Honey BBQ Chicken Wings (Printable Version)

Crispy wings tossed in sweet honey BBQ glaze for the ultimate party appetizer.

# 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
10 - 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F or heat oil in a deep fryer to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top for baking.
02 - Pat chicken 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 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the prepared rack or baking sheet, ensuring space between pieces for proper air circulation.
04 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown. If frying, cook wings in batches for 8-10 minutes until deep golden and cooked through, draining on paper towels.
05 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine barbecue sauce, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Stir until butter melts and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour warm honey BBQ sauce over wings and toss to coat evenly, ensuring each piece is thoroughly covered.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley or green onions if desired. Pair with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce hits that perfect sweet and smoky balance that makes everyone reach for seconds
  • Baked wings get ridiculously crispy without the mess of frying
  • These disappear faster than you can say pass the napkins
02 -
  • Drying the wings thoroughly before seasoning is the absolute secret to crispy skin
  • Let the sauce cool slightly before tossing so it clings instead of sliding right off
  • A wire rack makes a huge difference, but a baking sheet flipped halfway through works too
03 -
  • Use a large bowl when tossing wings in sauce so they have room to move and coat evenly
  • If the sauce thickens too much, add a teaspoon of water to loosen it up
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