Hot Honey Chicken Wings

This hot honey chicken wings recipe is easy to make, perfectly crispy, juicy, and baked in the oven. The homemade hot honey sauce—made with butter, hot sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, and garlic—adds just the right amount of heat. Serve with this Greek Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing or Feta Dressing.

If you’re not a fan of hot sauce, no worries! You can enjoy the wings as-is or toss them in a non-spicy alternative like teriyaki, buffalo, or Parmesan garlic sauce. Keep in mind, though—these wings bring the heat!

Why Make Wings in the Oven?

Baking wings is a healthier, cleaner, and easier way to achieve crispy, flavorful results without the mess of deep frying.

Time-Saving: Baking a whole batch at once takes only 22 minutes, faster than frying in batches.

No deep frying: There is no need for excess oil, making them naturally lower in fat and calories.

Crispy Texture: Tossing wings with baking powder and cornstarch mimics the crispiness of frying.

Convenient: With minimal cleanup, baked wings are perfect for busy cooks. Lining your baking sheet with foil makes cleanup a breeze.

How Much Chicken Wings Per Person?

For this recipe:

• 2 lbs of wings yields 16-20 whole wings or 32-40 pieces (if drumettes and flats are separated).
• As an appetizer: Serves 4-6 people (3-5 wings per person).
• As a main course: Serves 2-3 people (6-10 wings per person).

Can You Make These Wings in an Air Fryer?

Yes! Air frying is another great option for crispy wings with even less oil.

1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
2. Toss wings with cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil.
3. Air fry in batches for 17-18 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. Toss in the hot honey sauce and serve.

Why Add Cornstarch and Baking Powder?

Adding cornstarch and baking powder is a game-changer for crispy wings:

• Cornstarch: Creates a light, crunchy coating that rivals fried wings. It’s a popular technique in many Asian-inspired recipes.
• Baking Powder: Raises the pH of the skin, promoting browning and drawing out moisture for extra crispiness. Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any metallic taste.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

• Alternative Sauces: For a kid-friendly version, skip the hot sauce, chili flakes, and cayenne. Add 2-3 more tablespoons of ketchup or tomato sauce for sweet honey wings.
• Storage Tips:
  • Refrigerate: Store wings without the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze: Place wings on a tray in the freezer for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months.
  • Reheating: Warm wings in the oven (15 minutes), air fryer (7 minutes), or microwave (30-second intervals). Add extra time if reheating from frozen.

What Kind of Hot Sauce to Use?

• Classic Choice: Frank’s RedHot is the go-to for buffalo-style flavor.
• Other Options: Tabasco, Sriracha, or Cholula offer unique heat profiles.
• Customizable: Mix and match or use homemade hot sauce to suit your taste.
  

I hope you get to try the recipe foe your next gathering or celebration.

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5 from 1 vote

Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Hot honey chicken wings recipe – easy to make, perfectly crispy, juicy, and baked in the oven. The homemade hot honey sauce—made with butter, hot sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, and garlic—adds just the right amount of heat.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

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For the Wings:

• ▢ 2 lb chicken wings, cleaned and patted dry
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch

For the Hot Honey Sauce:

• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp butter or ghee
• ▢ 2 tbsp honey
• ▢ 1 tsp lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tbsp hot sauce
• ▢ 1-2 tbsp ketchup, optional
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

For the Wings:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire roasting rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine wings with olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder. Toss to coat evenly.
  
• Place wings on the prepared rack in a single layer. Bake for 11 minutes, then flip with tongs.
  
• Bake for another 11 minutes. For extra crispiness, broil for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
  

For the Hot Honey Sauce:

• In a small saucepan, combine olive oil, butter, honey, lemon juice, hot sauce, ketchup (if using), garlic powder, chili flakes, and cayenne pepper.
• Heat on low for 2-3 minutes, stirring until well blended.

To Assemble:

• Place baked wings in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over them and toss until evenly coated.
  
• Serve immediately.

Notes

4 servings (5 wings each)

 

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 926mg, Potassium: 339mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 475IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

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