Name: Crispy Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 47 min
Total time: 62 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon baking powder (aluminum-free, if you can to avoid any metallic aftertaste); 2 1/2 lbs chicken wings (patted very dry); 1/3 cup honey; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or to taste); 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (slurry); 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (cold); Sesame seeds; Sliced green onions

Jump to Recipe Email Me The Recipe

Get game-day wings on the table in just over an hour with these crispy baked honey garlic chicken wings! They’re crispy, sticky, garlicky, and a little spicy, and they come straight out of your oven. Prep takes about 10 minutes, and one batch makes about 27 wings. That’s enough for 4 people as an appetizer, and they work just as well for dinner!

Honey garlic chicken wings on a parchment lined baking sheet topped with green onions and sesame seeds and next to a small jar of dipping sauce.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love These Honey Garlic Wings

a girl wearing a black leather jacket holding a drink

Is it just me, or are most wings either bone dry or dripping sauce down your shirt? These hit the sweet spot. They’re sweet and saucy, and you won’t need a stack of napkins.

My tricks to perfectly crispy wings are: 1. A tablespoon of baking powder in the dry rub, and 2. A wire rack under the wings to help the air circulate through and crisp up the wings on every side!

For game day, set them out with other appetizers and dips, like my no-cook French onion dip. On a weeknight, add a veggie side and crispy roasted mini potatoes for an easy dinner.

Jordan

A few ingredient notes…

Flat lay of ingredients for honey garlic chicken wings labeled.

Chicken Wings: The number of wings varies by package, but 2.5 lbs of party wings is typically around 27 pieces. If you’re making this for a big crowd, you can double it! Make sure to pat the chicken dry so you get that crispy skin!
Rice vinegar: Its tang balances the honey. If the sauce tastes too sweet, a splash more vinegar fixes it.
Soy sauce: Regular or low-sodium both work. Use low-sodium if you like your wings a little less salty.
Ginger (optional): I love adding fresh ginger for a stronger flavor. If you’re not a ginger fan, the sauce is still amazing without it.
Baking powder: Just make sure it’s baking powder, not baking soda. Aluminum-free keeps any metallic aftertaste away.

How to Make Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Step 1: Season the wings. Every piece should look coated in orange-red rub, with no pale skin showing through. If you spot shiny, wet patches, blot them again before the rub goes on.

Baked honey garlic chicken wings on a parchment lined baking sheet before tossing with the sauce.

Step 2: Bake until deeply golden. The skin should look dry, crisp, and deep golden all over, and a thermometer should read 165°F. Pale, soft skin means they need more time.

Step 3: Simmer the sauce. At this stage the sauce is thin, and the red pepper flakes float on top. That’s right where it should be. It thickens in the next step.

Step 4: Thicken it with the slurry. After 2 to 3 minutes the sauce turns darker and coats the back of a spoon. Pull it off the heat before the butter goes in, so it melts in smooth.

Step 5: Toss, then rest. After the toss, the glaze looks loose and shiny. Give the wings 5 minutes, and it tightens into a sticky coating. Want them stickier? See the tips below!

Recipe Tips

Pat the wings very dry before they go in the rub, too. Excess moisture will prevent the wings from getting that crispy skin we’re after.
Grease your wire rack! Skip it, and the wings stick SO hard that chunks of meat stay behind on the rack.

Close up of honey garlic chicken wings to show their sticky, crispy exterior.

Want Them Stickier?

Team sticky or team crispy? With these, you get to decide at the very end.

If you’re team sticky, give the sauced wings one last blast of heat. Slide them under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes. When I do this step, I go for the broiler. I love the crispiness it gives them! Crispy outside, sticky glaze, and ready for kickoff!

Sauced honey garlic chicken wings on a baking sheet with parchment paper getting extra sticky under the broiler.

How to Serve

Bringing them to a party? Pile them into a crockpot or Instant Pot on the warm setting. They stay warm and travel like a dream. Warm is my favorite, but leftovers are still great cold, straight from the fridge. Just trust me, the sauce is that good!

Want a second wing flavor on the table? Try my air fryer Asian wings. Building a whole wing spread? Browse all my chicken wing recipes for more flavors.

A hand dipping a wing into a sweet and savory honey garlic dipping sauce.

More Game Day Appetizers

If you tried these Crispy Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you, and this helps my business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes!