Hot Honey Wings Recipe

Dry and season

Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. This helps the skin crisp. In a large bowl, toss the wings with kosher salt, black pepper, and baking powder until evenly coated. The baking powder raises pH and helps crisp the skin.

Arrange the wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a sheet pan for 20–30 minutes at room temperature to air-dry slightly (optional) or refrigerate uncovered for up to 2 hours for extra-crisp skin.

Heat oil

Pour oil into a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1.5 inches (roughly 1 to 1.5 cups depending on pot). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, oil should shimmer and a small piece of bread will brown in about 60 seconds.

Fry the wings

Working in batches (do not overcrowd), carefully lower 6–8 wings into the hot oil. Fry until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp, about 8–10 minutes per batch depending on size. Use a spider or tongs to turn wings occasionally for even browning. Transfer cooked wings to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain. If desired, you can increase oil temperature to 375°F for the last 1–2 minutes of each batch to further crisp, but watch for excessive browning.

Oven-finish alternative

If you prefer not to deep-fry: preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place dried, seasoned wings on a wire rack over a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes, flip, then bake another 20–30 minutes until deeply browned and crisp. For extra crispness, broil 2–4 minutes at the end, watching closely.

Combine and simmer

In a small saucepan set over low heat, combine honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Warm gently, stirring, until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth and slightly thinned, about 3–4 minutes. Do not boil aggressively — just simmer lightly to blend flavors. Taste and adjust heat or salt: add more hot sauce for heat or an extra tsp vinegar for brightness.

Finish with butter

Remove pan from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter until glossy. This mellows the honey and creates a clingy sauce for the wings.

Coat the wings

Place the drained hot wings into a large clean bowl. Pour the hot honey sauce over the wings and toss gently but thoroughly so each wing is evenly coated. If the sauce has thickened, warm it for 30 seconds to 1 minute to loosen before tossing.

Plate

Arrange the sauced wings on a platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery sticks, if desired.