Baked Chicken Wings in Sticky Honey Garlic Sauce
Hey there, sticky fingers! With the perfect balance of flavors from honey, coconut aminos, fresh garlic and apple cider vinegar, these homemade chicken wings are everything a wing sauce should be: sweet, salty and oh-so sticky.
Because we bake these in the oven with no deep frying and don’t use any flour coating, these are only 77 calories each, making them one of my favorite appetizers when I want something healthy but also rich and flavorful.
If you love a spicy sauce, feel free to add in some red pepper flakes or hot sauce the sauce ingredients, I always do! Serve these with carrots and celery sticks, a side of homemade ranch dressing and watch them disappear.
Why you’ll love these wings
- 5 grams of protein and 77 calories each.
- Gluten and dairy free.
- Simple ingredients.
Ingredients and Substitutes:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for this honey garlic chicken wings recipe.
- Chicken Wings: we’re using 3 pounds of chicken wings, 12 drums and 12 wingettes.
- Olive Oil: to cook the wings. Vegetable oil or any neutral oil will also work.
- Honey: for the perfect sticky sauce. You can substitute with pure maple syrup or brown sugar for a less sticky version.
- Fresh Garlic
- Coconut Aminos: less salty than soy sauce and adds a bit of sweetness. You can use soy sauce, if desired.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: adds acidity and cuts the sweetness.
- Red Pepper Flakes: optional, if you like hot wings. You can also add a few tsp. of hot sauce.
- Arrowroot Powder: thickens the wing sauce, substitute with cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio.
Variations
- Add sesame seeds or green onions prior to serving.
- Try crispy cajun wings or hot honey lemon pepper wings.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free as written.
How to make honey garlic sticky wings:
Step 1: preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: cut wings into drums and wingettes (if needed)
If your wings are pre cut into winglettes and drumlettes move onto the next step. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Flip the wing over so it is skin side down and you can easily see the joints. Use your fingers to locate the ridge between the drumette and the wingette portions. Use a sharp knife to cut between the ridge. Your knife should slide right through with very little resistance. Next, locate the second ridge between the wingette and the tip portion. Cut all of the way through this joint to separate the two pieces and discard the tip.
Step 3: prep wings & brown
Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels, then season with salt and black pepper. Next, heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken wings to the hot oil in a single layer and cook until they are golden brown on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes.
Step 4: mix sauce ingredients
While the chicken is cooking, mix the honey, garlic, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar and red pepper flakes together in a large bowl, mixing well to combine.
Step 5: mix sauce with wings
Once the chicken wings are browned, pour the sticky honey garlic sauce over them in an oven safe skillet or large baking sheet. Toss the wings in the sauce until they are well coated. The sauce will be thin, we will thicken it after baking.
Step 6: bake in oven
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake the chicken wings for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and mix the sauce with the wings again, while the wings are still in the pan. Return the coated wings for another 5 minutes, or until the wings are fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling.
Step 7: remove wings and thicken sauce
Remove the chicken wings from the oven. Remove the wings from the skillet and set aside, leaving the sauce in the pan. Heat the skillet with the sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add the arrowroot and water mixture to the sauce and whisk until the sauce has thickened.
Step 8: mix wings and thickened sauce
Place the baked wings back into the pan with the sauce and thoroughly cover the wings with the thickened sauce. Remove the wings and pour any sauce left in the skillet over top. Top with chopped green onions, red pepper flakes and enjoy.
Expert Tip!
If you only have a few minutes of prep time, buy pre-cut wings. This will save you a ton of time in the kitchen!
Recipe FAQs
Serve honey garlic wings has an appetizer with celery and carrots or with fries or smashed potatoes for a meal. Add a side of dairy-free ranch or blue cheese for dipping.
Air Fryer: season the wings with salt and pepper and bake in the air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. While they cook make the sauce in a sauce pan to thicken. Once cooked, remove from the air fryer and toss in the sauce.
Grill: First, grill the chicken and make the sauce on the stove. Then, toss the cooked chicken in the sauce.
If you don’t have pre-cut wings or can’t find them for these honey garlic wings, you always have the option to cut your own from the full chicken wing. It’s not nearly as difficult as you think!
1. There are three parts of the chicken wing: the drums, the wingette and the wing tip. We usually only eat the drums and the wingettes and discard the wing tip, as there is little to no meat on it.
2. Make sure to have a very sharp knife and a clean surface that is safe for raw meat.
3. To cut the whole chicken wing into drums and wingettes: flip the wing skin side down so you can see the joints. The joints are the easiest part to cut into. If you can see them clearly you will avoid cutting into the bone, which is hard to cut.
4. Locate the ridge that is between the drum and wingette. Using your sharp knife cut parallel to the drums, through the joint. It should cut very easily.
5. To seperate the wingette from the wing tip, locate the second ridge between the wingette and the wing tip. Cut through here at the joint to remove the tip.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. I like to reheat in the air fryer to get them a little crispy but you can also use the oven or microwave.
Check out some of our other easy recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Honey Garlic Wings
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken wings (drums and wingettes) 12 wings / 12 drums
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1/2 cup honey 153g
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp. coconut aminos 30g
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes optional but recommended
- 1/4 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
- 1 Tbsp. water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If your wings are pre cut into winglettes and drumlettes move onto the next step. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Flip the wing over so it is skin side down and you can easily see the joints. Use your fingers to locate the ridge between the drumette and the wingette portions. Use a sharp knife to cut between the ridge. Your knife should slide right through with very little resistance. Next, locate the second ridge between the wingette and the tip portion. Cut all of the way through this joint to separate the two pieces and discard the tip.
- Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken wings and cook until they are browned on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, mix the honey, garlic, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar and red pepper flakes together in a bowl, mixing well to combine.
- Once the chicken wings are browned, pour the honey garlic sauce over them in an oven safe skillet or pan. Toss the wings in the sauce until they are well coated. The sauce will be thin, we will thicken it after baking.
- Transfer the skillet or pan to the preheated oven. Bake the chicken wings for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and mix the sauce with the wings again, while the wings are still in the pan. Return for another 5 minutes, or until the wings are fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling.
- Remove the chicken wings from the oven. Remove the wings from the skillet and set aside, leaving the sauce in the pan. Heat the skillet with the sauce over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Add the arrowroot and water mixture to the sauce and whisk until the sauce has thickened.
- Place the baked wings back into the pan with the sauce and thoroughly cover the wings with the thickened sauce. Remove the wings and pour any sauce left in the skillet over top.
- Serve with red pepper flakes and enjoy!
Notes
- Use whole chicken wings if desired, cutting into drums and wingettes. Instructions above.
- Add 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes to the sauce for some heat.
- Serve with celery, carrot sticks, and blue cheese or ranch dressing.
My naked wing loving child ate more of these tonight than I did. The balance of the honey and garlic is perfect!