Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (Printable)

Crisp chicken wings coated in a rich honey and smoky barbecue glaze, ideal for sharing or snacking.

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come out crispy outside and juicy inside with barely any fuss.
  • The honey-barbecue glaze hits that sweet-savory spot that keeps people reaching for more.
  • You can bake or fry depending on what you've got going in your kitchen.
02 -
  • Pat those wings completely dry before cooking—moisture is the enemy of crispiness and I learned this the hard way with a soggy batch.
  • Don't skip the wire rack for baking because wings sitting directly on a sheet will steam themselves instead of crisping up.
03 -
  • For extra-crispy wings, pat them dry and let them sit uncovered in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking so the skin dries out completely.
  • Make your sauce the day before if you want to come home to one fewer step on cooking day.
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