Garlic Hot Honey Chicken Wings (Extra Crispy)

These garlic hot honey chicken wings deliver a seriously addictive combination of extra crispy skin and sticky-sweet, garlicky heat that will have everyone licking their fingers. If you have ever made homemade chicken wings and been less than impressed, I totally get it. This recipe took a few tries, but I have the best tips and tricks for nailing homemade wings every time!

Why This Crispy Hot Honey Wings Recipe Works

First, the wings get deep-fried (yes, deep-fried, we’re doing it) after a cornstarch-and-spice coating that makes them light and shatteringly crisp. The spicy honey garlic sauce gets made in a pan with four cloves of garlic, Mike’s Hot Honey, butter (obviously), and enough hot sauce to make your nose run a little—but like, in a fun way.

FYI: if you’ve got teen boys? Just go ahead and triple this chicken wings recipe. I make 6 pounds or don’t even bother. My boys are wing fanatics and these disappear faster than I can set them down.

Ingredients You Need

For the Wings

• Chicken Wings: For ease you can use party wings, since those already have the drums and flats separated.
• Cornstarch & Baking Powder: Don’t tell anyone, but this my secret to the absolute best wings. The combination of cornstarch and baking powder makes them super crispy!
• Seasonings: I used a combination of garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika to season these wings to perfection. You can use whatever seasoning you like that’s salty and a little spicy!
• Neutral Oil: For frying, you will need a neutral oil with a high smoke point. I used avocado oil, but you can use peanut oil or canola oil if you prefer.

For the Sauce

• Unsalted Butter: Butter rounds out the sauce and helps it stick to the wings!
• Garlic: For a deep, savory flavor.
• Mike’s Hot Honey: I love Mike’s hot honey, but if you don’t have it on hand, combine some honey with red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
• Hot Sauce: Don’t overthink it, Frank’s Hot Sauce is always a good choice.
• Salt & Pepper: To taste!

How to Make Garlic Hot Honey Chicken Wings

1. Dry wings = crispy wings. Take a paper towel and pat them like you’re blotting oil off your face in high school. No moisture left behind.
2. Prep the coating. In a large bowl, mix the cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss the wings in the mixture until they’re evenly coated and look like they’ve been lightly dusted with magic. Let them hang out while you heat the oil.
3. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or deep pot. At least 2 inches. Heat to 350°F. Use a thermometer if you have one. If you don’t, throw in a pinch of cornstarch—if it sizzles, you’re good.
4. Work in batches. Do not crowd the pot. Fry for about 8–10 minutes per batch, until golden and crispy and beautiful. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and keep going until all wings are done.
5. Make the sauce. While the last batch fries, melt the butter in a small pan. Add garlic. Cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds—don’t brown it, don’t walk away. Add the hot honey and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Stir, taste, adjust. You want it bold.
6. Sauce & serve. Put your hot, crispy wings in a big bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss to coat. Serve immediately. 

Tips for Success

• Pat those wings dry. I cannot stress this enough. Take the extra minute to really blot them well with paper towels, it’ll be worth it for maximum crispiness! 
• Don’t skip the wire rack. After frying, placing wings on a wire rack instead of directly on paper towels keeps them crispy on all sides.
• Don’t burn the garlic! When making the sauce, the garlic can go from perfectly fragrant to burnt and bitter in seconds. Stay vigilant while that sauce is warming up!
• Use a candy thermometer if you have one. Oil that’s too cool makes greasy wings, but too hot and they’ll burn before cooking through. 
• Sauce them at the last minute! Only toss the wings in sauce right before serving to maintain that hard-earned crispy skin.

Serving Suggestions

These hot honey wings are great to serve at any gathering, from game day to weekend hangouts. Serve them alongside classic wing sides like celery and carrot sticks with blue cheese or ranch dressing, to take the edge off that spicy wing sauce. They would go great with other appetizers, too, like jalapeño artichoke dip and paprika dip with homemade pita chips!

For a complete meal, pair with crispy sweet potato wedges, a tangy coleslaw, or a simple green salad to balance out the richness. And don’t forget plenty of napkins – these beauties are gloriously messy in the best possible way. If you’re feeding a crowd (especially teenage boys), consider making a double or triple batch because these will disappear seriously fast!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to make these for people, do it. If you want to make them just for yourself and eat them standing over the stove, also perfect. Just know that once you make them, you’re making them again. Possibly tomorrow.

Let me know if you want a roasted version next, or how to turn the sauce into a glaze for literally anything else (salmon, tofu, a spoon).

More Recipes to Try

• Roasted Asparagus & Carrots with Pesto
• Creamy Bolognese Pasta
• Fish Tacos
• Broiled & Boneless Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Fajita Wraps

Garlic Hot Honey Chicken Wings (Extra Crispy)

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There are a million wing recipes out there. But this Garlic Hot Honey Chicken Wings recipe is the one you make when you want them crispy—like, actually crispy—and coated in a sauce that is buttery, garlicky, spicy-sweet, and a little sticky in the most satisfying way. You will want to drink the sauce. Don’t. (Okay, maybe a little.)

• Author: Anca Toderic
• Yield: Makes enough for 4 people, or 2 people who eat wings like they mean it.

Ingredients

The Wings

2 lbs chicken wings, flats and drums separated  

1/3 cup cornstarch  

1 tsp baking powder  

1 tsp garlic powder  

1 tsp Cajun seasoning (or whatever seasoning you like that’s salty and a little spicy)  

1 tsp smoked paprika  

Neutral oil, for frying (I used avocado oil – but you can use peanut or canola as well)

The Sauce

3 tbsp unsalted butter  

4 garlic cloves, minced  

1/4 cup Mike’s Hot Honey (or honey + red pepper flakes or cayenne)

2 tsp hot sauce (Frank’s is good. Don’t overthink it.)  

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Dry wings = crispy wings. Take a paper towel and pat them like you’re blotting oil off your face in high school. No moisture left behind.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Toss the wings in the mixture until they’re evenly coated and look like they’ve been lightly dusted with magic. Let them hang out while you heat the oil.
3. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or deep pot. At least 2 inches. Heat to 350°F. Use a thermometer if you have one. If you don’t, throw in a pinch of cornstarch—if it sizzles, you’re good.
4. Work in batches. Do not crowd the pot. Fry for about 8–10 minutes per batch, until golden and crispy and beautiful. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and keep going until all wings are done.
5. While the last batch fries, melt the butter in a small pan. Add garlic. Cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds—don’t brown it, don’t walk away. Add the hot honey and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Stir, taste, adjust. You want it bold.
6. Put your hot, crispy wings in a big bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

Store any leftover hot honey wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. But let’s be honest – leftovers are rare with these!

To maintain crispiness, reheat in a 375°F oven on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. Avoid the microwave, which will turn your once-crispy wings soggy and sad.