Chicken Wings
intro
Shatteringly crisp baked chicken wings coated in a sweet-savory sticky honey-soy garlic glaze, perfect for sharing with no deep-frying required.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and season wings
Pat 1000 grams of chicken wingettes and drumettes completely dry with paper towels (removing excess surface moisture is critical for crispy skin). Toss wings in a large mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper until every wing is evenly coated with the seasoning mix.
Arrange wings for baking
Line a rimmed 45x33 cm (18x13 inch) baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, set a metal wire cooling rack on top, and coat the rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange seasoned wings in a single, evenly spaced layer on the rack, ensuring no wings touch to allow full air circulation around every piece.
Bake wings to crisp
Preheat oven to 120°C (250°F), place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack, and bake for 30 minutes. Without opening the oven door, increase the temperature to 220°C (425°F) and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until wing skin is golden, puffed, and shatteringly crisp.
Make sticky glaze
While wings finish the high-heat bake, heat 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat (approx 150°C/300°F stovetop). Add 20 grams of minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant (do not burn), then stir in 80ml honey, 60ml low-sodium soy sauce, and 30ml rice vinegar. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon.
Toss wings in glaze
Remove crispy wings from the oven immediately once done, and transfer them to a large, clean mixing bowl while still piping hot. Pour the warm glaze over the wings, then toss with metal tongs for 30 to 45 seconds until every wing is fully and evenly coated in the sticky sauce.
Garnish and serve
Transfer glazed wings to a shared serving platter, sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons sliced green scallion tops. Serve immediately while hot, with optional celery sticks and creamy ranch or blue cheese dip on the side if preferred.
Tips
2.Use only aluminum-free baking powder for the seasoning coating; regular baking powder with aluminum leaves a bitter metallic aftertaste, and baking soda will create an unpleasant soapy flavor.
3.Toss wings in glaze immediately before serving—letting wings sit in sauce for more than 5 minutes will soften the crispy skin you worked to achieve.
OMG these wings are a GAME CHANGER for our weekly Sunday family dinner! I was worried baked wings wouldn’t get crispy enough but the trick of drying them off first? *Chef’s kiss* My 8 and 10 year old begged for seconds before we even finished the first round. Sticky, garlicky, just the right balance of sweet and salty—no sad takeout needed anymore!
SO good! I made a big batch on Sunday for meal prep and they held up way better than I thought they would. I skipped the extra sesame seeds on top because I forgot to grab them at the store, but honestly they were still chef’s kiss. Only note is I wish the sauce was a little thicker next time, I might simmer it an extra 2 minutes before tossing.
Brought these to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were hovering over the platter before I even set it down! Multiple people asked for the recipe before I left, I felt like a celebrity. Crispy even after sitting out for 45 minutes, no soggy skin mess like other baked wing recipes I’ve tried. 10/10, will make again.
Y’all, I added a teaspoon of chili flakes to the sauce for a little kick and it was *perfect*. I’ve made so many honey-soy garlic wing recipes that are either too cloyingly sweet or have zero garlic flavor, but this one hits every note. Even my partner who swears he only likes fried wings said these are better than our local wing spot.
Full transparency, I burn almost everything I bake, but these were foolproof! The cook time was spot on, I didn’t even have to adjust the oven temp for my janky old apartment oven. My roommate walked in and thought I ordered takeout, he couldn’t believe I made them. Only mess was the sticky sauce dripped on my baking sheet, but that’s what parchment paper is for lmao.
Swapped the regular soy sauce for tamari to make this gluten free and it worked flawlessly! I’ve been searching for a baked wing recipe that doesn’t require frying for ages, and this checks every box. Perfect for my little sister’s graduation party next month, I know the whole crowd will devour them.
Made these last night after a 10 hour work day and they came together so much faster than I expected! 55 minutes total, no fancy ingredients, most of which I already had in my pantry. My teen said these are better than the wings we get at the sports bar down the street — high praise coming from a kid who eats wings every chance he gets.