Easy Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
These Thai-inspired sweet chili chicken wings are spicy, sticky, and such a crowd-pleaser! You can make them in the air fryer or oven, but either way, they are always nice and crispy. Serve these with ranch dressing and cold beer for a summer BBQ, game day, or casual dinner parties!
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!
Notes
You want to use party wings in this recipe, which are chicken wings that have been broken down into drums and flats. You can also buy full wings and break them down yourself.
Dry all sides of the wings really well. You want them to be as dry as possible so they crisp up instead of steaming. If you have time, you can also dry the wings on a wire rack overnight in the fridge. Place the wire rack on a sheet pan to prevent cross-contamination and leave the wings uncovered so they dry out.
The secret to crispy baked wings is baking powder. Make sure you're using fresh, aluminum-free baking powder, not baking soda! Otherwise, the wings will come out with a bitter, metallic aftertaste.
For extra crispy wings, broil them for 1-2 minutes. Just don't broil them for too long, or the wings will dry out.
2 pounds of wings is about 24-28 wings, depending on the size of the wings.
If you want mild, not spicy, wings, leave out the cayenne, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes.
Serving: 1wing, Calories: 78kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 245mg, Potassium: 46mg, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 35mg
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