Learn the keys to making the best Hot Honey Chicken Wings. Oven-baking the wings makes them more mindful, and they get even more crisp than the fried version. These make the perfect appetizer, but also a delicious dinner paired with a salad!
The Perfect Party Appetizer
Hot wings fans unite! I have discovered the best method for making CRISPY, juicy chicken wings at home – no messy frying oil necessary.
This recipe uses a light seasoning on the wings that helps the skin crisp up. The wings are baked (which means no added oils!) until the skin is golden brown and crisp, perfect for soaking up a flavorful hot honey sauce.
I love remaking restaurant favorites at home. It means I control the ingredients and can feel better about indulging.
Use this oven-baking method with any hot wing sauce you love – but I highly recommend you start with this Hot Honey Butter Sauce. It’s the perfect sweet-hot blend. So good, you just might skip the bleu cheese or ranch dressing.
Three Essential Steps to Making Crispy Baked Chicken Wings:
- Tip #1: Dry chicken wings off with paper towels prior to seasoning them. This allows the chicken to start off with less moisture and helps the skin brown more easily.
- Tip #2: Use baking powder in the spice coating, which draws out more moisture, allowing them to get the maximum amount of crispy. I used this technique in these delicious Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs.
- Tip #3: Don’t overcrowd the pan. Air needs to circulate around each wing to fully dry out and crisp the skin.
I made these in my Sharp Built-In Smart Convection Microwave Drawer Oven. This is a new addition to my kitchen and it’s getting so much use!
It has settings to be used as a microwave, a convection oven, or even an air fryer! This makes it perfect for cooking smaller meals, reheating leftovers, or as a second oven when cooking for a crowd.
I melted the butter and heated the sauce for these hot wings in the microwave, then added the rack and baked the chicken wings until golden brown and crispy.
What You’ll Need
Crisp Baked Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings (party wings are already split making the process easier! Whole chicken wings can be cut into pieces like shown below.)
- Baking Powder (this is the key ingredient to getting extra crispy skin!)
- Sea Salt
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
Hot Honey Butter Sauce
- Hot Sauce (I love Frank’s Red Hot, but use whatever buffalo hot sauce you love!)
- Salted Butter (or unsalted butter + pinch of sea salt)
- Raw Honey
To Serve: (optional)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Bleu Cheese Dressing or Ranch Dressing
- Green Onions and Sesame Seeds (to garnish, optional)
How to Make Baked Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Step 1: Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 425º F.
Step 2: Use a paper towel to dry off chicken wings.
Step 3: In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, sea salt, onion powder and garlic power. Stir to combine well.
Step 4: Sprinkle the wings with the baking powder mixture, and then rub it in to evenly coat the wings.
Step 5: Lay wings out on a baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each wing. The air needs to circulate the wings to form the crispiest texture.
Step 6: Bake for 50 minutes, or until the chicken wings have a deep golden brown color. Flip the wings at about 30 minutes to evenly crisp them. (Tip: Bump up the baking time to 60 minutes for extra crispy wings!)
Step 7: In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, honey, and butter. Microwave for 1 minute to melt the butter and stir to combine.
Step 8: Toss the baked chicken wings in the spicy sauce. Drench them well, then add them to a serving plate. Save any extra sauce to use on top of chicken or vegetables!
How to Serve Baked Hot Honey Wings
This sauce has so much flavor, you might opt to serve them on their own!
To dress up an appetizer platter, serve these wings as they are traditionally served with carrot sticks, celery sticks, and bleu cheese or ranch dressing.
Serve wings alongside a garden salad to turn them into a meal.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover hot wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat wings by laying them out on a baking pan, and baking them at 425º for 10 minutes.
Can I Air Fry the Chicken Wings?
Yes! Prepare the wings with the same spice coating and allow them to come to room temperature.
Preheat the air fryer to 400º F for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken wings to the air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. The wings need space for the air to circulate and brown the skin well. Cook the chicken wings for 8 minutes, flip over, and continue cooking an additional 8 minutes.
Toss the wings in the same hot honey sauce.
Choose your Level of Heat!
Choose your level of heat by adjusting the ingredients in the spicy hot honey sauce.
The spice level of the hot wings depends mostly on the hot sauce you use. I like Frank’s because it has a medium heat and lots of great cayenne pepper flavor.
Increase the heat: Add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the mix.
More Mild Honey Wings: Decrease the hot sauce to 1/4 cup and increase the honey to 1/4 cup to balance the heat and make a more mild appetizer.
Baked Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Skip the messy deep frying! These chicken wings are baked until a deep golden brown. They have an amazing crisp texture. Drench them in a simple 3-ingredient hot honey sauce. We love these with bleu cheese dressing, celery and carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings *look for party wings
- 1 tablespoon baking powder *important for extra crispy skin!
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Hot Honey Sauce
- 1/3 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce I use Frank's Red Hot (the plain hot sauce)
- 3 tablespoons raw honey
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 425º F.
Use a paper towel to dry off chicken wings.
In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, sea salt, onion powder and garlic power. Stir to combine well.
Sprinkle the wings with the baking powder mixture, and then rub it in to evenly coat the wings.
Lay wings out on baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each wing. The air needs to circulate around the wings to form the crispiest texture.
Bake for 50 minutes, or until the chicken wings have a deep golden brown color. Flip the wings at about 30 minutes to evenly crisp them. (Tip: Bump up the baking time to 60 minutes for extra crispy wings!)
In a large bowl, combine the hot sauce, honey, and butter. Microwave for 1 minute to melt the butter and stir to combine.
Toss the baked chicken wings in the spicy sauce. Drench them well, then add to a serving plate. Save any extra sauce to use on top of chicken or vegetables!
