In my opinion, cornstarch works best for chicken wings – especially when making them on a grill or baking in the oven.
Baking powder almost has a gritty taste that’s off-putting and lacks the “crunch” that most Readers are likely chasing.
Testing Cornstarch vs Baking Powder for Chicken Wings
While I’ve already tested this concept before and I know the end result, I wanted to re-test this for the sake of the article.
Here’s a picture of the cornstarch wings before grilling:
Here’s a picture of the baking powder wings before grilling:
Here’s a picture of the cornstarch wings after grilling:
Here’s a picture of the baking powder wings after grilling:
Something that’s worth noting is that during the grilling process, the baking powder wing “set up” faster.
This could be simply due to the fact that there was less baking powder on the wing itself or it could be the inherent properties of baking powder in comparison to the cornstarch.
Here’s a picture about half way through grilling the wings:
Which is Best?
Visually, there isn’t a ton of difference in the end product.
However, taste-wise there is a huge difference.
I had my parents test the baking powder wings first – I also took a bite myself.
The surface of the wing almost feel “sandy” in the mouth; You can tell it wants to be crispy but it’s just super lacking.
To quote my Mom: “These don’t hold a torch to your wings.”
I then offered them my regular cornstarch wings with and without sauce and both of them remarked that they were way better.
Help! I Used Cornstarch and They Still Don’t Have Crispy Skin
In almost every case it’s because you didn’t go to a high enough internal temperature.
Wings are similar to dark meat – meaning you can push the internal temperature up to 200F – and the wings will remain moist/tender inside.
By cooking longer you’ll render more skin fat and the meat will cleanly and easily pull off the bone.
Why Cornstarch Works Best for Wings
Cornstarch is almost entirely starch – where-as flour contains gluten.
The more starch something has the greater the water absorption. This leads to the enhanced gelatinization of starches.
This same thing happens when starch is applied to a wet surface – like a wing.
The starch granules swell and absorb water – as the wing is heated it pushes out moisture. The subsequent heating causes the granule size to increase until they can no longer absorb water and they burst.
The result is a super crunchy, moist wing.
Why Baking Powder can Work for Wings
Most home baking powders are “double-acting.”
Meaning, there are two reactions – first when the baking powder comes into contact with a liquid and second when it’s heated.
These are good qualities to have in our scenario. The baking powder will dry out the surface of the skin and then activate when it’s heated.
Note: If you opt to use baking powder, ensure it’s aluminum-free.
To me though, the sandy/gritty taste is gross.
Cornstarch is Cheaper than Baking Powder
Something that’s worth noting is that corn starch is a bit cheaper than baking powder – almost half the cost.
I typically buy corn starch from Walmart and use their Great Value brand:
- Corn starch: $1.54 for 16 oz.
- Baking powder: $1.48 for 8 oz.
So you can get double the amount of corn starch for roughly the same price as baking powder.
