Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (Printable)

Crispy wings tossed in sweet honey barbecue glaze. Perfect party appetizer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, split at joints, tips removed
02 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

→ Honey BBQ Sauce

07 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
08 - 1/4 cup honey
09 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F or heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top for baking method.
02 - Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss wings with vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the prepared wire rack or baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown. If frying, cook wings in batches for 8-10 minutes until deep golden and cooked through, draining on paper towels.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine barbecue sauce, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Stir until butter melts and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour warm honey BBQ sauce over wings and toss to coat evenly.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley or green onions if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet and smoky that makes people reach for just one more wing
  • Baking them on a rack means you get restaurant-level crispness without the mess of deep frying
  • These disappear faster than you can plate them, so you might want to double the batch
02 -
  • Patting the wings dry is not optional, it is the difference between crispy skin and soggy disappointment
  • Letting the sauce cool slightly before tossing helps it cling to the wings instead of sliding right off
  • The sauce continues to thicken as it cools, so do not panic if it seems a little thin in the pan
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet even with the rack to catch any drips and save your oven from messy smoke
  • Warm your serving bowl in the oven while the wings cook to keep everything hot longer
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