Sweet and spicy chicken wings coated in Hoisin, Sriracha, and honey sauce, sticky and utterly delicious. They are easy to make, baked in the oven, and ready in less than one hour.
We are so much into this sweet and spicy chicken wings recipe, especially the kids; say chicken wings, and they will be cheering - either this recipe, the Baked Whole Chicken Wings, the Baked Spicy Chicken Wings, or the spicy Korean chicken wings. I've been making them all on repeat lately. They are the perfect appetizer for game day, Super Bowl Sunday, or any other party.
The hot wings are baked, so there will be no need for a deep fryer or large amounts of vegetable oil, and there will be no lingering frying smell in the house. The oven method also makes these crispy wings a bit healthier.
Recipe ingredients
This time I've made sweet and spicy wings with Hoisin. I added some Sriracha for spiciness and some honey for more sweetness. We all licked our fingers after finishing the meal...
Chicken wings: About 20 pieces (more or less 2 ½ lbs/1.2 kg). You can use party-style using or whole chicken wings, which you should cut into two parts (drumettes and wingettes).
Hoisin sauce:
- Hoisin Sauce is a key ingredient in many Chinese dishes, sometimes called Chinese barbecue sauce. It contains fermented soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chilies, and sweetener (Amazon affiliate link).
- It is very thick and dark in color, slightly sweet, and very salty, so you will probably not need extra salt when cooking recipes containing Hoisin.
- Many larger supermarkets store hoisin sauce, and you can find it in ethnic food shops, like Asian shops.
- More recipes using it: Broccoli and Tofu Sweet Sour and Mushroom Egg Noodle Soup.
Sriracha:
- If I recall correctly, Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is a hot sauce that was very popular a few years ago. I still use it; I almost always have an open bottle of Sriracha sauce in the fridge (Amazon affiliate link).
- It contains ground chilies, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt and is very hot; keep that in mind when using it.
- Available in most supermarkets.
- For even more heat, add some cayenne pepper (to taste).
Dark soy sauce:
- Dark Soy Sauce is aged soy sauce, sometimes mixed with molasses or caramel and a bit of cornstarch to make it thicker and darker than regular light soy sauce. As a result, it is less salty and sweeter than light soy sauce (Amazon affiliate link).
- Available in most supermarkets and ethnic shops.
- Here are more dark soy sauce recipes: Sticky Honey Lime Chicken Thighs with Soy Sauce and Vegan Spinach Peanut Butter Noodles.
How to make sweet and spicy wings?
How to divide chicken wings at the joint?
- To divide them into drumettes and wingettes easily, you have to find the right spot between the bones, where your knife will quickly go through the joint.
- Pick up the wing holding the drumette in your hand, stretching the joint open. The wingette part should still be on the working surface. Go with the knife through the joint; you should not encounter any serious resistance.
- If there is any resistance, you are not in the right spot between the wing parts. Try a few millimeters more on the right or left side of the joint again until you hit the right place. The knife should quickly go through the skin and between the bones (1).
- If the wings still have the wing tips attached, remove them and use them for making chicken stock.
Wing sauce
- Mix all the sauce ingredients – Hoisin and Sriracha sauce, dark soy sauce, runny honey, and grated garlic clove – in a small mixing bowl (2).
- Dry wings thoroughly with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
- Pour over the prepared chicken wings and stir to coat well all over (3).
How to bake?
- Place wings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (4).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and, using tongs, turn them into the warm sauce on the baking tray; they should be coated with the spicy sauce.
How to broil them?
- Preheat the broiler.
- Broil the baked wings for about 3 minutes or until they are nice and crispy, with slight char marks here and there (5).
- Keep an eye on the wings; they might burn if they are too long under the broiler.
Expert Tips
- Marinating time: You don't have to marinate the wings, but it won't hurt if you do it. You can marinate them in the fridge for 20 minutes and up to 6 hours. Then, bring to room temperature before baking, remove them from the refrigerator, and leave them on the counter while the oven preheats.
- Use aluminum foil and not parchment paper; parchment paper might catch fire under the broiler.
Recipe FAQ
No. According to USDA, that will only lead to spreading bacteria in your sink on your kitchen surfaces. The bacteria will only be destroyed by heat during the cooking process.
Yes, but increase the baking time slightly and check the internal temperature to ensure the meat is cooked through.
The internal temperature measured with an instant-read thermometer should be 165°F/74°C (Amazon affiliate link). Instead of using a meat thermometer, you can tear a piece near the bone; the flesh should be white.
Once the wings have come to room temperature, refrigerate them in an airtight container for about 3 days.
Freeze them in a freezer container or bag for about 2-3 months. Defrost them in the fridge.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F/180°C on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper for 10-20 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat in the air fryer basket at 370°F/190°C for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Shake or flip halfway through.
How to serve?
Sprinkle them with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions just before serving. Serve them hot as an appetizer with some vegetable sticks on the side.
Or serve them as a main dish with fries, Polenta Roast Potato, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes, salad with Yogurt Dressing or vinaigrette, roasted vegetables, and so on.
More spicy chicken recipes
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 18-20 chicken wings
- 4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 1 garlic clove large, grated
- 1 ½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- ½ tablespoon honey clear
- 1-2 scallions optional for garnish
- 2-3 teaspoons sesame seeds optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
- Prepare chicken wings: Divide the chicken wings into wingettes and drumettes at the joint, if necessary. (See note for instructions). Then, place them into a larger bowl.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the Hoisin sauce, grated garlic clove, dark soy sauce, Sriracha, and honey. 4 tablespoon Hoisin sauce + 1 grated garlic clove + 1 ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce + 1 teaspoon Sriracha + ½ tablespoon honey
- Combine: Pour the sauce over the chicken wings and mix well, so all the wings are coated with the sauce.
- Bake wings: Arrange the wings on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven. Check that they are cooked through (Note 2).
- Broil: Preheat the broiler. Turn the chicken wings into the sauce on the baking tray (using tongs) to coat them. Broil the wings for about 3 minutes. Caution: Keep an eye on them; they should not get too dark.
- Serve: Sprinkle the wings with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Notes
- Divide whole wings: Pick up the wing holding the drumette in your hand, stretching the joint open. The wingette part should still be on the working surface. Go with the knife through the joint; you should not encounter any serious resistance. If there is any resistance, you are not in precisely the right spot between the wing parts. Try a few millimeters on the right or left of the joint again until you hit the right spot. The knife should quickly go through the skin and between the bones.
- Check doneness: The internal temperature should be 165°F/74°C. Check with an instant-read thermometer (Amazon affiliate link). Alternatively, tear a wing near the bone; the flesh should be white.
angiesrecipes says
They look fingerlickingly delicious! Sweet and spicy are a great combo of flavours.
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Adina, these look fabulous! Sweet, spicy, and sticky chicken wings are my fave. Your sauce sounds so delicious!