Hot Honey Chicken Wings (Extra Crispy)

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. Use only aluminum free.
• 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 (Step by Step)

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!

How Spicy Are Hot Honey Wings?

That's entirely up to you. The heat comes from two places: the cayenne in the dry rub and the chili flakes in the hot honey sauce. Here's how to dial it in:

• Mild. Skip the cayenne in the rub and use a small pinch of mild chili flakes or powder (like Aleppo or sweet paprika) in the sauce. Warm and sweet with just a whisper of heat.
• Medium. Use the cayenne as written and standard red chili flakes in the sauce. This is where most people land - noticeable heat that doesn't scare anyone off.
• Hot. Double the chili flakes and add a teaspoon of your favorite habanero hot sauce to the honey. Real heat, great flavor.
• Extra Hot. Swap the cayenne for ghost pepper powder in the rub and use crushed ghost pepper or scorpion flakes in the sauce. This is legitimately spicy! You've been warned.

Storage & Leftovers

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.

Love hot honey? Try Hot Honey Roasted Carrots.

Hot Honey Wings - Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought hot honey?

Yes. Mike's Hot Honey is the most widely available and works great. That said, homemade takes about 5 minutes and lets you control the heat exactly. Check out my Homemade Hot Honey recipe.

What's the best hot sauce for hot honey wings?

Frank's RedHot is the classic for a mild tang, doesn't overpower the honey. For more heat, use a habanero hot sauce or hotter. Tabasco works but is heavy on vinegar, so dial back on the ACV if you use it.

How do you keep wings crispy after saucing?

Toss right before serving. Hot honey is sticky and will start softening the skin if the wings sit too long. Toss in two-thirds of the sauce, plate immediately, and drizzle the rest over the top.

Can I make hot honey wings ahead of time?

Yes. Cook the wings fully, refrigerate unsauced for up to a day, then reheat at 425°F for 8-10 minutes to re-crisp. Make the sauce 3-4 ahead and reheat gently before tossing.

Do I have to use baking powder?

Yes, and make sure it's aluminum-free. Regular baking powder can leave a metallic taste on the skin.