These Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings are going to be your new favorite chicken wing recipe! They’re tender on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside, and there’s no frying involved.
Plus, the cheesy garlic flavor is such a delicious and kid-friendly combination. Mmmm.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Can you tell I’m really enjoying trying out new Instant Pot recipes – like my Shredded Mexican Chicken, or this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken and Spaghetti Squash? I really love how tender and delicious chicken cooks in the IP in such a short amount of time.
Like these Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings! They only require 6 minutes of pressure cooking and the meat is so good!
I like a crispy skin on my wings so I roasted and broiled them in a really hot oven to create that texture and give them some golden color.
I think you’re going to love them!
Let’s get right to it – shall we?
How to make pressure cooker chicken wings:
Add drumettes and/or wings to a large mixing bowl, then toss with garlic powder, onion powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Place a cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then place the trivet in the bottom, add the chicken to the Instant Pot, and close the lid.
Pressure cook on high pressure for 6 minutes (the IP will take 15-17 minutes to come to pressure). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 525 degrees with the oven rack in the middle.
When pressure cooking is complete, do a quick release. It will take 2-3 minutes to release pressure.
Remove wings from the IP and place in a large bowl. Add melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic and salt to a small bowl and mix. Then pour over cooked chicken wings and fold the sauce onto the wings.
Place chicken skin-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Then switch to broil without removing from the oven for 3 minutes.
Remove and toss with parmesan cheese, salt and parsley while still hot. Serve and enjoy!
I can assure you these garlic parmesan chicken wings will be gone in 60 seconds. They are super tasty and the perfect meaty snacks / appetizers.
You may be wondering if you can cook frozen chicken wings in the Instant Pot… the answer is absolutely!
How to cook frozen chicken wings in the instant pot:
Just like cooking any frozen meat in the IP, it will take a little longer than thawed. Be sure your chicken wings aren’t all frozen together in a big blob, follow the recipe below, and pressure cook them for 12 minutes instead of 6.
Notes on Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings:
- I like using chicken drumettes for this recipe for two reasons… they seem to have a bit more meat on them, and there’s no work involved to cut up the wings.
- If you decide to use whole wings, cut off the tips with sharp kitchen sheers or a knife. The tips take up room and don’t have any meat on them so it’s not necessary to use them. (I do like to save them and make stock out of them later.) Next, separate the drumettes and the flat part of the wing. I find bending them backwards at the joint then using a sharp knife to separate them works well.
- After they cook in the Instant Pot I like to roast my wings in the oven to get golden and crispy. If you wanted to add a different sauce like BBQ or Buffalo Sauce you could toss them in the sauce after they are pressure cooked. Then bake or broil for a few minutes to help the sauce stick.
- 3 pounds chicken drumettes/wings (whichever you prefer) *See Note
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup water
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons parsley (optional)
- Add the drumettes to a large mixing bowl and toss with garlic powder, onion powder and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Place a cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the chicken wings, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high pressure 6 minutes (the IP will take 15-17 minutes to come to pressure). Meanwhile, move your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 525 degrees F.
- When pressure cooking is complete, carefully do a Quick Release of the pressure. It normally takes 2-3 minutes to release pressure.
Remove wings from the IP and place in a large bowl. Add the melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, and salt to a small bowl and stir together. Pour over cooked chicken wings and toss.
- Place the chicken wings skin-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes. Then broil 2-3 more minutes without opening the oven.
Remove the wings from the oven and toss with parmesan cheese, salt and parsley while still hot. Serve and enjoy.
If you use whole wings and plan to cut off the tips you will have less meat than if you used drumettes. So if using whole wings, purchase 4 pounds, and if you’re only using drumettes, purchase 3 pounds.
MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES:
- Shredded Mexican Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Risotto
- Instant Pot Jalapeño Popper Chicken
- Instant Pot Pot Roast with Veggies & Gravy
alyssa says
I have about six normal sized drumsticks. Can i use that instead? What would be the difference in the time to cook them if any?
McDonna says
This.was.FANTASTIC. Sooooo easy, and – believe it or not – I found some shortcuts to make it even *easier* (if that’s even possible!).
1) Didn’t use a trivet. I’ve cooked wings for years by just putting them in the IP – including frozen wings. They just go in the bottom of the IP and there’s never been a problem with them being soggy. Cutting the liquid down just a tad helps, since the wings already have tons of moisture from being thawed.
2) Didn’t pre-season them before the IP. Just dumped them in, sprinkled the seasoning blend on top of them, then stirred them around. Eliminated both a step and dirtying a dish by doing that. 😀
3) Drained the liquid off the cooked wings, then just poured the melted butter, etc., on the wings that were still in the IP. Stirred to coat, then they went straight on the baking sheet. There was melted butter juice 😉 left over that was used after pulling the wings out of the oven. Again, another step and dirty dish avoided. Yea!
4) Used foil instead of parchment because that’s what I had. Sprayed the foil with coconut oil to minimize sticking.
5) After the wings were finished in the oven, they were loosened from the foil, sprinkled with the parmesan cheese, then the rest of the melted butter & garlic blend was poured over the wings. Lots of garlic…heavenly. I wondered if the butter would affect the crispiness…but it didn’t! Again – YEA!
So at the end of your brilliant recipe, the only dish that was dirtied was the IP liner, the bowl used to melt the butter in the microwave, and the foil on the baking sheet…because I can’t stand having to clean the kitchen!
This recipe is a keeper! Thank you, thank you! You’re amazing!
Bryan says
Hi Donna thank you so much for the nice comments and the suggestions to streamline this process. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!! – Holly & Bryan
Lisa Hudson says
These were AMAZING! they disappeared very fast. So easy, will def. Make these again.
Bryan says
Hi Lisa glad you loved them – they don’t last long in our house either. Thanks for the great rating!! – Bryan & Holly
Erin says
These look delicious. Can I make this recipe with chicken thighs?
holly says
Thanks, Erin! You sure can – I would recommend pressure cooking them for 7 minutes with a natural release of 5 minutes then manually release the rest of the pressure. This is one of our favorite IP recipes. And hopefully soon to be yours – enjoy!
Shari says
I made the garlic parmesian chicken today for the first time. I absolutely won’t be the last. My whole house smells so good.
holly says
Yayyy! I love hearing that, Shari! Thanks so much for letting me know how they turned out and for the 5-star rating!!!:D
Britany says
What size IP do you have? My trivet doesn’t look as big as yours. Thanks!
Bryan says
Hi Britany, we use a 6-quart IP. Here’s the link (affiliate link) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBKTPTS/?tag=taanse-20. Enjoy! – Bryan
Debbie says
I’m making these for Super Bowl Sunday. They look fabulous. The sauce sounded so good, and I was looking for a side dish for dinner tonight, so I made the sauce, replaced the butter with 1T champagne vinegar, reduced olive oil to 1T, then baked a bag of frozen french fries, tossed in a bowl with sauce and then topped with the parmesan cheese mixture. Our taste buds are dancing. Thank you!!!
Bryan says
Hi Debbie what a great modification – love the way you used the sauce! Enjoy the wings today – and the game! – Holly & Bryan
Lynn H says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but plan to. I’m currently on chemo and it has made me super sensitive to hot spices. What other chicken wing/drumette recipes of yours can I adapt to my wimpy taste buds?
Bryan says
Hi Lynn, we are so sorry to hear about you going through chemo… we are believing for God’s best for your health. As far as the wings, to tone down the flavors you could remove some of the fresh minced garlic, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. Of course the end result will be a bit more bland but I think that is what you’re looking for. Our other wing recipe is these Lemon Pepper wings but you’d want to forego the lemon pepper seasoning and the minced garlic: https://tasteandsee.com/lemon-pepper-wings/. Hope this helps!! – Holly & Bryan
Lucie says
Hello,
I do not have a broiler, what would you suggest?
holly says
Hey, Lucie, I would roast them 3-5 minutes longer and skip the broiling. Just keep your eye on them so they don’t burn.
Elaina says
My oven only gets to 500 F. Should I extend the time in the oven?
holly says
Hi Elaina, yes – for sure! Maybe an extra 3 minutes.
steve says
made them almost exactly. instead of regular pepper i used ground szechuan pepper/ was amazing!!!!!
holly says
Yayyy! I love szechuan pepper – that sounds fantastic, Steve! Thanks so much!
Ginger says
My 1st IP recipe! So delish, thanks for this awesome recipe!
Bryan says
So glad you enjoyed it! Me sure to check out all our IP recipes here: https://tasteandsee.com/instant-pot-recipes/
Pam Oakley says
I have a parmesan/ garlic coating mix (from a box) but my question is should i coat the chicken wings first then put in instant pot OR cook wings in instant pot then coat them then put in air fryer for crispness?
Bryan says
Hi Pam! You want to cook the wings in the instant pot before you try coating them in a bread crumb/coating mix. Also instead of firing up the air fryer you might try cooking them in the instant pot as per the recipe, then coating them with your parm/garlic coating, putting on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and baking or broiling them in the way this recipe describes. You’ll have to watch them closely to see how your coating mix takes the heat. Good luck and enjoy!!
Becky says
Omg! These are AMAZING! I finally jumped onto the bandwagon and got an instapot and this was the first recipe we tried. All 3 of my kiddos were fighting over them they were sooooo good! Needless to say we are now hooked and can’t wait to make them again. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
holly says
Yayyy! I love hearing that, Becky! I’m so glad you and the family enjoyed them! Thanks for choosing my recipe to break in your IP for the first time!!😁🙏
Chloe says
Shredded parm or grated??
holly says
Shredded Parmesan.
holly says
Grated Parmesan.👍
Kristi says
I made these and they were amazing. And I’m not a wing person normally, but my husband and kids love them. I love to freezer cook, so I doubled this. The first batch, I started in one IP, then while it was pressure cooking, I started the second batch in the other (yes, I have two). By the time I got the first batch into the broiler, the second batch was done in the IP. I then finished them through the “toss before baking” and let them finish cooling before I froze them. A month after we ate the first batch, I thawed the second batch and proceeded with the broiling step through finish. They batch turned out just as good. Just a suggestion for your readers that like to prepare freezer meals.
holly says
Hi Kristi, I’m so glad you and your family enjoy these wings as much as we do! I love the tip about freezing them before roasting/broiling. I think I’ll add it to the recipe card in the notes. Thanks so much for your awesome feedback and for the tip!
MsDropofrain says
these were amazing. I followed your recipe to the T. My kitchen smells so good right now, I want more. Made them to take to our women’s card playing date and they were a hit. My poor husband helped me cook and did not have any leftovers to try, lol. I will need to get more meat from the store tomorrow, just for my family. I am sure this will be our staple meal now. So quick and easy, you cannot go wrong with it. Question: do you use the liquid left in IP for any other recipes?
Bryan says
Thanks for your comment! That’s so great to hear! About the cooking liquid: you could make a stock with it: throw any leftover bones in the IP with a rough chopped carrot, onion, & stick of celery, several additional cups of water, salt & pepper and pressure cook… or you could simmer all those ingredients in a soup pot on the stove for an hour or so. Strain and freeze in a ziploc for any recipe that calls for chicken stock… like maybe this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup! 🙂
Chelsi says
If I wanted to do 5 lbs of drumsticks, what would be your timing suggestion? This is my first time using and IP! Thanks
holly says
The timing should be good just the way it is. I would split the wings onto two sheet pans for the baking portion of the recipe. I hope you enjoy them and good luck!
Debbi says
My family doesn’t really eat wings, can it be done with chicken tenders? Just wondering how much longer I would need to cook them if I tried.
holly says
Hi Debbi, I had another person ask the same thing. The recipe should work as written with chicken tenders as well. To be sure they are fully cooked temp them with a meat thermometer to make sure they reach 165 degrees. Enjoy!
Ashley says
These wings were absolutely delicious! My husband and my extremely picky 6 year old, who was at first very disappointed I didn’t make BBQ wings, ate them ALL up! In fact, my 6yr old enjoyed these wings more than the usually BBQ ones I’ve made.
I will absolutely be making these again!
holly says
That is so awesome to hear, Ashley! It’s such a win when the whole family loves a recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience with me!
Lina says
Is a trivet mandatory? A friend gave me their instant pot and I did not receive a trivet with it
holly says
Yes, it is necessary. You don’t want the wings sitting in the liquid because they will get really soggy. Then when you put them in the oven they won’t dry out and get the crispy bits on them. I believed the trivets are pretty inexpensive, like $6-$7 dollars on amazon.
Kelly says
So good! Happy family. Sent it to everyone I know.
holly says
Yayyy! I love hearing that, Kelly! Thanks so much for getting the word out!😁
Grace says
I am wondering what pressure level do you cook these at?
Bryan says
Hi Grace thanks for asking about that – use the Instant Pot high pressure setting for these wings – enjoy!
Sarah says
Hi! These look amazing, just curious as there are only two of us and I had one pound of wings and not three…..would I adjust heating time for 1 pound instead of 3? Or same time in the IP? Thanks so much in advance!
holly says
Hey Sarah, the cook time doesn’t need to change for less wings. That’s because the time is based on the size of the food, and not the quantity of food. These wings are amazing – I hope you love them as much a see do!
Dina says
Can I prep these in the IP and then refrigerate to bake the following day?
holly says
Sure – that should work just fine, Dina. (Great idea BTW!) Since they will be cold going into the oven you may need to bake them a little longer but only broil them the same amount of time that the recipe specifies. They can burn easily under the broiler if left too long.
Dee says
Is it correct to add salt three times? Before pressure choking, before baking and before serving? I think salt is listed incorrectly before baking because it’s not specifically mentioned in the detailed instructions. Just wanted to confirm, thanks!
holly says
Hi Dee, you actually add the salt three times. Sorry for the confusion. Some of the salt for the cooking step and roasting ends up not sticking to the wings. You could always omit some if you wanted to. Thanks!
Nicolette says
Hey! I was wondering if you need to pop them in the oven after?? We don’t have an oven at the moment so I’m trying out my instant pot for the first time but was curious if it was necessary for the last oven part? Thank you!
holly says
Hi Nicollette, they are fully cooked when they finish cooking in the IP but they won’t have any of that golden color and the skins will be soft. Also, most of the flavor comes for tossing them with the butter, olive oil and seasoning at the end so you would need to do that for sure. I guess you could try to removing the liquid and the trivet after they cook in the IP and add oil and saute them that way. Then toss them in the sauce. In my opinion the oven part is pretty important but you never know – sometimes another way can work as well. Good luck!
Stephanie W says
Update: I made these tonight and they were amazing. I didn’t need to modify any of the recipe and i used drumsticks. I checked how done they were based on the recipe times and although I added a few minutes of broil, these were so so so delicious. Even my super picky kids devoured this.
Bryan says
Hi Stephanie, we love hearing that! We can’t get enough of these wings over here, they are absolutely addictive!
Stephanie says
For drumsticks, do you de-skin them?
Bryan says
Hi Stephanie, we leave the skin on for this recipe. Enjoy!!
Crystal says
Is it OK to use frozen wings? If so do I need to modify any of the times?
holly says
Hi Crystal, you use frozen wings just be sure they’re not all stuck together. I’ve never made them from frozen but many recipes say to pressure cook them 15 minutes. I feel like that could be a bit long – you might try 12 minutes of pressure cooking. Be sure to temp them with your meat thermometer to make sure they reach 165 degrees. Good luck!
Dave says
1. My oven only goes to 450… how long should I bake them?
2. Oven is electric, so it takes a while to go from bake to broil. How should I modify instructions?
holly says
Hmmm good questions, Dave. I would bake them for 10 minutes then switch to broil. I would probably broil them for double the amount of time specified. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
Teresa says
What’s the carb count?
Bryan says
Hi Teresa the total carbs is less than 1g per serving… enjoy!!
Jessica says
How would you modify this for drumsticks instead of drumettes? (Can’t wait to try – looks awesome.)
holly says
Hey Jessica, my guess would be to cook them a little longer. Maybe do a 10 minute pressure cook and a 10 minute natural release. If you have a meat thermometer temp them to make sure they’re above 165 degrees. Then follow the rest of the recipe. Good luck!
Carm says
How many wings or oz are in a serving?
holly says
Hey! It’s 4 wings per serving. Hope that helps!
Bryan says
Can’t get enough!
holly says
I feel the same way!!!