• Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
      • Breakfast Breads
    • Beverages
      • Boozy Drinks
      • Non-Alcoholic
    • Condiments
      • Dressings Chutneys & Jams
      • Marinades & Rubs
      • Sauces & Pestos
    • Desserts
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies/Bars
      • Crumbles/Crisps
      • Ice Cream/Frozen Treats
      • Pies/Tarts
      • Puddings/Custards
    • Entrees
      • Meat
        • Beef
        • Chicken/Poultry
        • Lamb
        • Pork
        • Seafood
          • Crab
          • Fish
          • Other
          • shrimp
        • Pasta
        • Grains
        • Sandwiches, Tacos & Pizzas
        • Soups, Stews & Braises
    • Salads
    • Sides
      • Breads
    • Vegan/Vegetarian
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Disclaimers
    • Privacy Policy
  • Kitchen Resources

Garlic & Zest

Gourmet Cooking at Home!

Tangy Sriracha Honey Wings

483shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This post has been updated for photos and content since its original publication in 2015.

Looking for the best wings for your next movie night or game day? These Asian style honey sriracha chicken wings are amazing! They’re tangy, sweet, spicy, meaty, juicy, and just sticky enough that you’ll want to lick your fingers afterwards. The secret is the simple soy, lime, honey sriracha sauce, which gets brushed on the baked wings towards the end of cooking. Save some sauce for drizzling or dipping your sriracha honey wings into. So good!

Separating chicken wings into drums and flats and resting them on a sheet pan with a wire rack.

I don’t like to fry wings at home… it’s the mess — and how the “fry smell” can linger in the house for days on end. Instead, I leave the frying to the restaurants and make baked chicken wings at home. It’s easier, less messy and if you cook them at a high enough heat, you’ll end up with a nice, crispy skin that’s just begging for some sticky honey sriracha sauce. 

Prepping and baking the chicken wings

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Don’t even think about putting the wings in the oven until it’s preheated, otherwise you risk flabby wings… eww…
  2. Some stores sell flats and drums already separated, but if you buy whole wings, it’s pretty simple to break them down with a good knife at the joints. Don’t toss the wing tips, you can use them in your next pot of chicken stock.
  3. Line a sheet pan with tin foil (to catch the drips — it’s gonna save you a lot of clean up time later) and rest a rack over the pan. Transfer the flats and drums, skin side up, to the rack. Arrange them so they aren’t touching.
  4. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and par bake the wings for about 15 minutes.

This first bit of cooking starts to firm up the skin and cook the wing meat. It’s not until after that first 15 minutes that you add the honey sriracha sauce. If you sauce the wings too early, the sriracha honey wings could burn, while never achieving that crispy stage. So while the wings  are on the first bake, assemble the tangy honey sriracha sauce.

mixing honey sriracha sauce with ingredients in a bowl.

Though a relatively short list of ingredients, each one is potent and powerful in this funky, tangy, spicy sauce.

Ingredients for tangy honey sriracha sauce

  • Garlic
  • Sriracha
  • Fish Sauce
  • Honey
  • Soy Sauce
  • Limes

Sauce tips:

  1. Reserve a bit of sauce in a separate bowl for drizzling and dipping later. (You don’t want to cross contaminate with raw poultry).
  2. This honey sriracha sauce makes enough to dress about 4 pounds of wings, but if you don’t have that many, you can cut the amounts in half.

Taste map for your tongue

Though the original taste map of your tongue  you may have learned about in school has been debunked,  the 5 basic taste receptors (salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami) are alive and well in Asian cuisine, which is famous for simultaneously triggering them all at once.

  • Salty – Soy sauce is the main salty component in this sauce, but it has more flavor than plain salt and works well in these Asian stye honey sriracha chicken wings. 
  • Sweet – Honey adds sweetness and makes these sriracha chicken wings a bit sticky and lip-smacking.
  • Sour – The lime (both zest and juice) gives this glaze and dipping sauce a bright tangy finish. 
  • Bitter – On their own, raw garlic and sriracha can be bitter, but in this simple sauce they also add a layered spice and heat.
  • Umami – Umami is the fifth taste — the savory taste of glutamate. Fish sauce adds an umami funk that’s irresistible (if you’ve never worked with fish sauce before, it does smell weird — but trust me, it’s the stuff that ties the whole honey sriracha glaze together. Just be mindful, because its potent.

 

whisking the sauce and spreading it on honey sriracha chicken wings.

Cooking and glazing the honey sriracha chicken wings

  1. After the first 15 minutes in the oven, remove the pan and liberally brush the tops of the chicken with the garlic honey sriracha sauce. 
  2. Return the sriracha honey wings to the oven and cook for another 5-8 minutes. (Note, the time varies depending on how large your wings are. I’ve made this several times with poultry I’ve gotten at Costco — and they seem to be bigger and meatier. Regular grocery store wings can be smaller, and thus can be cooked slightly less… about 5 minutes. Use your best judgement.
  3. After the initial 5-8 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and flip the drums and flats over. Brush them with more sauce and return them to the oven to finish baking for another 5-8 minutes. 

 

brushing sriracha honey wings with more sauce after the first bake.

You can see in the photos (above and below) how the skin starts to crisp and the color changes from a pale yellow to a burnished, crispy amber. That’s how you know it’s getting GOOD. Also, check out the tin foil beneath the wire rack that collects the honey sriracha sauce, saving you a lot of scrubbing time later. You’re welcome. 

Lacquer Asian-style wings under the broiler

Flip the wings one last time and brush them again with the lip-smacking tangy honey sriracha sauce. For the last bit of cooking, put the honey sriracha wings under the broiler for just a minute or two to fuse the sauce to the chicken and give the wings a deeper color. 

 

the honey sriracha chicken wings after the broiler are dark golden and lacquered with sauce.

It’s completely up to you, but after you pile them on a serving platter, you might want to add a little garnish for color, freshness and pizzazz. Here’s what I recommend.

Extras for the best wings

  • Fresh Chopped Cilantro
  • Lime Wedges
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • Black Sesame Seeds
  • Extra Drizzle of Honey Sriracha Sauce

chicken wings on a platter with cilantro, sesame seeds and fresh lime.

So, how do they taste?

In a word… Amazing.  The chicken is cooked to crispy, meaty perfection, but the real “wow” is definitely the tangy honey sriracha sauce. Every part of your tongue dances with that first bite.  These wings are crispy, too.  They’re not sad, flabby, meh wings.  No.  They are crusty and tender and utterly satisfying. Lordy… mere words don’t do justice…

 

photo of the honey sriracha sauce for dipping.

Can we eat now?

As I was making (and photographing) this recipe, my husband, Scott, kept popping in and out of the kitchen asking, “Are you done yet? Can we eat?” Poor guy hasn’t had a hot meal in 6 years… but I digress… He inhaled this batch and declared them the best wings, ever! He loved the punchy flavors in these honey sriracha wings and this platter didn’t last long between the two of us. Be sure to have a supply of napkins or wet-naps on hand! You’ll need ’em.

 

the best wings and dipping sauce on a platter.

More wings and Asian chicken recipes you might like:

  • Hatch Chile Hot Wings
  • Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings
  • Juicy Asian Style Chicken Thighs
  • Asian Chicken Salad
Print Pin
5 from 9 votes

Honey Sriracha Lime Wings

If you enjoy the mix of salty, sweet, hot and tangy, look no further than these sensational wings!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword sriracha, wings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 354kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken wings
  • sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons garlic finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce nam pla
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 limes zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Set oven rack to the top third of your oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Cover a large baking sheet with tin foil. Set a wire rack on top of the baking sheet (I used a cooling rack) Set aside.
  • Cut the chicken wings into sections: drums, flats and tips. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut between the joints of the drums and flats, and flats and tips. Save tips for making stock.
  • Lay the drums and flats on the wire rack, so they are not touching. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Bake the wings for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile assemble the sauce. In a small bowl combine the garlic, sriracha, fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, lime zest and juice and stir to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade for dipping.
  • Remove the wings from the oven and brush them with the marinade. Return them to the oven and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes. Remove them from the oven and flip them over. Brush with marinade and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes until crisp and browned.
  • Remove the honey sriracha wings from the oven and flip them one last time. Brush with remaining sauce.
  • Set the oven to the broiler setting. Place the wings about 6" from the heating element and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they start to take on color and the honey sriracha sauce lacquers to the meat. Watch carefully so they don't burn.
  • Transfer wings to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with reserved marinade for dipping or drizzling over the wings.

Notes

Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
You can also grill the wings instead of baking them (I've done it both ways - just wait until the wings are almost cooked before glazing them with the sauce, to prevent flare ups

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 2390mg | Potassium: 222mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 8.2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Pin “Tangy Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings” for later!

 

 

 

 

 

Honey Sriracha Lime Wings | Garlic + Zest
483shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Email
  • Tumblr
  • Mix

Appetizers// Chicken/Poultry// Marinades & Rubs26 Comments

« Old Fashioned Tuna and Pasta Salad
Pan Seared Scallops over Spinach Pesto Pasta »

Comments

  1. Kathryn Donangelo says

    July 17, 2020 at 10:27 AM

    All of the flavors in these wings are the best and these were gone so fast! I need to make these wings again asap!! Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Angela says

    July 17, 2020 at 10:18 AM

    WOW! The sauce on these wings is amazing. Pop them under the broiler for a bit of char. Perfect!

    Reply
  3. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    July 17, 2020 at 10:14 AM

    These look amazing! I might try this on chicken breasts? They’re so delicious!

    Reply
  4. Stephanie says

    July 17, 2020 at 10:03 AM

    My husband gets cravings for wings every few weeks, and this is the perfect recipe for him! It’s a great flavor and so easy to make.

    Reply
  5. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

    July 17, 2020 at 9:45 AM

    This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family

    Reply
  6. laura says

    January 20, 2020 at 11:02 PM

    what temp do u cook the wings on?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 21, 2020 at 7:39 AM

      450°

      Reply
  7. Marie says

    January 30, 2019 at 9:36 AM

    Ohmygawd, I’ll be making this for superbowl Lisa!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      January 30, 2019 at 11:16 AM

      Those are Nola’s favorites, Marie!

      Reply
  8. Tina says

    August 8, 2017 at 10:51 AM

    These look AMAZING! I need to try your technique of cooking them on high heat and basting half way through. This has a lot of possibilities. I’m going to make your recipe next week!

    Reply
  9. Jagruti says

    August 8, 2017 at 10:40 AM

    I like using lime and garlic in most of my spicy dishes,thanks for sharing

    Reply
  10. Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze says

    August 8, 2017 at 10:28 AM

    This marinade DOES sound as addictive as Doritos, which is damn addictive! Have you tried it on fish? I’m thinking it would be great on tuna or salmon!

    Reply
  11. Kristina says

    August 8, 2017 at 9:28 AM

    honey, sriracha, and lime?? I can totally see why you’d justify so many “tests”… YUM 🙂

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 8, 2017 at 10:17 AM

      Tee hee hee.

      Reply
  12. Calleigh - TheForkBite says

    August 8, 2017 at 9:26 AM

    My husband loves sriracha, he added it to the most food he eats. And these wings look so legit; my family can gobble them up in a mouthful lol.

    Reply
  13. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    August 8, 2016 at 4:30 AM

    You had me at sriracha! My husband would devour these!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 8, 2016 at 7:27 AM

      Enjoy, Dannii!

      Reply
  14. Lindsey @ Butter & Type says

    August 7, 2016 at 9:57 PM

    These wings look and sound absolutely wonderful! I would probably eat them all in one sitting!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 8, 2016 at 7:27 AM

      LOL! That’s been known to happen!

      Reply
  15. champagne-tastes says

    August 7, 2016 at 9:32 PM

    What delicious flavors!!! The husband loves wings.. He’d gobble these up in no time at all!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 8, 2016 at 7:26 AM

      We have to make a double batch when I make them here!

      Reply
  16. Everyday Sarah Jane says

    August 7, 2016 at 8:35 PM

    These look and sound amazing…just in time for football Sundays! 🙂 Can’t wait to make them!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 8, 2016 at 7:26 AM

      That was my thought too — great fan food!

      Reply
  17. CC says

    August 7, 2016 at 7:25 PM

    OMG, these look so good and I am sooo hungry right now! Not the best time to see these! Oh my!

    Reply
  18. Thao @ In Good Flavor says

    August 5, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    These wings look and sound amazing! I like baking them at a really high temp too to get them nice and crispy.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 5, 2015 at 10:23 AM

      I agree – crispiness is the key to stellar wings!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Meet Lisa

Lisa

Calling all cooks! You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to get a delicious, healthy meal on the table! At Garlic & Zest, I’ll show you how to make hundreds of seasonal, fresh recipes and indulgent comfort foods with easy step-by-step instructions and photos to help you master the dish.

Let’s get cooking!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • How To Make An Italian Omelette
  • Legendary Rum Raisin Ice Cream – Naturally Egg Free
  • Amazing Vegan Mushroom Soup with Barley & Kale
  • Easy DIY Apple Cider Brined Smoked Pork Loin
  • Quick & Easy Spiced Apple Cider Tea
Amazon Affiliate:
Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Featured On

Amazon Affiliate: Garlic & Zest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Work with me    Disclaimer

Copyright © 2021 GarlicAndZest - Designed by TailoredDesignsCo

Copyright © 2021 · Savory Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

483shares