Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings is a bold fusion of ginger, paprika, chili, lemon juice, and soy sauce. These Caribbean succulent chicken wings are lightly coated with cornstarch and air-fried to golden perfection. The wings are then glazed with a glossy honey-tamarind sauce that strikes a balance of sweet, subtly spicy, and tangy flavors. Sprinkle them with white sesame seeds and garnish with cilantro for an aromatic appetizer that bursts with layers of flavor!

Who can resist a bucket of chicken wings marinated in a balance of spices and air-fried to perfection, finished with a final brushing of a honey-tamarind glaze? July 29th is National Chicken Wing Day. On average, Americans consume almost 90 wings a year. On Super Bowl weekend, nearly 1.4 billion wings have been consumed. And why not?  Chicken wings —whether drumettes, wingettes, or tips —are a versatile part of the whole chicken.

They are a perfect choice for road trips. On one road trip to Mount Shasta in California, I carried a bucket of Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings, marinated in spices, frozen, and packed in a cooler. The following day, we refrigerated the wings in our cabin and barbecued them for lunch. The chicken wings tasted so good with their crispy edges and soft center. My family and I enjoyed eating them with our hands against the backdrop of stunning views of the dense pine and oak forests, as well as snow-capped Mount Shasta.

Origin:

The original Buffalo wing is credited to Teressa Bellissima of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Would it surprise you to know that the oldest known recipe dates back to 750 AD, originating from China and known as the Imperial Consort Chicken Wing, presumably named after an imperial consort?  Now, of course, there are dozens of chicken wing recipes.

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings with or without the skin?

One of my pet peeves is that many restaurants leave the skin on their chicken wings. Many people say that it adds to the flavor, which may well be the case, but that is mainly due to the fat. While fat is certainly one way of adding flavor, I prefer not to take that route. That is precisely why I like making my own chicken wings. I trim the fat, remove the skin, and pierce it multiple times with a fork, letting the marinade do the rest of the work in adding flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What are some other cooking methods for these Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings?

  1. Grilling: Grilling the wings on a gas or charcoal barbecue is a healthy option. Be watchful as the chicken wings cook or grill; they cook quickly. Chicken wings glazed with honey are crowd-pleasers at parties. They can be marinated for a week in advance, frozen, and then grilled on the day of the party.
  2. Baking: Baking the wings is a hassle-free option.
  3. Pan-frying: Pan-frying takes much longer than the other two methods because you must continuously monitor the pan to prevent excessive carbonization on delicate wings. While you certainly do not want the wings to burn, as some people like the char, you must be careful because char can be carcinogenic.
  4. Pressure cook and pan-fry: Another method is to pressure-cook and then pan-fry. This method is also a healthy alternative to pan-frying.
  5. Deep-frying: Finally, there is deep-frying. While this certainly adds a nice flavor, it can be oily and, indeed, an unhealthy cooking method.

2. How do I get crispy chicken wings?

After rinsing the chicken wings, pat them dry with paper towels. Marinate the wings in a mixture of spices and ginger paste. Then coat them with cornstarch and mist them with peanut or olive oil. Air-fry the wings at a moderate temperature covered with foil, and finish them at a higher temperature to ensure crispiness. Flip the wings halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.

3. When do I glaze the chicken wings with honey?

The wings can be cooked thoroughly and then glazed with a honey-tamarind mixture, or you could remove the wings five minutes before finishing the cooking process, glaze them, and then air fry them again for an additional five minutes.

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Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings with sesame seeds on a newspaper print garnished with cilantro

Ingredients:

measured ingredients in bowls for the chicken wings

  • Chicken wings and drumettes
  • Spices: paprika, chili, and coriander powder
  • Ginger paste (or use garlic)
  • Lemon juice
  • Soy sauce
  • Honey and tamarind pulp (glaze)
  • White sesame seeds and cilantro (garnish)

Here are the step-by-step instructions on making this dish. For the measurements, please refer to the recipe card below.

How to make the Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings:

  1. Marinate the wings: Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and toss the cleaned chicken wings in the mixture. Rub the marinade onto the wings, cover the bowl, and marinate them for at least 30 minutes.

chicken marinated

2. Air-fry the wings: Arrange the chicken wings on a foil-lined baking tray, mist or drizzle the peanut or olive oil on the chicken. Air-fry the chicken wings covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and flip the wings over using tongs. Air-fry the wings again for 12 minutes, or until they are a golden brown color.

wings air-fried in a foil- lined baking tray

3. Glaze the chicken wings: Mix the honey-tamarind glaze ingredients, then brush the wings with the mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds over them and serve hot, garnished with cilantro.

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings with sesame seeds on a newspaper print garnished with cilantro

Tips:

  1. I prefer to use skinless chicken wings. If using wings with the skin, marinate them for at least 30 minutes. Prick the chicken wings well to allow them to marinate properly.
  2. Rice flour helps the wings become crispy without using excessive oil.
  3. To achieve crispy wings, rinse the chicken wings and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then coat them with cornstarch and evenly mist them with peanut or olive oil. Air fry at a moderate temperature covered with foil, and finish them at a higher temperature to ensure crispiness.
  4. Flip the wings halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.

Serving suggestion:

Serve the Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings as appetizers with ketchup, chili sauce, or on their own. They pair well with Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, Radicchio Salad Recipe, and Roasted Beet and Fennel Salad.

Storage:

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Glaze the wings before serving to help preserve their crispy texture. To reheat from frozen, thaw the wings at room temperature. Then, please place them in the air fryer on the lowest setting for a few minutes, or until heated through.

Other chicken recipes that you might like:

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings

Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings with sesame seeds on a newspaper print garnished with cilantro
Kanchan Dilip
Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings is a bold fusion of ginger, paprika, chili, lemon juice, and soy sauce. These Caribbean succulent chicken wings are lightly coated with cornstarch and air-fried to golden perfection. The wings are then glazed with a glossy honey-tamarind sauce that strikes a balance of sweet, subtly spicy, and tangy flavors. Sprinkle them with white sesame seeds and garnish with cilantro for an aromatic appetizer that bursts with layers of flavor!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 42 minutes
Marination 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 17 minutes
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 10 wings
Calories 131 kcal

Equipment

  • air fryer
  • Baking tray

Ingredients
 
 

For the marinade:

  • 10 chicken wings (and drumettes)
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • tsp chili powder
  • ¾ tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • tbsp sesame seeds white
  • ¼ tsp brown sugar optional
  • 4 sprig cilantro garnish

For the honey glaze:

  • 1 tbsp tamarind pulp strained
  • tbsp honey
  • a pinch salt

Instructions
 

How to marinate the chicken wings:

  • Prepare the ingredients. Trim excess fat from the wings and drumettes and pat them dry with paper towels.
    measured ingredients in bowls for the chicken wings
  • Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and toss the cleaned chicken wings in. Rub the marinade onto the wings, cover the bowl, and marinate them for at least 30 minutes.
    chicken marinated

How to air fry the chicken wings:

  • Arrange the chicken wings on a foil-lined baking tray, mist or drizzle the peanut or olive oil on the chicken. Air-fry the chicken wings covered with foil at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and flip the wings over using tongs. Air-fry the wings again at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until they are a golden brown color.
    wings air-fried in a foil- lined baking tray
  • Mix the ingredients for the honey glaze and brush the wings with this mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds over them and serve hot garnished with cilantro.
    Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings with sesame seeds on a newspaper print garnished with cilantro

Notes

  1. I prefer to use skinless chicken wings. If using wings with the skin, marinate them for at least an hour. Prick the chicken wings well to allow them to marinate properly.
  2. Rice flour helps the wings become crispy without using excessive oil.
  3. To achieve crispy wings, rinse the chicken wings and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Then coat them with cornstarch and evenly mist them with peanut or olive oil. Air fry at a moderate temperature covered with foil, and finish them at a higher temperature to ensure crispiness.
  4. Flip the wings halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 282mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
Keyword air-fried chicken wings, chicken wings recipe, honey chicken wings, honey-glazed chicken wings, spicy chicken wings

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Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings
Amount per Serving
Calories
131
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Cholesterol
 
37
mg
12
%
Sodium
 
282
mg
12
%
Potassium
 
108
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
4
g
1
%
Fiber
 
0.4
g
2
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
215
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
2
mg
2
%
Calcium
 
22
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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