 2 – 3 minutes per side. (If using a cast iron skillet you may need to grease with a little oil to prevent sticking.)

3.) Once seared, place the chicken wings in a mixing bowl and toss with the rub and olive oil or butter. Massage until fully coated.

4.) Place the Keto BBQ Chicken Wings onto a greaseproof lined baking tray and bake in the oven for around 35 minutes until crisp. Turn half way through for even cooking.

I like to bake these chicken wings in the oven for a healthy alternative to fried. They go nice and sticky and crispy. If you want them super crispy you can always finish them off under the grill/broiler for 3-5 minutes.

Can you make these chicken wings in the air fryer? Absolutely! Set it to 180 Celsius and pre-heat for 5 minutes. Then air-fry the wings in 2 batches for 20-25 minutes each, giving the basket a good shake after 10 minutes to ensure they brown evenly.

You can use any granulated erythritol in this recipe. However, a brown sugar alternative will give a better flavour. In the US, Lakanto Golden is a good choice (get 20% off with my code SUGARFREE!). In the UK and Europe you could go for Sukrin Gold.

Store any leftover rub in an airtight jar for up to 3 months. I used most of the BBQ seasoning as I like things super flavoursome but feel free to customise to your own tastes and adjust accordingly.

To add a twist to these Keto Chicken Wings you can add 1/2 tsp of ground cumin and 1/2 tsp of ground coriander/cilantro for more of a Mexican flavour.

Add chipotle flakes instead of chilli powder for a smokey flavour and use smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.