Baked Sticky Honey BBQ Wings (Printable)

Tender baked wings coated in a sweet and tangy honey BBQ glaze with a crispy finish.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joints, tips removed

→ Seasoning

02 - 1 tsp garlic powder
03 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Honey BBQ Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
07 - 1/4 cup honey
08 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and position a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat wings dry with paper towels. Toss in a large bowl with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack. Bake for 35 minutes, flipping halfway, until skin is crisp and golden.
04 - Combine barbecue sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, melted butter, and hot sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Transfer wings to a large bowl and pour warm honey BBQ sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly.
06 - Return sauced wings to the rack and bake an additional 10 minutes until sticky and caramelized.
07 - Serve hot, optionally garnished with chopped parsley or green onions.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The wings crisp up beautifully in the oven with zero deep-frying mess, but still taste like you pulled them from a smokehouse.
  • That sticky honey-barbecue coating is the kind of thing people lick off their fingers, and somehow it's easier to make than you'd expect.
  • They're ready in under an hour, which means you can actually enjoy your guests instead of being chained to the kitchen.
02 -
  • The wire rack changes everything—I learned this the hard way after making a batch that sat in its own rendered fat and came out soggy instead of crispy, and I've never looked back.
  • Don't skip the halfway flip; those wings that stayed still got one side golden and the other pale, which taught me that moving them matters more than I expected.
  • The final 10-minute bake with sauce is non-negotiable because it lets the glaze actually stick instead of just sliding off when you pick them up.
03 -
  • Pat your wings dry and let them sit uncovered in the fridge for an hour before seasoning if you're not in a rush—the cold, dry air tightens the skin even more and gives you wings that practically crackle.
  • Always taste your sauce as it simmers because every barbecue sauce brand is different, so you might need slightly more or less honey depending on what you grabbed at the store.
  • If the wings stick to the rack, a light spray of oil on the rack before baking saves you from the frustration of skin left behind.
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