Prepare the Wings:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Spray rack generously with cooking spray.
2. Dry Wings Thoroughly: Pat chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. This is the most important step for crispy skin—any moisture prevents proper crisping. Let wings air-dry for 5-10 minutes if time allows.
3. Season Wings: In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated. Make sure every wing is covered with the baking powder mixture.
4. Arrange on Rack: Place wings on the prepared rack in a single layer, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Space them out for maximum air circulation.
5. Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping once halfway through (at about 22-25 minutes), until wings are golden brown, crispy, and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. For extra crispiness, broil for the final 2-3 minutes, watching carefully.

Make the Garlic Parmesan Sauce:

6. Melt Butter: While wings bake, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
7. Cook Garlic: Add minced garlic to melted butter and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Don’t let garlic brown or burn.
8. Season: Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.

Toss and Serve:

9. Combine: Transfer hot, crispy wings to a large clean bowl. Pour garlic butter over wings and toss to coat thoroughly.
10. Add Cheese: Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley over buttered wings. Toss again until wings are evenly coated with cheese and herbs.
11. Serve: Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately while hot. Garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.