Sweet, spicy, sticky, and downright addictive – Hot Honey Chicken Wings are the flavor bomb you didn’t know you needed. Maybe you’re hosting game night or just craving something bold, these wings bring the perfect balance of heat and honeyed goodness. Warning: they disappear fast, so you might want to make extra!
What You Will Love About These Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Oven-Baked and Crispy – No deep fryer needed! These wings come out golden and crispy straight from the oven – less mess, less oil, but all the yum.
Sweet-Heat Perfection – The hot honey glaze strikes the ideal balance between sweet and spicy, coating each wing in a glossy, flavorful finish that keeps you coming back for more.
Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor – Made with pantry staples and a homemade hot honey sauce, these wings prove that you don’t need a long ingredient list to make something delicious.
Great for Sharing – Whether you’re entertaining guests or serving up dinner, these wings are always a crowd-pleaser – and they disappear fast.
Surprisingly Simple – Despite their gourmet appeal, these wings are easy to make at home.
Equipment Needed
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- A large mixing bowl for mixing the chicken wings with all the seasonings.
- Measuring spoons for measuring out the spices
- Sheet pan for baking the chicken wings
- Parchment paper (highly recommended) to make clean-up a snap
Ingredients for Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Chicken Wings – well, if we are going to make chicken wings…we need chicken wings. Make sure the skin is on as this keeps them moist and makes them crunchy.
Garlic powder, Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika, Salt and Pepper – all used for seasoning the chicken wings. I have made these with just salt and pepper too, they are still great as the hot honey sauce adds a ton of flavor too.
Hot Honey – the star of the show, adds the sweet sticky heat that you will love.
Hot Sauce – I used Frank’s Hot Sauce (NOT buffalo sauce), just adds a little more heat to these wings.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
In a small bowl, mix together the hot honey and hot sauce (I used Frank’s RedHot) and set it aside.
Place your chicken wings in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Using clean hands, toss the wings to coat them evenly with the seasonings.
Pour the hot honey and hot sauce mixture over the seasoned wings. Mix again with your hands to ensure each wing is thoroughly coated.
Arrange the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure they aren’t crowded. This helps them crisp up nicely. Tip: Lay them skin-side down for the first bake—see notes below.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Flip the wings so they’re skin-side up, and bake for another 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and crispy.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with extra hot honey sauce if desired, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Why Skin-Side Down First? Starting the bake with the wings skin-side down helps render the fat and prevent sogginess. Flipping them halfway ensures crispy, golden skin on top.
- Line Your Pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. You will thank yourself later.
- Hot Honey Tip: If you don’t have store-bought hot honey, you can easily make your own with my Hot Honey Recipe.
FAQs
- What’s the best way to get crispy wings in the oven? Make sure the wings are spaced out in a single layer and not crowded. Baking them skin-side down first, then flipping halfway through, helps render the fat and crisp the skin. You can also bake them on a wire rack for even better air circulation.
- How spicy are these wings? That depends on your hot sauce and hot honey! They’re moderately spicy as written. For less heat, use a milder hot sauce and/or reduce the amount used.
- Can I air fry these instead of baking? Yes! Air fry at 385°F for about 24-30 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They’ll crisp up beautifully and cook a bit faster. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. You may have to cook in batches to prevent overcrowding.
- Do I need to marinate the wings beforehand? No marinating is required—the sauce and seasonings pack in plenty of flavor. But if you want to prep ahead, you can season and sauce the wings up to a day in advance and refrigerate them before baking.
- Can I double the recipe? Definitely. Just make sure to use multiple baking sheets so the wings have enough room to crisp up – don’t overcrowd the pan.
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Hot Honey Sauce More for drizzling and dipping if desired
- 3 tablespoons Hot Sauce (Frank's Redhot)
- 2 lbs Chicken Wings
- 1½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1½ teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1½ teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 1½ teaspoons Table Salt
- 1½ teaspoons Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together the hot honey and hot sauce (I used Frank’s RedHot) and set it aside.
- Place your chicken wings in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Using clean hands, toss the wings to coat them evenly with the seasonings.
- Pour the hot honey and hot sauce mixture over the seasoned wings. Mix again with your hands to ensure each wing is thoroughly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure they aren’t crowded. This helps them crisp up nicely. Tip: Lay them skin-side down for the first bake—see notes below.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Flip the wings so they're skin-side up, and bake for another 25 minutes, or until they're golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with extra hot honey sauce if desired, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Why Skin-Side Down First? Starting the bake with the wings skin-side down helps render the fat and prevent sogginess. Flipping them halfway ensures crispy, golden skin on top.
- Line Your Pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. You will thank yourself later.
- Hot Honey Tip: If you don’t have store-bought hot honey, you can easily make your own with my Hot Honey Recipe link in post.
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