Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Golden and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, these incredible wings are smoky, salty, and sweet. They’re also ready in under one hour, with virtually zero cleanup. The fact that they’re baked (and thus healthier), is simply a bonus.
My recipe below is entirely adaptable, making it the ultimate formula for all chicken wing endeavors moving forward. I suggest you make this honey garlic version first, to get the basics down. Then try different flavor profiles, like Buffalo, barbecue, and honey mustard (variation instructions below).
Here are some tips for perfect chicken wings every time
- Save time and purchase “party style” wings. Party-style wings come with the wing tips removed, and the wingettes and drummettes separated. This isn’t mandatory, but it’s a big time-saver. The wingette is the flat part with two bones and the drummette looks like a miniature drumstick. If you can’t find party-style wings, remove the wing tips, and then separate the wingette from the drumette by bending at the joint where the two connect. If they don’t come apart easily, cut through the joint with kitchen shears or a sharp knife.
- To ensure crispy skin, the wings need to be totally dry. Before coating the wings with anything, pat them dry with paper towels, on both sides.
- Check your wings often as they bake. Here’s why – ovens vary. You want your seasoned chicken wings browned and crispy, not blackened. A little char adds great flavor, but if the skin starts to burn, pull the wings from the oven early. Just make sure they reach 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
- Don’t crowd the pan. You want the heat to hit every angle of the wings, so spread the wings out on the rack, making sure they don’t touch. If necessary, use two baking sheets and two wire racks. The wings can regroup after the baking process.
- Serve these chicken wings as soon as they’re ready. When wings sit out, they lose their crispiness. If you have leftover chicken wings, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, spread them out on a lined baking sheet and reheat in a 350-degree oven until hot all the way through.
- Don’t sauce the wings too early. Most sauces have sweet elements. In this case, it’s honey, which will scorch in a hot oven when cooked for more than 10 minutes. No matter what sauce/glaze you choose, brush the wings with it before the last 10 minutes of cooking. This gives the coating time to caramelize, not burn.
Chicken wing variations
- For Buffalo-style chicken wings: Replace the honey-garlic sauce with hot sauce, such as Frank’s. Serve extra hot sauce on the side.
- For BBQ chicken wings: Replace the honey-garlic sauce with your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce.
- For honey mustard wings: Replace the honey garlic sauce with a mixture of 1/4 cup honey and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or your favorite store-bought honey mustard.
Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Golden and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, these incredible wings are smoky, salty, and sweet. They’re also ready in under one hour, with virtually zero cleanup.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings
- 3 pounds party-style chicken wings, if your chicken wings are whole, see tip above
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked, see tip above
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1/4 cup tamari sauce, or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey, or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place a wire rack on the baking sheet.
- Place the chicken wings in a large bowl, add the melted butter and toss to coat. Add the paprika, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the wings to the prepared pan and spread them out so they don’t touch each other. Use two pans with racks if necessary.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tamari sauce, honey, tomato paste, sesame oil, and garlic powder.
- After the wings have cooked for 30 minutes, brush them with the honey garlic sauce. Return the wings to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes, until cooked through (165 degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer) and crispy.
- Top with parsley, if using, and serve.
Calories: 546kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 157mg, Sodium: 1054mg, Potassium: 432mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 813IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 3mg