Crispy, juicy, and downright addictive, my Hot Honey Chicken Wings are here to spice up your game-day parties, backyard barbecues, or lazy Netflix nights. Slathered in a sticky-sweet homemade hot honey sauce with just the right kick of spice, these wings are pure finger-licking perfection. Whether baked, grilled, or air-fried, they’re so good you’ll wonder if you even made enough!
These hot honey wings are an irresistible combination of crispy, juicy chicken wings coated in a delicious hot honey glaze with a fiery kick from sriracha or cayenne. The spicy and sweet chicken wings combo is a flavor bomb, like in my honey sriracha chicken.
You can pair them with your favorite dip (I love dipping them in garlic aioli or ranch) or a fresh simple salad for a fulfilling meal. And if you happen to have any extra sauce, don’t waste it! Drizzle it over pizza, grilled vegetables, or even cornbread. You’ll thank me later!
Homemade chicken wings are SO addictive. Don’t you agree?! Check out my other chicken wing recipes: Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings and Sticky Asian Wings.
Table of Content
Ingredients & Substitutions
See recipe card for quantities.
For Crispy Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings - Use wings with skin for maximum crispiness. Separating the drums and flats ensures even cooking and allows for better sauce coverage.
- Baking Powder - It dries out the skin and creates the perfect crispy texture that holds that sticky-sweet sauce without getting soggy.
- Cornstarch - or cornflour.
- Seasonings - I use a combo of onion powder, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. White pepper can be swapped with black pepper in half the amount.
- Oil - I have used olive oil to coat the wings but you can use avocado oil, vegetable oil or any neutral cooking oil your prefer.
For Hot Honey Sauce
- Butter - I prefer unsalted butter but if you are using salted remove the sea salt from the spicy sauce.
- Honey - Balances the heat in the hot wing sauce. Maple syrup or agave nectar can be used as alternatives.
- Sriracha - Sriracha provides a balanced heat with tangy acidity from vinegar. You can swap with sambal oelek, or any other hot sauce.
- Crushed Red Pepper -You can use smoked paprika in the sauce if you don’t like too much spice. And if you love more spice, feel free to use fresh red chili.
- Seasonings: Cayenne for the heat and smoked paprika mostly for the reddish tint.
You can optionally garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions or cilantro.
How To Make Hot Honey Chicken Wings
This crispy hot honey chicken wings recipe is a keeper! An easy recipe that's also a crowd favorite. Let's make these super delicious wings!
- Pat wings dry, toss with seasonings, and marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Arrange the chicken wings on a wire rack without over-crowding.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 210°C (410°F) for 50-60 minutes, flipping halfway until they are golden brown.
- Prepare hot honey sauce by simmering the sauce ingredients on low heat for a couple of minutes.
- Optionally baste wings with the hot honey glaze and broil for 5 minutes.
- Toss wings in remaining spicy honey sauce and serve hot!
How To Make In An Air Fryer
You can make these hot chicken wings in an air fryer too. The cook time is much faster.
- Pat chicken wings dry and season; let marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Arrange wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Increase to 220°C (425°F) and air fry for 5 more minutes for extra crispiness.
- Toss crispy wings in the spicy hot honey sauce and serve hot!
Expert Tips
- For maximum crispiness, the trick is to dry out the chicken skin thoroughly. Pat dry the chicken wings well and use baking powder. Baking powder works wonders by pulling moisture away from the skin.
- Avoid overcrowding the baking tray or air fryer rack to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and crisps up perfectly.
- Coat the chicken wings with honey sauce right after baking to make sure it sticks better.
- Bake the wings on a wire rack set over a baking tray to allow air circulation for optimal crisping, while the baking sheet catches any drippings, keeping the mess to a minimum.
Storage
If you have leftover hot honey wings, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can heat them in the microwave or oven/air fryer when you want to eat them again. Reheating them in an air fryer will restore their crispiness.
You can also store the spicy honey sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Prepping in Advance
For party prepping, you can season the wings, cover them in cling film and refrigerate them for several hours before cooking. Or simply place the marinated wings in a resealable freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Additionally, you can prepare the hot honey wing sauce ahead of time and store it in a jar in the fridge.
You can also bake the wings in advance, store them without the sauce, and reheat them in the oven or air fryer when ready to serve. Once reheated, toss the wings with the hot honey butter sauce just before serving.
Serving Ideas
These hot honey glazed chicken wings are perfect for game-day gatherings, super bowl parties, or just your casual random get-togethers.
- For sides, I love pairing them alongside my crispy Greek potato wedges, Masala Fries or cucumber salad to balance the heat. And if you are craving for something more comforting, my cheesy garlic bread hits the spot.
- For a wholesome meal, add my penne arrabbiata or creamy Cajun pasta alongside.
- As for dipping, my go-to is a classic ranch or garlic aioli, but if I want to keep it simple I’ll pair with my tangy yogurt sauce. Sriracha mayo or chili-lime crema would be perfect for heat lovers.
Love a bit of heat? You'll also enjoy my buffalo chicken tenders!
FAQs
Baking powder is the secret to achieving that perfect crispiness. It helps draw moisture from the chicken skin, which allows it to crisp up while baking. Just be sure to pat your wings dry before tossing them with the baking powder and seasonings to get the best results!
To get that sauce to cling perfectly, simmer it until it thickens slightly, creating a glaze-like consistency. Then, toss the wings in the hot sauce immediately after they come out of the oven or fryer, while they’re still smoking hot. This ensures the sauce sticks and coats the wings beautifully.
Yes, these spicy honey wings do pack some heat! The spiciness comes from ingredients like sriracha, cayenne, or chili flakes, which are balanced by the sweetness of honey. You can customize the spice to your preference though.
More Party Snacks
A variety of delicious, sweet or savoy treats that are perfect for any party:
- Chicken and Mushroom Vol Au Vent
- Coconut Date Balls
- Stuffed Dates
- Potato and Cheese Balls
- Spicy Popcorn Chicken
- Ground Beef Samosa
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📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 800 g/1.8 lbs chicken wings with skin drums and flats separated, wingtips discarded
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Hot Honey Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1-2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Thoroughly pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
- Toss the wings with the seasonings and let them marinate for 20–30 minutes.
- Drizzle with olive oil and mix until evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. If you don’t have a wire rack, then spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and line the wings onto it. The wire rack helps circulate the air making wings extra crispy.
- Bake at 210°C (410°F) for 25–30 minutes per side, totaling 50–60 minutes.
- Prepare the hot honey sauce by melting butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in red pepper flakes and cayenne, then add honey, sriracha, and sea salt. Simmer briefly, then remove from heat.
- For extra flavor, baste the wings with the hot honey sauce during the last 5 minutes of baking and broil them on the top rack.
- Transfer the remaining sauce to a large bowl, add the wings, and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately while hot with the dip of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Toss the wings in the hot sauce right after they come out of the oven or fryer, while they're still piping hot.
- Feel free to garnish the hot honey wings with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or cilantro for an extra touch.
- You can bake, air fry or grill these chicken wings. If you are deep frying, leave out the baking powder.
Nutrition
PIN IT FOR LATER
Kristin says
These were the biggest hit last night! Definitely named in our household the best wings ever!
Qashang says
Your feedback made my day. Thank you for trying and liking my recipe! 🙂