These crispy honey garlic chicken wings are coated in a sticky, sweet honey garlic sauce– perfect for a game-day appetizer or quick weeknight meal with your favorite sides.
What’s in Honey Garlic Chicken Wings?
- Chicken Wings: Two pounds of chicken wings feed my family with leftovers, but feel free to adjust the recipe to feed a crowd. Skip the legwork and purchase chicken wings split into drums and flats; I usually buy uncooked chicken wings from Costco.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder (not baking soda) is needed for crispy baked chicken wings. Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the pH of the skin, helping the wings become nice and crispy.
- Spices: Keep it simple, using only kosher salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and a little cayenne pepper.
- Sauce: To prepare this honey garlic sauce recipe from scratch, you will need soy sauce, honey or hot honey, cayenne pepper, four fresh garlic cloves, and a knob of fresh ginger.
- Garnish: Finish the honey garlic chicken wings with finely chopped scallions (green onions) and toss with sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Additions and Substitutions
- Swap the sweetener. Use light brown sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup, or a sugar-free option like monk fruit to sweeten the sauce instead of honey.
- Spice things up a little. Replace the homemade spice blend with your favorite seasonings like this Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe or try Chinese five spice.
How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Pat dry the chicken wings and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss to combine.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 15-30 minutes.
How do you know when the chicken is done?
Cooking times vary depending on the size of the wings. You can tell the chicken is done cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
Step 4: Optional: Broil the wings for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy wings. Remove the wings from the oven and set them aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Step 6: Combine the cooked chicken wings and the honey garlic sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine, and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Preparation Tip
You’ve got options: Toss the chicken wings in the honey garlic sauce and serve them right away, or coat them in the sauce and pop them back in the oven for a quick finish before serving. Either way, they’re delicious!
Expert Tips
- Use a wire rack. Elevate the chicken wings on a wire rack, allowing the hot air to circulate around them evenly. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to create a barrier if you don’t have a wire rack.
- Dry the wings. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel before adding the spice rub to create a nice, crispy coating.
- Give the chicken space. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the wire rack with space in between. Overcrowding causes the wings to steam rather than roast, and they won’t be as crispy.
- Don’t skip baking powder. Baking powder is the secret to extra crispy wings. It’s alkaline, so pairing it with salt alters the skin’s pH, encouraging the wings to become crispy.
- Rest the wings. After roasting, give the chicken wings a few minutes to rest, allowing moisture on the surface to evaporate; this helps the skin stay crispy while the meat reabsorbs its juices.
- Use a thermometer. The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to use an instant-read thermometer; the USDA recommends cooking chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
If you enjoy honey garlic chicken wings, try more wing recipes from Jamil Ghar!
Serving Suggestions
It doesn’t get any better than homemade chicken wings. Whether you serve them as an appetizer for gatherings and game day or pair them with one of these sides for wings for a quick weeknight meal, these sticky honey garlic chicken wings are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Dunk them into ranch dressing, blue cheese, or garlicky sos czosnkowy, and pair them with classic sides like carrots and celery or a simple salad with your favorite dressing to finish the meal—jalapeño lime vinaigrette and honey ginger dressing are great options!
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover wings in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the wings cool and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Honey garlic chicken wings freeze for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken wings in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (176°C) for the best results. You can microwave the wings, but they won’t be as crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to sauce wings before or after baking?
You should always toss chicken wings with the honey garlic sauce after they bake since the skin needs to be crispy to absorb all the sticky sauce.
My go-to method for making wings always starts with seasoning the chicken wings in a dry rub that MUST include baking powder and kosher salt before roasting them to crispy perfection.
Once they’re out of the oven, I toss the wings in whatever sauce I am in the mood for that day—honey garlic chicken wing sauce!
More Wing Sauce Recipes:
Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce
Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Pineapple Barbecue Sauce
Cheerwine BBQ Sauce
Can the chicken wings be cooked from frozen?
Start with fully thawed chicken wings to ensure even cooking. Frozen wings release moisture as they cook, which can lead to steaming instead of achieving that crispy, golden-brown texture.
And for perfectly seasoned wings, make sure the chicken is dry—wet wings won’t hold onto the spices, leaving you with a soggy mess.
Are honey garlic chicken wings gluten-free?
Honey garlic chicken wings contain gluten, but a simple substitution makes them completely gluten-free. Swap the soy sauce for tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos, whichever you prefer.
More Appetizer Recipes:
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Small Bowl
- 2 pounds chicken wings, split into wings and drums
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ – inch knob of ginger, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Pat dry the chicken wings and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cayenne in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 15-30 minutes.Tip: Cooking times vary depending on the size of the wings. You can tell the chicken is done cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
- Optional: Broil the wings for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy wings.
- Remove the wings from the oven and set them aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Combine the cooked chicken wings and the honey garlic sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine, and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.Tip: oss the chicken wings in the honey garlic sauce and serve them right away, or coat them in the sauce and pop them back in the oven for a quick finish before serving.
- Use a wire rack. Elevate the chicken wings on a wire rack, allowing the hot air to circulate around them evenly. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to create a barrier if you don’t have a wire rack.
- Dry the wings. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel before adding the spice rub to create a nice, crispy coating.
- Give the chicken space. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the wire rack with space in between. Overcrowding causes the wings to steam rather than roast, and they won’t be as crispy.
- Don’t skip baking powder. Baking powder is the secret to extra crispy wings. It’s alkaline, so pairing it with salt alters the skin’s pH, encouraging the wings to become crispy.
- Rest the wings. After roasting, give the chicken wings a few minutes to rest, allowing moisture on the surface to evaporate; this helps the skin stay crispy while the meat reabsorbs its juices.
- Use a thermometer. The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to use an instant-read thermometer; the USDA recommends cooking chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Ainee
Monday 13th of February 2023
We made these for the super bowl. They were just as promised! Crispy, flavorful and moist. Even the kids loved them!
Tressa Jamil
Monday 13th of February 2023
They are sweet and savory so they are perfect for all ages. I am so glad your family enjoyed them.