Baked Spicy Chicken Wings

black bowl full of hot wings with lemon wedges.

4.50 from 4 votes

These spicy chicken wings will become your favorite appetizer. They are easy to make, hot, and incredibly delicious; they are the perfect snack, a great recipe for Super Bowl Sunday or any party.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Marinating time30

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Baking sheet
Wire rack optional
Tongs
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs chicken wings Note 1
2 tablespoons sriracha or another hot sauce, Note 2
¼ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Note 3
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey clear
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 garlic cloves grated
3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher, more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

US - EU

Instructions

Mix marinade ingredients: Whisk them all in a small bowl or directly into a large bowl or baking dish (not metal).
2 tablespoons sriracha + ¼ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper + 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce + 1 tablespoon olive oil + 2 tablespoons honey + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar + 3 garlic cloves + 3 tablespoons lemon juice + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Marinade chicken wings: If necessary, divide the chicken wings into wingettes and drumettes (See blog post for instructions). Dry them with a paper towel, add them to the bowl, and toss them with the sauce. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate the wings for 20 to 60 minutes (Note 4).
2 ½ lbs chicken wings
Bake spicy wings: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a lightly oiled rack on top. Lift the wings from the marinade using tongs and let the excess drop off. Reserve the marinade. Arrange chicken wings on the rack and bake them for 40 minutes (Note 5).
Sauce: Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of water and simmer the sauce on low heat until it thickens slightly. Serve the hot wings with the sauce or toss them with the sauce if desired.

Notes

Chicken wings: About 2 ½ lbs (1.2 kg) would be about 12 whole wings or about 24 wingettes and drumettes (depending on their size). Either whole wings, which you should divide at the joint, or already separated party wings (wingettes and drumettes).
Hot sauce: Sambal oelek is great too.
Cayenne pepper: Use to taste; the more you use, the hotter the wings. About ¼ teaspoon for mildly hot chicken wings, ½ a teaspoon for hot ones, and about 1 teaspoon for fiery, super-hot chicken wings.
Marinating time: If you marinade the wings for only 20 minutes, you can leave them on the counter (unless the weather or your kitchen is hot). Otherwise, let them come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Check that the wings are cooked through with an instant-read thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/74°C (Amazon affiliate link). Otherwise, tear a wing near the bone; the flesh should be white.

Nutrition