Oven-Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Wings with Crispy Skin

Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

These oven-baked flats and drumettes have browned skin beneath a thin, glossy sweet chili glaze. Patting the wings dry and spacing them on a rack helps the skin crisp before the sauce goes on. The bottled sweet chili sauce is warmed with soy sauce and lime, then added near the end so its sugar does not spend the full bake in the oven.

A brief return to the oven sets the glaze. Chives, red pepper flakes, and lime wedges finish the platter.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings, about 16–20 wing pieces. Time: 15 minutes prep, 42–48 minutes cooking; about 60–65 minutes total.

Ingredients for Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

• 2 pounds thawed bone-in, skin-on party wings, mixed flats and drumettes (about 900g)
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• About 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for greasing the rack
• 1/2 cup bottled sweet chili sauce (about 140g)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 fresh limes, for 1 tablespoon juice and serving wedges
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or a light scattering

Use baking powder, not baking soda. Sweet chili sauces vary in sweetness, thickness, and heat, so taste yours before adding extra spice.

How to Make Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and lightly grease the rack with the oil.
2. Dry and season: Pat the thawed wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper until lightly and evenly coated, with no heavy white clumps.
3. Bake until crisp: Arrange the wings in one spaced layer on the rack. Use a second sheet pan and rack if needed rather than crowding them. Bake uncovered for about 40–45 minutes, flipping after roughly 20 minutes. Start checking at 35 minutes. Before saucing, the skin should be deeply golden with crisp edges, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest meat without touching bone should read at least 165°F (75°C). Larger wings may need longer; cooking beyond the safety minimum can make wing meat more tender.
4. Warm the glaze: Near the end of the main bake, combine the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for 2–3 minutes, until glossy and thick enough to lightly coat a spoon but still pourable.
5. Coat and set: Let the cooked wings stand for about 2 minutes. Toss with just enough warm glaze to coat each piece thinly, then return them to the rack. Bake for 2–3 minutes more, watching closely. Remove the wings when the glaze is shiny and tacky, before it blackens.
6. Serve: Arrange the wings loosely on a shallow platter. Scatter the chives and red pepper flakes over them, add the lime wedges alongside, and serve promptly.

How to Keep the Wings Crisp

Thaw the wings before cooking so you can dry the skin thoroughly. Space the pieces on the rack to let moisture escape, and continue the main bake if the skin still looks pale at 40–45 minutes. Once glazed, the wings will soften over time, so serve them soon after the short finishing bake.

When the Sweet Chili Glaze Is Ready

The warmed glaze should cling to a spoon without becoming thick or pasty. Toss the wings with only enough to make a thin coating; excess sauce can pool on the platter and soften the skin. The final oven step sets the glaze, but sugary sauces can darken quickly, so keep it brief.

For more heat, taste the bottled sauce first, then stir 1/2–1 teaspoon sambal oelek into the glaze if needed. For a different sweet-spicy wing option, try these honey sriracha chicken wings.

Storing and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot throughout, checking often so the glaze does not darken too much. The coating will be softer than when freshly served. If preparing ahead, keep the cooked wings and glaze separate until shortly before serving when practical.

Nutrition

Approximate per appetizer serving (1/4 of the recipe): 370 calories, 25g protein, 20g fat, and 22g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of edible wings and glaze, excluding bones: 245 calories, 17g protein, 13g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Estimates vary with wing size, edible meat yield, sauce brand, and how much glaze remains on the wings.