These Sticky and Crispy Asian Chicken Wings have the perfect crunch and sticky sweetness – the BEST chicken wings!
Updated for 2018 with video!
Telling you that these chicken wings always go down well is a serious understatement.
The first time I made them a couple of years ago, Chris was at work, so I served them up to the kids and got the following responses:
- Complete silence for the first 10 minutes (except the sounds of frantic chewing/crunching)
- Eyes rolling back in heads
- Phrases like ‘you’re the best mummy ever‘, ‘we’re so lucky to have a mummy who’s a food blogger‘ and ‘oh my gosh these are the best things I’ve ever tasted‘
All in a day’s work hey! These wings make the top 10 list for Chris and the kids along with some other favourites like the Crispy Sesame Chicken and Crispy Chilli Beef. Did i ever mention i LOVE making Asian Recipes 🙂
When Chris did come home from work, he had 5 minutes before he had to be on a phone call, so he literally hovered over the plate I’d saved for him and devoured the lot.
4 people, 1.5kg of chicken wings. Gone.
The crispiness of the chicken wings is amazing – especially considering they’re oven baked. I have Nagi’s recipe from Recipe Tin Eats to thank for that. She’s the chicken wing queen! There soo good, I made a Buffalo Chicken Wings too!
Each wing is chopped into the two pieces, dried thoroughly with kitchen towels (to ensure they don’t absorb too much baking powder) then mixed in a bowl with baking powder (it HAS to be baking powder, NOT baking soda), salt and pepper. There’s quite a lot of baking powder and salt in this recipe, which sounds a little strange, but it really draws the moisture out of the chicken to get that perfect crunchy crispness. Check out my notes re: baking powder below.
They’re cooked at low temperature initially, to slowly render out the fat, then the heat is turned up until the wings are crisp and browned.
The delicious sticky sauce is based on the one I use for my sticky Chinese pork belly (another family favourite!). I doubled it for this recipe, and changed a couple of the quantities very slightly.
It’s poured over the wings right before serving, and it works so well!!
Notes about baking powder:
I get lots of messages on how delicious these wings are, but also the occasional message that the wings tastes bitter – despite assurances the recipe was followed to the letter and baking POWDER not baking soda was used. After doing a little research, it seems that some people can be sensitive to the taste of sodium aluminum sulfate – which can be an ingredient in some baking powders. People who are sensitive to it notice a bitter taste. If you are sensitive to it, you may have noticed certain cakes taste bitter. However, cakes contain a lot less baking powder then this recipe, so you may not have noticed it before and still been sensitive to it.
My tips would be to:
- Dry the wings before dusting with the baking powder – so they only get a light coating.
- Measure the amount of baking powder used exactly, and discard any excess left after tossing together with the wings.
- Use aluminium-free baking powder – make sure it has no aluminum sulfate in it.
Can I make these chicken wings gluten free?
Yes, you can replace the soy sauce with tamari. Also, make sure you’re using a gluten-free baking powder and sweet chilli sauce.
Can I make them ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the oven, but you can make the wings ahead – without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them on a wire rack over a tray for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again.
You can also mix the sauce ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate (uncooked). Pour into a pan and boil as per instructions before serving.
Is there a vegetarian option?
I have been asked this question a number of times and after much testing i made a veggie option. These Baked Asian Cauliflower Wings are as good as this chicken version.
Equipment used:
In order to make these amazing Sticky and Crispy Asian Chicken Wings you will need:
-
- Large Bowl
- Tray with rack
- A good Kitchen knife.
- Chopping Board.
- Measuring Spoons
- Grater (for grating the ginger)
- A large Frying Pan or Skillet
- Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them.
The Sticky AND Crispy Asian Chicken Wings Recipe:
Sticky AND Crispy Asian Chicken Wings
These Asian Chicken Wings are Sticky AND Crispy. The best party food ever!Ingredients
Chicken Wings:
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) chicken wings
- 2 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder (It has to be baking powder, NOT baking soda) - see further notes on baking powder below
- ¾ tsp salt (make sure it's regular table salt)
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp chopped spring onions/scallions
Sticky Asian Sauce:
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon grass paste
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F (fan) and place a rack on a large baking tray.
- Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette. Dry the wings with paper towels, then place in a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Note - it's important to dry the wings first so they only get a light coating. Discard any remaining coating once tossed together.1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) chicken wings, 2 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
- Place in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It's fine for them to be touching. Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F (fan), rotate the tray and place it on a higher shelf (higher middle) in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the wings are golden and crispy. Take out of the oven to cool slightly.
- Place all of the sauce ingredients into a saucepan, stir and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for 5-10 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly (it will thicken more as it cools). Turn off the heat.1 tsp vegetable oil, pinch salt and pepper, 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp lemon grass paste, 2 cloves garlic
- Place the wings in a large bowl and very carefully pour over the sticky sauce (be careful, it will VERY hot). Toss to combine, then serve topped with chopped spring onions.3 tbsp chopped spring onions/scallions
Video
Notes
Notes about baking powder:
I get lots of messages on how delicious these wings are, but also the occasional message that the wings tastes bitter - despite assurances the recipe was followed to the letter and baking POWDER not baking soda was used. After doing a little research, it seems that some people can be sensitive to the taste of sodium aluminum sulfate - which can be an ingredient in some baking powders. People who are sensitive to it notice a bitter taste. If you are sensitive to it, you may have noticed certain cakes taste bitter. However, cakes contain a lot less baking powder then this recipe, so you may not have noticed it before and still been sensitive to it. My tips would be to:- Dry the wings before dusting with the baking powder - so they only get a light coating.
- Measure the amount of baking powder used exactly, and discard any excess left after tossing together with the wings.
- Use aluminium-free baking powder - make sure it has no aluminum sulfate in it.
Can I make these chicken wings gluten free?
Yes, you can replace the soy sauce with tamari. Also, make sure you're using a gluten-free baking powder and sweet chilli sauce.Can I make them ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the oven, but you can make the wings ahead - without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them on a wire rack over a tray for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they're crisp again. You can also mix the sauce ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate (uncooked). Pour into a pan and boil as per instructions before serving. . Nutritional information is per chicken wing.Nutrition
Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 99mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.3mgNutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in June 2016. Updated in June 2018 with additional tips and recipe video.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
just made this recipe and, wow! Sooo good! I’m amazed how crispy they became without frying. Definitely do not skip the baking powder step. The sauce was very tasty and the only change I would make next time is to reduce the soy sauce by 1T or so (when reduced it was a bit salty). Also, I found the sauce didn’t want to stick to the chicken once it came out of the oven (had to dip each piece twice). Maybe next time I’ll dredge the wings in a light coating of flour for better adhesion. all in all, great recipe and I will be making it again.
Thanks Julie, so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
These sound really yummy! gonna give this recipe ago thanks for sharing.
Simon
Hi – I was looking at the quantities for the sauce and wondering if I should double or even triple the sauce amounts….does anyone have a suggestion?
I made it exactly as it said and it was unbelievably perfect. I would think it can be doubled or tripled for multiple batches because I’m about to make them all weekend long for visitors. Best recipe I’ve come across in a long, long time.
Woo hoo thanks Jolie – so glad you liked it 😀
Ana, I made about 40 the other night and the recipe sauce didnt quite seem enough so I just made another load. I also finely chopped a red birds eye chilli which gave them a gorgeous heat. These are the best wings I have ever cooked.
Just curious, can you do them with just the chicken drumsticks? How are the cooking times affected? Thanks, Nancy
Oh wow, I would struggle to share a plate of these with anyone! They look so delish
Tee hee thanks 🙂
Forget all the faffing about with the oven and rotating trays or turning it up or down and get yourself a Philips AirFryer and taste the best chicken ever – it’s the single best thing I’ve ever bought for my kitchen. Just marinate the chicken wings in the sauce for a few hours (or overnight) then chuck in the airfryer at 180 degrees and forget for 20 mins – out they come beautifully sticky and crispy, no need to heat the sauce or coat them in a pre-mixture or anything. And best of all you don’t need any oil (not for these anyway). Yes, I should be working for Philips (I don’t BTW) but I love my AirFryer so much I can’t help spreading the gospel It also cooks the most amazing cakes, chips (fries), bacon, steak, whatever – the airfryer does it all.
Anyway, thanks for the recipe Nicky, this is almost like I make but I use fish sauce, sweet soy, lime juice and lime zest and coriander to make it a bit more Thai in style.
Thanks Mike 🙂
I’ve got a ban on all new kitchen equipment at the moment – whilst we’re getting our extension done and our kitchen renovated. I’ll certainly take a look at one of those Airfryers once the work’s done though 🙂
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was a winner, winner chicken dinner! My kids also loved it. Thank you for the awesome and easy to follow recipe! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes.
Thanks so much for letting me know how it went. I’m so glad you enjoyed the wings 🙂
Do the scallions go in the sauce
Hi Linda, sorry for the late reply. No the scallions are sprinkled on top right at the end. Sorry, I think I refer to them as spring onions in the recipe (a bit of a UK thing).
Your sticky crispy asian chicken wings looks amazing and delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Phillip
http://www.cooksandkid.com
This looks ABSOLUTELY incredible Nicky!!! Isn’t that technique ridiculously awesome? I am a little crazy obsessed with them. 🙂 Sharing!!! N x
It is SO awesome Nagi, these are on my ‘regulars’ list for sure now. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
You’re beautiful! 🙂 just thought you should know
These look so yummy! I may have to give these a try myself… 🙂
I hope you do, I thoroughly recommend them 🙂
An hour and a half of baking time? Aren’t the wings burned and dry by then?
Nicky is it baking powder you use or cornflour Janet
Hi Janet, Yes, it’s baking powder. It sounds like a lot, but paired with the long cooking process, it helps to draw the moisture out of the skin of the chicken – making it really crispy.
I made these on Friday when some friends popped round. They are be best wings any of us have ever tasted. So tender the meat fell off the bone. I havent used baking powder previously but whatever cause them to be so delicious it was genius.
I also made your slow cooked curry.. WOW it was great. I usually spend hours making bases for my curries but the sauce in your receipe means i dont have to do that anymore. Thank you so much