Sticky, tangy tamarind wings that crisp up beautifully in the oven or air fryer! This fool‑proof recipe packs bold Southeast Asian flavour into every bite. Think golden, crispy skin, juicy meat and that addictive sweet‑sour punch that keeps everyone coming back for more.
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
These sticky tamarind wings are the perfect combo of sweet, tangy and just a hint of heat. That glossy tamarind glaze clings to every bite, and it’s one of those recipes where everyone ends up licking their fingers clean (and asking for the recipe before they’ve even finished eating!).
The inspiration came from a trip to a Thai restaurant in Oxford, it was such a memorable dish I just knew I had to recreate something similar at home.
Tamarind paste brings a proper punch of flavour – tart and fruity with a deep richness that balances beautifully with honey and brown sugar. I’ve kept things simple but bold here: no deep frying, no fuss, just wings baked until crisp and tossed in a quick homemade glaze.
Table of Contents
📋 Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings:
For the Tamarind Glaze:
Tamarind Paste: I use tamarind paste from a jar – it’s easy to find in UK supermarkets (usually near the Thai or Indian ingredients). If you’re using tamarind concentrate, reduce the amount slightly, as it’s more intense and sour.
Honey: The mixture of honey and brown sugar gives the glaze a lovely sweet stickiness.
Brown Sugar: I Use soft brown sugar for the glaze but in my testing that using dark brown sugar gives you more of a molasses tang to the glaze, which we LOVED!
Chilli Flakes: Adjust to your heat preference. You can swap in fresh red chilli for brightness, or leave it out completely if you’re serving spice-sensitive guests.
Garlic & Ginger: Fresh is best for zing, but jarred or frozen purée works well too – handy for midweek or party prep.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated recipe instructions
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post***
Toss the wings with baking powder and pepper and air fry at 210C/410F for 30-35 mins, tossing every 10 minutes. Mix the tamarind glaze ingredients and heat in a pan until it’s all combined and the sugar has dissolved. Toss the wings with the glaze and serve.
Pro Tip
Make sure you get the wings as dry as possible (using kitchen roll) before coating, this ensures you’ll get only a fine coating of baking powder sticking to the wings and will also ensure the wings are crispier.
We’re using my tried and tested crispy chicken wing recipe that can be done in the air fryer or in the oven. This method creates a perfectly crispy yet juicy wing that’s perfect for the sticky tamarind glaze to cling too.
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Pin It🍽️ What to serve with these wings
These sticky tamarind wings are the kind of thing that disappears fast at parties, BBQs, or during a big game on the telly.
Here’s how I like to build a flavour-packed, crowd-pleasing spread around them:
- Asian-Style Slaw – cool, crunchy and tangy to balance the wings’ rich, sticky glaze.
- Beer Cheese Dip with Dough Balls – warm, gooey and totally indulgent. Always a hit!
- Crispy Salt and Pepper Chips – add that takeaway-style crunch everyone loves.
- Onion Rings or Fried Jalapeños – golden, crispy and just the right amount of heat for chilli fans.
- Homemade Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps – fresh, punchy and packed with umami – a great light contrast to the wings.
It’s a proper party platter that hits every craving – just add napkins and a few cold drinks, and let everyone dig in.
These are a hit with both the spice lovers and the sweet-and-sticky fans in my house. You can dial the chilli up or down, depending on your crowd. And if you fancy batch cooking for a party or game day? This one scales like a dream.
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Tamarind Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken wings:
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) chicken wings
- 1 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder*
- ½ tsp pepper
For the Tamarind Glaze:
- 1 tsp neutral oil (I use avocado oil)
- 1 tsp ginger paste (or a small piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely grated)
- 1 tsp garlic paste (or 2 cloves of garlic minced)
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp brown sugar (I use soft brown sugar but you can use dark brown sugar if you want more of a molasses tang to the glaze)
To serve:
- 2 tbsp spring onions (scallions/green onions) (finely sliced)
Instructions
Make the crispy Wings
- Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette.2.2 lbs (1 kg) chicken wings
- 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.1 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder*, ½ tsp pepper
- Add to air fryer, cook for 30-35 minutes at 210C/410F, shaking the basket every 10 minutes.
Make the Tamarind Glaze
- In the final 10 minutes of cooking the wings you want to make the tamarind glaze. Add the oil into small saucepan and heat over a medium heat.1 tsp neutral oil
- Add in the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds stirring continuously.1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- Add in the remaining tamarind glaze ingredients, stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for a couple of minutes until the sugar has dissolved and then turn off the heat.3 tbsp tamarind paste, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp brown sugar
- Once the chicken wings have finished cooking, add them to a large bowl, pour over the glaze and toss together to coat the wings.
- Serve topped with some finely sliced spring onions.2 tbsp spring onions (scallions/green onions)
Notes
*Baking Powder
I state in the recipe to use aluminium-free baking powder. Baking powder that contains aluminium (sodium aluminium sulfate or E521) can cause a metallic taste to certain people who are sensitive to it.- Also be sure to use baking powder AND NOT baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- I usually use 2 tbsp for the oven-baked chicken wings recipe but the air fryer gets things crispier, so you can use less.
Can I make wings ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead. Cook, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again. Nutritional information is approximate, per chicken wingNutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
? Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Drumsticks work beautifully – You’ll need to allow for a slightly longer cooking time to make sure they’re cooked through, follow my Air fryer chicken legs recipe as your base then make the tamarind glaze as per the instructions above.
Tamarind isn’t spicy on its own – it’s tangy and fruity, almost like a sharp citrusy umami taste. The hint of heat in this recipe comes from the chilli flakes so you can adjust that to taste.
Absolutely! Use my oven-baked crispy chicken wings recipe, and toss with the tamarind sauce.
I prefer these wings fresh out of the air fryer, but you can make the wings ahead – without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them in a single layer in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they’re crisp again whilst you’re whipping up the tamarind glaze.
🥡 More fantastic Chicken wings
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