Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Level up your appetizer game with these crispy Hot Honey Chicken Wings glazed in a hot, sweet, and tangy homemade hot honey sauce. Enjoy these hot honey wings with a cold glass of beer and delicious Ranch dipping sauce for the ultimate chicken wing experience. Now the only question is, do you prefer flats or drums?

As they say, ain’t no thing like a chicken wing and I couldn’t agree more. My husband is usually the ‘wing guy’ in this house but my go-to flavours are Maple Gochujang Wings or Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings with honey butter sauce. They’re so tasty that you’ll eat the whole platter before halftime!

Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Hey friends! Today I am thrilled to share one of our favourite chicken wing recipes with you… just in time for the start of football season. Honestly though, if you don’t love football, they make a great appetizer at any time and I won’t hold it against you.

These wings have it all. The seasoned baking powder coating draws moisture out, which gives these wings the BEST crispy outer layer. I love how the homemade sauce clings to the crispy skin.

You could stop there or add your own final sauce (think Teriyaki Wings, Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, Hot Mango Wings, etc), but I think you’ll love this sweet spicy and slightly tangy wing sauce. It has the perfect amount of heat, not too spicy with a whole lot of flavour!

Of course, if you’re a fan of the social media sensation, Hot Ones, you know you can always increase the heat by using your own hot sauce instead of Frank’s.

What Cooking Method is Best for Chicken Wings?

There are many ways to make this chicken wings recipe, but the best method depends on how many people you are cooking for. An air fryer is quicker and more convenient for two people. However, I highly recommend using an oven when cooking wings for more than two people.

Both methods will create perfectly crispy wings using the baking powder method. To make this recipe for two people, you’ll need 1 or 1 1/2 lbs chicken wings instead of 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings. Halve the rest of the ingredients, then follow the air fryer instructions in the recipe card.

PS. This recipe is easy to double or even triple!

Hot Honey Chicken Wing Ingredients

Don’t be put off by the seemingly long list of ingredients in this hot honey wings recipe. Most ingredients are simple pantry items and all of them are there for a specific purpose. The ingredients in the wing coating help to season and crisp up the wings while the ingredients in the hot honey sauce are there for the flavour and a bit of sticky texture.

• Avocado Oil
• Chicken Wings
• Cornstarch
• Brown Sugar
• Smoked Paprika
• Baking Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Frank’s Hot Sauce
• Butter
• Honey
• Red Chili Flakes
• Parsley

The cornstarch and baking powder combination draws moisture out of the skin, allowing it to cook up nice and crispy.

Feel free to substitute your favourite hot sauce in place of the Frank’s and omit the red chili flakes, if desired. You can also use maple syrup in place of the honey.

How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Besides ingredients, you will need some paper towel, a large plastic freezer bag, a wire rack, a 9 x 13 baking sheet, a pastry brush (or two), a bowl, a spoon, and measuring spoons/cups to make this recipe.

Begin by preheating the oven to 400° F. Next, use a pastry brush to oil the wire rack with some of the avocado oil. Place rack on a 9×13 baking sheet. Set aside.

Prepare the Chicken Wings

To prepare the chicken wings, place the cornstarch, baking powder, and wing seasonings in a large plastic bag or large bowl. Next, pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels then add them to the bag/bowl. Seal and shake or toss until the wings are completely coated.

Use tongs to shake excess coating off then remove each chicken wing from the bag and place it on the prepared wire rack. Space wings apart so they bake evenly.

Bake wings at 400° F for 20 minutes then remove from the oven and use a pastry brush baste both sides with the avocado oil. Bake for another 20 minutes or until wings are crispy.

Make the Hot Honey Sauce

To make the hot honey sauce, measure 6 Tablespoons Franks Hot Sauce, 1/4 cup unsalted melted Butter, 1/4 cup Honey, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes in a bowl. Mix until well combined then divide into two bowls (to avoid contamination during glazing).

Apply the Hot Honey Sauce

After the first 20 minutes of cooking time, remove the wings from the oven then use a clean pastry brush to brush wings with the hot honey sauce. Discard the sauce and clean the pastry brush.

Broil wings on high or 400° F for an additional 5 minutes or until the juices run clear and the wings are crispy. When wings reach a final internal temperature of 165° F, remove them from the oven and baste with the remaining spicy honey sauce.

Sprinkle chopped fresh Parsley on top and serve with Ranch Dipping Sauce.

Store leftover wings in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in a 375° F oven or air fryer until they reach an internal temperature of 165° F.

Air Fryer Instructions

To make these wings in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400° F and brush avocado oil on the air fryer basket. Arrange the wings in an even layer and cook for 10 minutes. Flip the wings over and cook for an additional 10 minutes then brush wings with the hot honey sauce.

Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Once the wings reach an internal temperature of 165° F, remove them from the oven and use a clean pastry brush to brush with the remaining spicy honey sauce.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Hot Honey Chicken Wings recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!