Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are sweet, garlicky, and irresistible! The skin is crispy and sticky and the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Follow our simple instructions for broiling or baking depending on your preference!
These Honey Garlic Wings are one of our go-to weeknight meals or appetizer to share. For dinner, we typically enjoy the wings with sauteed potatoes or rice and a veggie like parmesan asparagus or artichokes. If we make them to share for a party or barbecue, we just double or triple the recipe.
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About Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Taste - These honey garlic wings are garlicky, herby, and have just the right amount of sweetness.
- Texture - The wings have the perfect crispy and sticky outside and juicy inside.
- Effort - This wings recipe is easy. All you need to do is prepare and season the wings, bake them, then toss them in sauce.
- Time - It takes about 5 minutes to prep the wings then either 15 minutes or 45 minutes to broil or bake the wings, then about 5 minutes to toss the wings.
Ingredients
Oven Baked Wings
- Chicken wings - You can use either flats, drumettes, or both.
- Olive oil - Olive oil helps to make the wings crispy.
- Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice adds a bright citrus flavor.
- Baking powder - Baking powder creates more surface area on the wings and helps them get crispy.
- Kosher salt - Kosher salt accentuates the rich sauce flavors.
- Freshly ground black pepper - Pepper adds a nice little spice.
- Garlic powder - Garlic powder adds a light garlicky flavor to the wings.
- Smoked paprika - The paprika is smoky, spicy, and a little sweet.
Honey Garlic Sauce
- Butter - Butter is the rich base for the wing sauce.
- Garlic - Garlic adds the quintessential aroma.
- Honey - Honey adds a sweetness to balance the other savory flavors.
- Lemon juice and zest - Lemon juice and zest adds brightness.
- Italian flat leaf parsley - Parsley has an earthy pepperiness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Spicy - Add crushed red pepper flakes to the garlic sauce to imbue heat.
- Onion powder - Sprinkle some onion powder on the wings for a light oniony flavor.
- More garlic - If you love garlic, add more!
- Whole wings - Use flats and drumettes or whole wings for this recipe. If you use whole wings, make sure to spread the wings so they cook evenly and get crispy.
- Chicken tenders - If you’re making this recipe for kids, use breaded chicken tenders and cook per the packaging instructions then toss in the sauce as instructed in our recipe. The bone has more flavor, but tenders are safer for children.
- Honey BBQ Chicken Wings - Try our Honey BBQ Wings for smokier barbecue flavored wings.
- Honey Soy Garlic Sauce - Try these wings with a Honey Soy Garlic Sauce to give the wings an umami flavor.
Instructions
Baked Honey Garlic Wings
- Preheat oven to bake - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated. (Photo 1, 2, and 3)
- Arrange chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. (Photo 4)
- Complete baking - Place prepare baking sheet in the oven and cook for 40-50 minutes, turning the wings over halfway through. Bake chicken wings until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). (Photo 5)
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, honey, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher or sea salt, and ½ tablespoon parsley to a saucepan. Warm on low heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Stir until combined then remove from heat. (Photo 6)
- Toss in sauce - Remove the baked chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the honey garlic sauce until coated and sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley on top. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately. (Photo 7 and 8)
Broiled Honey Garlic Wings
- Preheat oven to boil - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to broil on high.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.
- Broil chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through. Make sure to quickly remove the baking sheet and close the oven door when you turn the wings over to avoid the hot air from escaping. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, honey, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ½ tablespoon parsley to a saucepan. Warm on low heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Stir until combined then remove from heat.
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the honey garlic sauce until coated and sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley on top. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.
Pro tip - Sticky wings - If you like your wings sticky, pop the wings back in the oven for 2-3 minutes at 400°F after you toss the wings in the sauce. This will caramelize the honey sauce and make the wings sticky.
What Goes With Honey Garlic Wings
These homemade honey garlic wings are an easy and flavorful main course or appetizer. We love to make them for a simple weeknight meal or for parties with family and friends. We usually enjoy them with a delicious side like our miso mashed potatoes or rice and a tasty veggie like our roasted asparagus or elotes style corn. Try them with a delicious dipping sauce like our Greek yogurt ranch, garlic parmesan sauce, or chipotle mayo for extra flavor.
Recipe FAQs
What is the best way to cook honey garlic chicken wings?
This comes down to personal preference. Some like to fry or grill them, but we find it easiest to broil or bake them and we don't find that it sacrifices texture. If we want super crispy wings that are slightly charred, we broil them. If we want standard crispy wings, we bake them.
Can I use boneless chicken for honey garlic chicken wings?
Yes. While we haven't tested our recipe with boneless chicken wings, it should work and still be delicious.
How do I make honey garlic chicken wings crispy?
First, pat them dry to get rid of excess moisture. Second, you can bake them for an extra few minutes to make them extra crispy.
How do I prevent honey garlic chicken wings from sticking to the baking sheet?
In order to prevent them from sticking, use a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of the baking sheet.
Do you put sauce on chicken wings before baking?
No, we find it best to add the sauce after the wings are done baking so the wings don't get soggy and the sauce sticks to the wings well.
Are honey garlic wings gluten-free?
Yes, all of the ingredients in this recipe are gluten free.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover honey garlic chicken wings for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. In order to reheat the chicken, reheat them in the oven at 300°F until warm. You can also freeze the wings in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
Cooking Tips
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and increase crispiness.
- Don’t burn the garlic - Be careful to not turn up the heat too high when you make the wing sauce or the garlic can burn and become bitter. Cook just until the garlic is fragrant and softened.
- To ensure the wings are fully cooked, you can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).
- Garlic press - We swear by a garlic press! It makes it so easy to mince garlic in seconds.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are sweet, garlicky, and irresistible! The skin is crispy and sticky and the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Follow our simple instructions for broiling or baking depending on your preference!
Servings: 2
Calories: 651kcal
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
Wings
- 1½ lbs chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley finely chopped and divided
Instructions
Baked Honey Garlic Wings
- Preheat oven to bake - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.1½ lbs chicken wings, 1½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Bake chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 40-50 minutes, turning the wings over halfway through. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, honey, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher or sea salt, and ½ tablespoon parsley to a saucepan. Warm on low heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Stir until combined then remove from heat.4 tablespoon butter, 6 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, 1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the honey garlic sauce until coated and sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley on top. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley
Broiled Honey Garlic Wings
- Preheat oven to boil - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to broil on high.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.1½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1½ lbs chicken wings
- Broil chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through. Make sure to quickly remove the baking sheet and close the oven door when you turn the wings over to avoid the hot air from escaping. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, honey, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt or sea salt, and ½ tablespoon parsley to a saucepan. Warm on low heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant. Stir until combined then remove from heat.
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the honey garlic sauce until coated and sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley on top. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover honey garlic wings for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. In order to reheat the chicken, reheat them in the oven at 300°F until warm. You can also freeze the wings in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
- If you want your wings sticky, pop them back in the oven for 2-3 minutes at 400°F after you toss the wings in the sauce. This will caramelize the honey sauce onto the wings.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and increase crispiness.
- Be careful to not turn up the heat too high when you make the wing sauce or the garlic can burn and become bitter. Cook until just fragrant and softened.
- To ensure the wings are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).
- Garlic press - Use a garlic press to easily to mince the garlic.
Nutrition
Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 2235mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 989IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 3mg
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