Honey Hot Wings (Baked & Airfryer Instructions)
Honey hot wings are a crispy, crunchy snack for a crowd. Learn how to make them in the oven and your air fryer! This recipe is easy enough to double if you’re cooking for a party.
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Ingredients Needed:
Not much is needed for these delicious sticky hot wings. In fact, you probably have everything to make right now in your pantry or fridge.
For the Wings
I recommend mixing the spices together in a small bowl, then pouring it over the chicken wings. This ensures the spice mixture is evenly distributed.
- 2lbs chicken wings (split, tipped). I made sure I bought them that way from Costco.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher salt, sea salt, etc)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika is preferred but regular is fine)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (optional)
Toss all of these ingredients in a large bowl and massage the wings with the dry rub.
Honey Hot Wing Sauce
The honey hot wing sauce recipe takes seconds to whip together. Here’s what you need:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Franks Red Hot Sauce)
- 3 tablespoons of butter, melted. I used salted but you can use unsalted butter.
I brushed some on the wings while they cooked and then boiled the sauce down for a few minutes before I poured over the wings.
Air Fried Chicken Wings
If you’re looking to make these sweet and spicy wings in the air fryer, you’ll save a ton of cooking time (which is great if you’re feeding a crowd for game days).
How long does it take for chicken wings to cook in the air fryer?
In an air fryer of 400F, you’ll need to cook them for about 16 minutes. I like to flip them halfway.
Be sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket, lay them in a single layer. This will help the air circulation to prevent uneven cooking and crispy air fried chicken wings as a result.
I love cooking in the air fryer because it speeds up the cooking time and you get a fried wing for a lot less calories.
How to Make Chicken Wings in the Oven
First, take a sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet and lay parchment paper down (this keeps the wings from sticking to the pan and makes for an easy clean-up), you could also use aluminum foil.
To make them a little crispier and for better airflow, you could prop them on a wired rack while baking.
How long to bake chicken wings in the oven?
In a preheated oven for 400F, bake the hot honey wings for 45-50 minutes. Flip them halfway.
Brush the wings with the sauce during the last 10-15 minutes for a sticky wing. Or pour over when they’re cooling for a saucy wing.
What to Serve with Honey Hot Wings
There are plenty of hot wing side dishes to serve. Here are a few ideas:
- Veggie tray (with the traditional carrots, celery, and ranch dip).
- Homemade ranch dip (like this jalapeno ranch dressing recipe).
- Salad (if serving a crowd: coleslaw, or a few bagged salads from the grocery store work great). These 25 Best Chicken Noodle Salad Recipes are a great option too for parties and potlucks.
How Many Chicken Wings Do I Need for a Party?
If you’re wondering how many wings to serve, there are a few factors to consider.
The weight really can change with the size of the wing or drumette.
Most of the time 2-3 pounds of chicken wings will suffice for a small gathering, as there are other foods and sides. Typically people take 3-4 wings for their plate at a potluck, but it’s always good to go higher. I recommend planning for 4-5 wings per person.
How to Make Honey Hot Chicken Wings
A quick and easy honey hot wings recipe that you and your guests are sure to love.
If you would rather have a mild flavor and heat when it comes to the hot sauce, you can add less.
Like it spicy? Add more Franks (or use a hot sauce of your choosing), you can also add a bit more cayenne powder into the spices. It will change the taste from what I tested this recipe at, but cooking is all about experimentation and finding out what works for you and your tastes.
Honey Hot Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings split, tipped. I made sure I bought them that way from Costco.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt kosher salt, sea salt, etc
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika smoked paprika is preferred but regular is fine
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder optional
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hot sauce I used Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 3 tablespoons of butter melted. I used salted but you can use unsalted butter.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the chicken wings and spices together. Massage with your hands so the dry rub evenly coats the wings.
- In a small bowl melt the butter, add the hot sauce and honey. Stir until combined.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Add the wings to the air fryer basket and cook them at 400F for 16 minutes, flipping halfway.
- During the last 4-5 minutes, brush the wings with the hot honey sauce for sticky wings. Or pour the sauce over when they're cooked for saucy wings (see below).
- While the wings are cooling, boil the sauce ingredients for a few minutes (3-5) to reduce it and pour over the wings.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Arrange the chicken wings on the sheet pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway at the 22-25 minute mark.
- During the last 10-15 minutes of bake time, brush the hot honey glaze over the wings for them to get sticky.
- Want a more saucey wing? While the wings are cooling, boil the sauce ingredients for a few minutes (3-5) to reduce it and pour over the wings.
Notes
Air Fryer Tips
Be sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket, lay them in a single layer. This will help the air circulation to prevent uneven cooking and crispy air fried chicken wings as a result.Nutrition
