Sticky-sweet and full of heat, these Hot Honey Chicken Wings are hard to quit eating.
A super-simple hot honey sauce glazes these wings, with extra to toss the wings in once they're out of the oven.
Whether you're looking to jazz up a weeknight meal or for your next tailgate or game day get together, this chicken wing recipe has to be on the menu!
Perfect party food: spicy-sweet wings
Simple to prepare and easy to customize, these wings make perfect party food for Game Days or any casual get-together!
As written, the hot honey sauce is the perfect heat level for a Midwestern person who likes a little spice but grew up in a heat-averse German Russian household.
That said, the great thing about this recipe is it's easy to customize - just reduce the amount of hot sauce, pick a spicier hot sauce, or add a little more honey to adjust the spice level and make sure you can handle the heat.
Likewise, I've included 3 different cooking methods for the chicken wings so you can use the method that you prefer or have access to.
And, if you have extra sauce when the wings are all demolished, you can use it for veggies (hot honey roasted brussels sprouts, anyone?), as a dipping sauce for chicken, or drizzle it over pork.
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Ingredients for Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Chicken Wings - Of course! Ideally, use a mix of drumettes and flats. Remove the wing tips if you have to and save them for broth or stock.
Baking Powder - The secret weapon for crispier wings that aren't fried! ½ tablespoon of baking powder per pound of wings
Spice Blend - Salt, pepper, and a bit of cayenne seasons these wings before they're tossed in hot honey sauce. The cayenne won't add too much spice here, but you can swap it out for chipotle or paprika if you're worried about heat.
Hot Sauce - For this recipe, I used Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce since it's broadly available and it's pretty basic as far as hot sauce goes! If you'd like to bump up the heat, you can use your preferred hot sauce.
Honey - Here's where we add the sweet! You can use wahtever honey you'd like. Raw honey preferred, but follow your heart.
Butter - A little butter creates a buffalo sauce base with the hot sauce. Don't skip the butter - it creates a smoother sauce and helps more sauce cling to the wings. Butter is part of what makes saucy wings saucy as opposed to just dipped in liquid!
Oven instructions
If making the wings in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and have an oven-safe wire rack ready.
Blot the chicken wings dry with paper towels or dishtowels, trying to get them as dry as possible. This is important for crispy wings in the oven!
Toss the wings in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder blend.
Place the wire rack over the baking sheet. Add the wings to the wire rack, being sure none are touching. Work in batches if necessary!
Roast for 30-45 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until wing temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Remove from oven, then set the oven to broil. If needed, rearrange an oven rack to the top-most position.
Brush the wings with hot honey sauce, then return to the oven for 2-3 minutes. Flip the wings, brush with more hot honey sauce, and return to oven for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from oven, transfer wings to a large bowl, and toss with additional hot honey sauce. Serve immediately.
Grill instructions
If making these hot honey chicken wings on the grill, you'll change things up just slightly - but most of the instructions remain the same!
Preheat the grill to medium heat, roughly 375 degrees to 400 degrees F.
Blot the chicken wings dry with paper towels or dishtowels, trying to get them as dry as possible. This is important for crispy wings in the oven!
Toss the wings in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder blend.
Using tongs, place the wings directly on the grill grates. Grill for 18-25 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Brush the wings with hot honey sauce and continue to grill for 2-3 minutes. Flip the wings, brush with sauce again, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer wings to a large bowl and toss with additional hot honey sauce. Serve immediately.
Air fryer instructions
While the air fryer is definitely not my tool of choice, I've got instructions for you in case you love your air fryer!
Blot the chicken wings dry with paper towels or dishtowels, trying to get them as dry as possible. This is important for crispy wings in the oven!
Toss the wings in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder blend.
Add the wings to the basket of your air fryer, being sure no wings are touching to promote all-around crisping. You'll likely have to work in batches.
Set the air fryer to 375 degrees F and air fry for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
All air fryers are going to be a bit different, so adjust accordingly!
Transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with hot honey sauce. Serve immediately.
How to make hot honey sauce
Making the sweet and spicy hot honey sauce for these wings is incredibly easy, and you'll be happy to have extra on hand after these wings are made!
No matter what method you use to make the wings, you can prep the hot honey sauce while they're cooking.
Here are the steps:
- Combine the hot sauce, butter, and honey in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced by about half.
That's it!
If you end up with leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
If you've a fan of sweet and spicy chicken, check out Gluten Free Kung Pao Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken Thighs next!
FAQs
I'm not going to wade too deep into the science, but baking powder is your secret weapon for crispy baked wings.
To sum it up, baking powder is alkaline, causing the pH level of the chicken skin to raise and kickstarting the browning process. The water in the skin will evaporate faster, causing the skin to get browned and crispy without overcooking the wings!
Easy - simply add more honey to the sauce if it's too spicy for your tastes. OR, start out using a milder or spicier hot sauce, depending on your tastes.
You can use whatever hot sauce you'd like (or can handle...). I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce because we usually have a bottle on hand.
- Make the wings again!
- Use as a dip for veggies, particularly celery or carrots.
- Drizzle over chicken tenders, crispy chicken thighs, or cast iron chicken breast.
- Drizzle over pork chops or pork tenderloin.
- Toss roasted veggies like broccoli or brussels sprouts in extra sauce.
- Use as a sauce for pulled pork or roast beef sandwiches.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
More chicken wing recipes to try out
Did you make these Hot Honey Chicken Wings? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.
Print📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Whether you're looking to jazz up a weeknight meal or for your next tailgate or game day get together, these hot honey chicken wings have to be on the menu! See the notes for grill or air fryer instructions!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings, separated into wings and drummettes
- ½ tablespoon baking powder, aluminum-free
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Original)
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Move an oven rack to the very bottom tier and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Using paper towels or dish towels, pat the chicken wings dry. In a large bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat.
- Transfer the chicken wings to the wire rack, being careful that no wings are touching. Bake for 30-45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and crispy. You may have to work in batches!
- Meanwhile, whisk together the butter, honey, hot sauce, and crushed red pepper to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until reduced and thickened.
- When done, remove the chicken wings from the oven. Set the oven to broil and move an oven rack to the highest position. Brush the wings with the hot honey sauce. Return the wings to the highest rack in the oven and broil for about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the wings to a large bowl. Pour remaining hot honey sauce overtop and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with celery, ranch, and/or blue cheese.
Notes
Grill instructions: Disregard steps 1 and 3. Preheat grill to medium heat, roughly 375 to 400 degrees F. Grill for 18-25 minutes, turning once halfway through. Brush wings with hot honey sauce and continue to grill for 2-3 minutes. Continue with step 6.
Air fryer instructions: Disregard steps 1 and 3. Add to the seasoned wings to the basket of an air fryer, ensuring none of the wings are touching (you may have to work in batches). Cook on 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Continue with step 6.
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