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Crispy Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Wings: Best Game Day Recipe

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These oven-baked chicken wings are incredibly crispy, sticky, and coated in a sweet-savory honey garlic glaze. Perfect for game day or any gathering, they deliver restaurant-quality crunch without the mess of deep frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds (about 900g) chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder (aluminum-free preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) honey (runny, mild variety like clover or wildflower)
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced fresh
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water (slurry)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or Aleppo pepper for milder heat)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep the Wings: Rinse chicken wings under cold water and pat extremely dry with paper towels. If not already separated, cut at the joint into drumettes and flats. Discard wing tips or save for stock. Place wings in a large bowl and toss with baking powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
  2. Rest the Wings: Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a lined baking sheet, ensuring they are not touching. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for maximum crispiness.
  3. Bake the Wings: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) with rack in upper third. Let wings sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes, then flip each wing and bake for another 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C).
  4. Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, cooking for 3-4 minutes. Stir cornstarch slurry, then pour into glaze, whisking continuously for about 1 minute until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil if using.
  5. Glaze and Finish: Brush about half the glaze over the hot baked wings. Return to oven for 3-4 minutes to caramelize. Remove and toss wings in a large bowl with remaining glaze until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pat wings extremely dry to ensure crispiness. Do not skip the baking powder—it’s essential for texture. Apply glaze in two stages to prevent burning. For extra-sticky wings, reserve a little glaze (before adding cornstarch slurry) and brush on right before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: crispy baked chicken wings, honey garlic wings, game day recipe, oven baked wings, sticky wings

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/crispy-honey-garlic-baked-chicken-wings-best-game-day-recipe/