Sticky Honey-Garlic Baked Chicken Wings
Honey-Garlic Baked Wings
Rack-baked chicken wings with crisp skin and a glossy honey-garlic glaze that lands squarely between sweet and savory.
These honey-garlic wings are the sweet crowd-pleaser in a varied wing spread. The glaze has enough soy sauce and rice vinegar to keep the honey from tasting one-note, while fresh garlic and ginger give it a savory backbone without adding chile heat.
A wire rack and a light coating of baking powder help the skin brown and crisp in the oven. Patting the wings thoroughly dry matters: surface moisture delays browning and prevents the seasoning from clinging evenly.
The glaze cooks in its own saucepan while the wings bake. Reducing it before the wings are coated creates a shiny, concentrated lacquer rather than a thin sauce that softens the crisp skin.
Serve the wings straight from their brief final bake, when the glaze is tacky and the edges are caramelized. They fit naturally into a tasting flight beside spicy Buffalo, smoky grilled, lemon-pepper, or Korean-style wings.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside it; lightly coat the rack with cooking spray.
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2
Place the thoroughly dried wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the baking powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, then toss until every piece has a thin, even coating.
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3
Arrange the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the rack, leaving a little space between pieces. Bake for 25 minutes.
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4
Turn each wing and continue baking for 18 to 22 minutes, until deeply browned, crisp at the edges, and at least 175°F near the bone.
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5
While the wings bake, combine the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fresh garlic, and ginger in a wide saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
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6
Remove the glaze from the heat and whisk in the butter. Set aside about 3 tablespoons of glaze in a clean small bowl for brushing.
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7
Transfer the baked wings to a clean large bowl, pour over the remaining glaze, and toss quickly until evenly coated. Return them to the rack and brush with the reserved glaze.
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8
Bake for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the glaze bubbles and turns tacky without burning. Transfer to a platter, scatter with scallions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Ingredients
- Chicken Wing Sections, Patted Dry:3 lb
- Aluminum-Free Baking Powder:1 tbsp
- Kosher Salt:1 1/2 tsp
- Black Pepper:1/2 tsp
- Garlic Powder:1/2 tsp
- Honey:1/2 cup
- Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce:1/3 cup
- Unseasoned Rice Vinegar:2 tbsp
- Garlic, Finely Grated:5 cloves
- Fresh Ginger, Finely Grated:2 tsp
- Unsalted Butter:1 tbsp
- Scallions, Thinly Sliced:2 whole
- Toasted Sesame Seeds:2 tsp
Tips & Notes
- Use baking powder, not baking soda; baking soda leaves an unpleasant alkaline flavor.
- If the glaze becomes too thick before the wings are ready, loosen it over low heat with 1 tablespoon of water.
- For the crispest result, sauce the wings only when they are fully browned and serve them as soon as the final glaze sets.
