Hot Honey Chicken Wings
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Treat your taste buds to the perfect balance of sweet and spicy! This hot honey chicken wings recipe is an irresistible game-day classic.
Whether you’re hosting a party or just craving some delicious wings for dinner, this easy recipe is sure to satisfy. These wings can be baked or fried first, I have included instructions for both methods.
This is one of our easy party appetizer recipes you will want to bookmark for later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy Wings: Achieve perfectly crispy chicken wings using a wire rack for baking or by deep frying.
- Homemade Hot Honey Sauce: Made with simple ingredients like hot sauce, honey, and unsalted butter, this sauce is both sweet and spicy.
- Versatile Cooking Methods: Fry or bake the wings for a party appetizer that’s convenient to prepare.
- Perfect Balance of Flavor: The combination of hot sauce, honey, and garlic creates a spicy sauce that pairs wonderfully with a hint of garlic powder and onion powder.
- Easy to Make: With minimal ingredients and straightforward instructions, it’s a simple recipe you can make for any occasion.
Ingredients for hot honey wings
- Chicken wings, split at joints, tips removed
- Hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
- Honey
- Unsalted butter
- Garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Seasoning blend, optional for baked wings (your favorite)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Equipment and kitchen tools
- Wire rack
- Baking sheet
How to make homemade chicken wings
These are step by step overview photos. Full details in recipe card below,
Step 1 – Season wings with salt, pepper or optional seasoning mix (recipe below)
Step 2 – After seasoning, place wings on baking sheet.
Step 3 – In a small saucepan over medium heat add the butter.
Step 4 – bring the small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute
Step 5 – Stir in the hot sauce and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6- Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Step 7 – Pour sauce over cooked wings in a bowl, tossing to coat.
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Step 8 – Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes and serve.
For frying:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a large skillet or deep fryer, heat vegetable oil to 375°F (190°C). Fry the chicken wings in batches for about 8—10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the fried wings to the wire rack on the baking sheet.
Transfer the fried chicken wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the wings and toss until evenly coated.
Place the coated wings back onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15—20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the sauce is caramelized.
Remove the wings from the oven and let them cool slightly. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
For oven baked:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a small bowl, mix together spices.
Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken wings and toss until evenly coated.
Place the seasoned chicken wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are in a single layer and not touching.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35—40 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through cooking.
Transfer the fried chicken wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the wings and toss until evenly coated.
Place the coated wings back onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15—20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the sauce is caramelized.
Remove the wings from the oven and let them cool slightly. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
Tips for the Best Results
- Pat Dry: Use a paper towel to pat the chicken wings dry before seasoning and frying. This helps achieve a golden brown, crispy finish.
- Single Layer: Arrange wings in a single layer on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking.
- Monitor Temperature: Use a cooking thermometer to maintain the right temperature for frying oil. The ideal temperature is 375°F (190°C) for deep frying.
- Extra Sauce: For extra flavor, double the sauce ingredients and serve with additional hot honey butter sauce on the side.
Substitutions and Variations
- Air Fryer Method: For a healthier option, cook the wings in an air fryer basket at 400 degrees until crispy.
- Spicy Honey Variation: Add a little bit of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the hot honey sauce for extra spicy flavors.
- Herb Garnish: Top the wings with green onions, cilantro, or sesame seeds for added freshness and texture.
- BBQ Chicken Wings: Replace hot sauce with your favorite BBQ sauce for a different flavor profile.
FAQs About This Recipe
Yes, you can prepare the wings and sauce in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven before serving.
Check the internal temperature of the wings using a meat thermometer. It should reach at least 165°F (74°C).
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with different sauces like soy sauce, apple cider vinegar-based sauces, or even a sticky sauce made with brown sugar.
Serve with classic sides like celery sticks, carrot sticks, and sweet potato fries for a complete meal.
More yummy chicken recipes
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings split at joints, tips removed
- 1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Seasoning blend optional for baked wings )
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Wing Seasoning Blend
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
For oven baked:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the hot sauce and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken wings and toss until evenly coated.
- Place the seasoned chicken wings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they are in a single layer and not touching.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through cooking.
- Transfer the fried chicken wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the wings and toss until evenly coated.
- Place the coated wings back onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the sauce is caramelized.
- Remove the wings from the oven and let them cool slightly. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
For frying:
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Coat the wings in the rub.
- In a large skillet or deep fryer, heat vegetable oil to 375°F (190°C). Fry the chicken wings in batches for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the fried wings to the wire rack on the baking sheet.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the hot sauce and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Transfer the fried chicken wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the wings and toss until evenly coated.
- Place the coated wings back onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the sauce is caramelized.
- Remove the wings from the oven and let them cool slightly. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Pat Dry: Use a paper towel to pat the chicken wings dry before seasoning and frying. This helps achieve a golden brown, crispy finish.
- Single Layer: Arrange wings in a single layer on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking.
- Monitor Temperature: Use a cooking thermometer to maintain the right temperature for frying oil. The ideal temperature is 375°F (190°C) for deep frying.
- Extra Sauce: For extra flavor, double the sauce ingredients and serve with additional hot honey butter sauce on the side.
Nutrition
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Looking so incredibly good. Although not a fan of ‘hot’ I can sub that with another sauce and I am sure if will still be awesome.
Saw this awesome post at A Labour of Life
My entries this week 84+85
Please share with SSPS: https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
This sounds freaking fantastic! Thanks so much for adding your post to the #SSPS this last week. I will be featuring your post on next week’s post.
These were very good!