Honey garlic chicken wings are baked until crispy, then slathered with a sticky, sweet, savory sauce made with honey, fresh garlic, and aleppo peppers. Enjoy this delectable finger food as a party appetizer or a dinner entree.
For more saucy recipes, check out these Thai-Style Baby Back Ribs, Honey Walnut Shrimp, and this Teriyaki Chicken Bowl next.
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Honey garlic chicken wings are layered with mouthwatering flavors. Chicken drums and chicken flats are coated with a tasty seasoning blend and later tossed in an irresistible honey garlic sauce enhanced with aleppo peppers.
The end result is juicy oven-baked chicken with crispy skin and explosive flavor from the easy homemade sauce. These wings are tangy with a tinge of sweetness, and not too spicy so the whole family can enjoy them!
Why This Recipe Works
- Perfect for Parties – Whether it’s game day or a holiday potluck, these shareable wings are bound to go fast!
- Baked Not Fried – If you like the satisfying crunch of fried chicken wings but want to use less oil, these oven-baked wings are the way to go. It also makes for easier cleanup since there’s no flour or popping grease.
- Better Than Fast Food – Skip the takeout order because honey garlic chicken wings are packed with flavor and texture. Making chicken wings at home saves you money and calories. Plus, when they’re made fresh and not deep-fried, the wings aren’t greasy and are less likely to get soggy.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need for Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Most honey garlic chicken wing recipes include ingredients like soy sauce and ginger but we take an unexpected but tasty twist by omitting those and including aleppo pepper instead.
Chicken Wings
- Party wings – We’re using a combination of drumettes and flats to make these delicious chicken wings.
- Seasoning – I make a spice blend with garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Baking powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid the metallic taste some baking powders can have. And please, DO NOT USE baking soda!
Honey Garlic Aleppo Sauce
- Quality olive oil – I like to use oil and butter in the sauce for taste.
- Salted butter – Melted butter makes it easier for the sauce to spread.
- Garlic – Mince fresh garlic for this recipe. Do not use bottled.
- Aleppo pepper – This chili pepper has a moderate heat level, which is milder than other chili peppers such as cayenne pepper. It is fruity, slightly tangy, and has a subtle smokiness, making it a versatile spice that adds depth and complexity to dishes without overwhelming them with heat.
- Honey – This is how you get the sticky sweetness.
- Water – This thins out the honey and makes it easier to manage.
- Seasoning – Add paprika and kosher salt. to enhance the overall flavor.
How To Make Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Learn how to cook honey garlic chicken wings to golden, crispy perfection with just a few simple instructions.
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. It is essential for chicken to be dry as this will aid in crispier skin.
- Place oven rack on upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place garlic powder, baking powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place wings in a bowl then top with seasoning mixture. Toss to coat well.
5. Place wire rack inside of baking sheet. Place chicken on wire rack then transfer to the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Once timer sets off, flip chicken then place back in the oven. Increase oven temp to 450°F and set a timer for 25 minutes. Check the chicken at the 10 minutes mark and continue to cook until crispy. If you need to continue to bake in addition to the 25 minutes, bake in 5-minute increments.
6. Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. Once butter melts add garlic and cook over medium to medium low heat for 3 minutes, keeping a consistent stir.
7. Add aleppo pepper and paprika and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
8. Add honey, water, and kosher salt. Stir to mix well then cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until liquid reduces and thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, if necessary.
9. Place cooked wings in a large mixing bowl then top with sauce. Toss wings until evenly coated with sauce. Serve as an appetizer or with rice.
How to Air Fry Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
For air fryer honey garlic chicken wings, prepare them as usual (dried and seasoned). Then add them to an air fryer set to 400°F for about 20-25 minutes or until crispy.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket or the wings won’t get crispy. You may need to work in batches in order to avoid this.
Proceed to make the honey garlic sauce while they cook and when they are done, toss them in the mixture.
Tips and Tricks
- Ensure the chicken wings are completely dry before seasoning them. Removing excess moisture yields a crispier skin.
- Remember to preheat the oven. Adding the chicken wings to an already hot oven helps them crisp up faster.
- Honey garlic sauce will thicken as it cools but if your sauce is still not thick enough, make a cornstarch slurry. Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add this to the sauce until it’s completely dissolved.
- Once the wings have cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F until heated through for the best results.
Variations
- Chicken Wings – If you can’t find party wings, you can always use regular chicken wings and cut them at the joint.
- Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Wings – Want to kick up the heat? Add red pepper flakes or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the secrets to crispy chicken wings that are not fried?
For crispy baked chicken wings, dry them well before seasoning, add baking powder to the seasoning mix, and cook them at high heat.
Do you put sauce on chicken wings before baking?
Some people prefer to put sauce on chicken wings before baking so it can caramelize in the oven but if you prefer crispy chicken, apply sauce after baking. When making honey garlic chicken wings, toss them in sauce after cooking for crispier chicken.
Does Buffalo Wild Wings have honey garlic?
Buffalo Wild Wings introduced honey garlic as a new flavor in March 2023. To date, the flavor is unavailable. Don’t rely on limited releases when you can make honey garlic chicken wings whenever you want, from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Looking for More Chicken Wing Recipes
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
- Easy Honey Hot Wings
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Wings
- Honey Ginger Wings
Loving this Honey Garlic Chicken Wings Recipe?
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Honey Garlic Chicken Wings with Aleppo
Equipment
- ½-baking sheet,
- Wire Rack
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds party wings
- 1½ tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder, aluminum free, DO NOT USE baking soda
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, Diamond Crystal
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Honey Garlic Aleppo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons quality olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced, do not use bottled
- 1½ tablepoons aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste, Diamond Crystal
Instructions
- Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. It is essential for chicken to be dry as this will aid in crispier skin.
- Place oven rack on upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place garlic powder, baking powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place wings in a bowl then top with seasoning mixture. Toss to coat well.
- Place wire rack inside of baking sheet. Place chicken on wire rack then transfer to the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Once timer sets off, flip chicken then place back in the oven. Increase oven temp to 450°F and set a timer for 25 minutes. Check the chicken at the 10 minutes mark and continue to cook until crispy. If. you need to continue to bake in addition to the 25 minutes, bake in 5-minute increments.
- Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. Once butter melts add garlic and cook over medium to medium low heat for 3 minutes, keeping a consistent stir.
- Add aleppo pepper and paprika and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
- Add honey, water, and kosher salt. Stir to mix well then cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until liquid reduces and thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, if necessary.
- Place cooked wings in a large mixing bowl then top with sauce. Toss wings until evenly coated with sauce. Serve as an appetizer or with rice.
