Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (Printable)

Crispy wings tossed in a sweet and smoky honey barbecue glaze, ideal for parties or game days.

# What You 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 (optional)
10 - 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F or heat oil in deep fryer to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack if baking.
02 - Pat wings dry with paper towels. Toss in a large bowl with vegetable oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Place wings in a single layer on the prepared wire rack or baking sheet.
04 - Bake wings 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway through until crispy and golden brown. Alternatively, fry in batches 8–10 minutes until deep golden and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
05 - Combine barbecue sauce, honey, butter (if using), apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter melts and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl and toss with warm honey BBQ sauce until evenly coated.
07 - Serve immediately, optionally garnished with chopped parsley or green onions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The honey caramelizes just enough to give each wing a glossy, finger-licking finish without being cloying.
  • You can bake or fry them depending on your mood and how much time you have.
  • The smoky paprika and optional cayenne let you dial the heat up or down without losing that sweet barbecue backbone.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the wings thoroughly, the skin will steam instead of crisp and you'll end up with rubbery, sad wings no amount of sauce can save.
  • Toss the wings in the sauce right before serving, not earlier, or they'll soften and lose that irresistible crunch you worked so hard to get.
03 -
  • Use a wire rack instead of baking the wings flat on the sheet so the hot air circulates underneath and the skin crisps evenly all over.
  • Warm the sauce just before tossing so it stays thin and coats the wings smoothly, cold sauce will seize up and clump.
Go Back