Oven-Baked Hot Honey Chicken Wings with Red Glaze

Hot Honey Chicken Wings

These oven-baked wings are browned before they’re tossed in a warm honey and red hot sauce glaze. Baking the flats and drummettes on a rack gives the skin room to brown; adding the glaze afterward leaves patches of that browned surface visible beneath a generous, glossy coating. Serve them piled on a platter with cilantro, green onion, crunchy vegetables, lime, and a bowl of cool dressing.

Ingredients for Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Wings and glaze

• 2 pounds split chicken wings, flats and drummettes (about 900g)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup red cayenne-style hot sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the platter

• About 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 4 celery ribs, cut into sticks
• 2 medium carrots, cut into sticks
• 1/2 cup prepared ranch or blue cheese dressing
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Yield: 4 appetizer servings. Time: 15 minutes prep, 40–50 minutes cooking; 55–65 minutes total.

How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Wings

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack securely over a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Dry and season: Pat the wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss with the oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the rack without overlapping; use a second rack-lined sheet if needed so the wings brown rather than steam.
3. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 40–50 minutes, turning the wings once halfway through. Begin checking around 40 minutes. The skin should be browned with some crisp edges, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest meat without touching bone must read at least 165°F (75°C). Larger wings or a crowded oven may take longer.
4. Make the glaze: During the last part of baking, combine the hot sauce, honey, butter, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for about 5–7 minutes, stirring, until the butter is incorporated and the glaze is glossy. It should coat a spoon but still pour easily. If it looks thin, simmer a little longer without reducing it until stiff.
5. Coat and garnish: Transfer the hot, fully cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour in the warm glaze and toss until every wing is generously coated. Pile the wings on a platter and scatter the cilantro and green onion over the top.
6. Serve: Arrange the celery and carrot sticks, lime wedges, and a small bowl of dressing beside the wings. Serve promptly.

Why Add the Glaze After Baking?

Drying the wings and holding them above their drippings gives the skin a chance to brown. Honey glaze added before baking would coat those surfaces while they cook; tossing afterward keeps the glaze glossy. The generous sauce will soften some of the crisp edges, so coat the wings just before serving.

Adjusting the Hot Honey Glaze

Red hot sauces vary in heat, saltiness, color, and thickness. Use a red cayenne-style sauce for the intended coating, then taste the warm glaze before increasing the heat. If your sauce is mild, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of extra hot sauce to taste.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

For make-ahead serving, refrigerate the cooked wings and prepared glaze separately. Reheat the wings in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot throughout, gently warm the glaze, and toss them together just before serving.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container and use within 3–4 days. Already-sauced wings can be reheated, but the coating will be softer. Cooked wings can be frozen; freezing them before saucing is preferable for texture.

More Wing Recipes

For traditional Buffalo heat, try these oven-baked Buffalo chicken wings. For a smoky-sweet sauce instead of hot honey, see these oven-baked BBQ chicken wings.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per appetizer serving, including vegetables and dressing: 590 calories, 25g protein, 40g fat, and 33g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of edible food: 220 calories, 9g protein, 15g fat, and 12g carbohydrates. Estimates vary with the edible yield of the wings, the dressing chosen, and how much glaze remains in the bowl. Bones are excluded from the per-100g estimate.