These hot honey wings are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, tossed in homemade hot honey sauce, perfect for parties or for yourself!
Hot Honey Wings Recipe
If you just made a batch of my Homemade Hot Honey, grab some chicken wings because we're ready to cook! My Spicy Hot Honey Wings are going to be your new favorite bite.
Hot honey chicken wings are crispy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside, tossed with spicy hot honey for the perfect blend of sweet and heat.
These are great for the Super Bowl or other game day gatherings, parties and get togethers, or just for enjoying for yourself. I enjoy wings any way - grilled, fried, baked, air fried - you name it. Just pass me some of that hot honey!
If you love wings, you gotta try my Buffalo Wings recipe with lots of spicy Buffalo sauce, or these Boneless Buffalo Wings that everyone goes crazy for, beaded and fried until crispy.
Let's talk about how to make hot honey wings, shall we?
Hot Honey Wings Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN WINGS
- Chicken Wings. Separated and wing tips removed.
- Baking Powder.
- Seasonings. Smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can use other spices, like my homemade Cajun seasoning blend, or my blackening seasoning recipe.
- Vegetable Oil.
- FOR THE HOT HONEY SAUCE
- Butter.
- Chili Flakes. Or use crushed dried chilies, or 1 fresh hot chili.
- Honey.
- Optional Extras. Hot sauce, apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Hot Honey Wings - the Recipe Method
See the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
PREP THE CHICKEN WINGS
- Pat the wings as dry as you can get them. This will help with the crispiness.
- Set the wings into a large bowl and season with baking powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to get them nice and coated. The baking powder helps with the crispiness.
FOR BAKED CHICKEN WINGS
- Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Set the wings onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Increase oven heat to 425 degrees F. Flip the chicken wings and bake another 30 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the skins are nice and crispy.
FOR AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
- Pat the chicken wings as dry as you can with paper towels.
- Set the chicken wings into a large bowl and toss them with the baking powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt and pepper, to evenly coat the skin.
- Oil the air fryer basket with vegetable oil and set the seasoned chicken wings into the air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 250 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Flip the chicken wings, then set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F. Air fry for another 15-20 minutes, or to your desired crispiness. Internal temperature of chicken wings should reach 165 degrees F internally when measured with a meat thermometer.
FOR THE HOT HONEY SAUCE
- Add the butter to a small pot over medium heat. When melted, add the chili flakes, honey, and optional hot sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to infuse the honey with the pepper flavor and heat. Do not allow the honey to boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar (if using). If using fresh peppers, strain the honey into a jar. If using dried peppers, strain only if desired.
TO SERVE
- Toss the finished chicken wings in the hot honey sauce and serve!
Boom! Done! Your hot honey wings are ready to serve. Don't they look wonderful? I'm ready to dig into these! Honey wings made with hot honey are the best!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- For the crispiest chicken wings, drying out the skins is essential. Baking powder is a well-known ingredient used to help draw moisture from the chicken skin. Let the chicken wings set a few minutes after seasoning, then pat dry before cooking. See my Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe for extra tips and notes.
- Refrigerate your seasoned chicken wings for a few hours, or overnight, to let them dry out even further. This results in the most amazing crispy chicken wings every time.
Storage
Leftover hot honey wings will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can warm them in the microwave, or in the oven to enjoy them again.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the hot honey chicken wings. Let me know if you did! I'd love to hear.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Want even MORE chicken wing recipes? Try my fried chicken wings for wings that are super satisfying with a crunchy-flaky crust, or these BBQ chicken wings slathered with BBQ sauce.
If you're looking for an alternative to frying, these smoked chicken wings bring a wonderful smoky touch, or these ghost pepper chicken wings bring the serious heat!
You can also marinade your wings before cooking with any of these recipes. Try this one - The Best Chicken Marinade. So good!
See all of my Chicken Wings Recipes.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Hot Honey Wings Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN WINGS
- 2 pounds chicken wings separated and wing tips removed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne optional, for extra spicy – or use ghost pepper powder!
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Extra seasonings as desired
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
FOR THE HOT HONEY SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon hot chili flakes or use crushed dried chilies, or 1 fresh hot chili, sliced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional – use your favorite!
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
Instructions
PREP THE CHICKEN WINGS
- Pat the wings as dry as you can get them. This will help with the crispiness.
- Set the wings into a large bowl and season with baking powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to get them nice and coated. The baking powder helps with the crispiness.
FOR BAKED CHICKEN WINGS
- Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Set the wings onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Increase oven heat to 425 degrees F. Flip the chicken wings and bake another 30 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and the skins are nice and crispy.
FOR AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
- Pat the chicken wings as dry as you can with paper towels.
- Set the chicken wings into a large bowl and toss them with the baking powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt and pepper, to evenly coat the skin.
- Oil the air fryer basket with vegetable oil and set the seasoned chicken wings into the air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 250 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Flip the chicken wings, then set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F. Air fry for another 15-20 minutes, or to your desired crispiness. Internal temperature of chicken wings should reach 165 degrees F internally when measured with a meat thermometer.
FOR THE HOT HONEY SAUCE
- Add the butter to a small pot over medium heat. When melted, add the chili flakes, honey, and optional hot sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to infuse the honey with the pepper flavor and heat. Do not allow the honey to boil.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar (if using). If using fresh peppers, strain the honey into a jar. If using dried peppers, strain only if desired.
TO SERVE
- Toss the finished chicken wings in the hot honey sauce and serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Lisa says
hello, made these and results were amazing! If I attempt with chicken drumstick, what should I do differently, temp and duration?
thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Great, Lisa! Yes, this is perfect for drumsticks, too, really any cut. I usually bake my drumsticks for 40 minutes, but really bake until the internal temperature of 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. Enjoy!!
Lisa says
Perfect! Thank you Mike, I'll follow your guide.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy!!
Lisa White says
So glad I found this recipe. It is so delicious. It’s added to our game day rotation. Thank you!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Lisa. Enjoy!
jim l nashwinter says
nice wings;
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jim!
Thomas says
Great recipe! Came out very well. I need to work on making it more crispy!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed them, Thomas!
Janet says
I have never made wings before but this looked like something that would go perfectly with my “jalapeño, honey”. (I make your candied jalapeños and then can the extra syrup in a water bath.). OMG - my husband wants these at least once a week! Fantastic recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great to me, Janet! Glad you guys enjoyed the wings!
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and vegan butter cant wait to try in my air fryer at home i never had hot honey wings before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day after work
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Ramya.