Spicy Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
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I love sweet chili sauce on everything, but especially fried halloumi bites and sticky, spicy chicken wings! You can easily make these wings in the air fryer, but I usually bake them in the oven if I’m making a big batch. Serve them with a side of ranch and cold beer for summer BBQs, game day, or casual dinner parties!
When I was a teenager, my parents’ friend was a manager at Gordon Biersch, so we were there all the time. My favorite thing on the menu was their glazed wings, which definitely had sweet chili/sesame vibes.
Anyways, the other day, I had the weirdest craving for those wings out of nowhere. I mean, Gordon Biersch hasn’t existed in Vegas for probably a decade, but they popped into my mind, and I needed to recreate them ASAP.
I started with chili sauce, which is used in a lot of Thai dishes. Thai food is one of my favorites, so I thought it would be fun to add some complementary flavors like lime juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Please keep in mind that this is in no way a traditional Thai recipe. But I did enjoy using ingredients that I don’t cook with a whole lot!
For these wings, I also added cornstarch to the coating. Typically, I just use baking powder, but I remember using cornstarch in culinary school, and I think it made these wings even crispier! Of course, the wings are still super crispy without cornstarch, so feel free to leave it out.
In the end, these definitely gave me the GB vibes I was going for, so I’m very happy! Honestly, this might even be my new favorite wing recipe. (Although I say that every time, so who knows lol.)
Baking directions
The key to crispy baked wings is a combo of baking powder and cornstarch! Just make sure you’re not using baking soda. It’ll totally ruin the recipe!
Air fryer
For smaller batches of wings, I like to make them in the air fryer! You just might have to make them in batches if you have a small air fryer basket like me.
To reheat these wings, I would definitely use the air fryer! Heat them at 375°F (190°C) for 4-5 minutes, until they’re hot all the way through. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn!
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Easy Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds party chicken wings (900 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder NOT baking soda! (15 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (10 grams)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt I use Morton
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper or to taste
- Neutral oil or cooking spray I use avocado oil
- Chopped fresh chives for garnish
- Red pepper flakes for garnish
Sweet Chili Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted (30 grams)
- 2/3 cup store-bought sweet chili sauce (180 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (30 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (30 milliliters)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce optional
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (~2-3 big cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar packed (12 grams)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- 1-2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper or tin foil
- Wire rack
Instructions
Prep the wings
- Dry the wings very well with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible so the wings get super crispy! (Alternatively, you can dry them out in the fridge overnight. See more in the Recipe Notes.)
- Place the wings in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine.
Oven-Baked Wings
- To bake the wings, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Then, place an oven-safe wire rack on the prepared sheet pan. Grease it very well with neutral oil or cooking spray, or the wings will stick.
- Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the wire rack. It's ok if they're touching a bit on the sides, because they will shrink as they cook.
- Bake the wings for 25 minutes. Then, flip the wings and bake them for another 15-20 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Remove the wings from the oven and let them sit for about 5 minutes to crisp up a bit more.
Air Fryer Wings
- To air fry the wings, grease the basket of an air fryer with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It's ok if they're touching on the sides.
- Fry the wings at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Then, flip the wings and fry them for 6-8 more minutes until they're crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Let the wings rest for 5 minutes to crisp up more.
Sweet Chili Sauce
- While the wings are cooking, combine the melted butter, sweet chili sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, hot sauce, minced garlic, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Once the wings have rested for about 5 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle half of the sauce over the wings and use tongs to toss the wings until they're evenly coated. Add more sauce to taste, or serve the extra sauce on the side. If you want the wings to be more sticky and glazed, broil them on high for 1-2 minutes, or air fry them at 375°F (190°C) for 2-3 more minutes.
- Transfer the wings to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh chives and red pepper flakes, to taste. Enjoy!
