Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Wings (Garlic Butter Sauce)

These hot honey chicken wings are extra crispy, sticky-sweet, and finished with plenty of fresh garlic. The skin shatters, the glaze clings, and the sweet heat hits just right. If you’ve ever made homemade wings and been less than impressed, I get it. This version took a few rounds to get right — but now you’ve got all the tips for crispy, saucy wings that actually work.

Prefer to watch? Here’s how I make these crispy hot honey chicken wings.

Why These Hot Honey Chicken Wings Get So Crispy

These hot honey chicken wings get deep-fried (yes, we’re deep-frying) after a light cornstarch and spice coating that makes them shatteringly crispy. The coating is thin, not heavy — just enough to create that crackly exterior that holds onto the sauce.

The hot honey garlic glaze gets made in a pan with fresh garlic, butter (obviously), Mike’s Hot Honey, and a splash of hot sauce for balance. It’s sweet, spicy, buttery, and just bold enough to make you reach for another wing before you’re done chewing the first.

If you’ve got teen boys? Triple this hot honey wings recipe. I’m not joking. Around here, I either make six pounds or I don’t bother. These disappear fast.

How to Get Extra Crispy Chicken Wings

The secret to extra crispy fried chicken wings is drying them well before coating, using cornstarch for a light crust, and keeping your oil at a steady 350°F. Don’t overcrowd the pot, and always fry in batches. That steady heat is what creates that golden, crackly exterior.

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: The secret to extra crispy chicken wings. The combination creates that light, shattering crust.
• 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.

Garlic Hot Honey 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 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.

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.

Recipe:

Crispy Hot Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

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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
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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.

Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Wings

If you prefer air frying, you can still get crispy hot honey chicken wings — just with a little less mess.

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Pat the wings completely dry, then toss them with the same cornstarch and seasoning mixture. Arrange in a single layer (don’t overcrowd — work in batches if needed).

Air fry for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.

While the wings cook, prepare the garlic hot honey sauce. Toss the hot wings in the warm sauce just before serving so they stay crispy.

Oven-Baked Hot Honey Chicken Wings

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with oil to prevent sticking.

Pat the wings completely dry, then toss them with the cornstarch and seasoning mixture. Arrange in a single layer on the rack, leaving space between each wing.

Bake for 35–45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the wings are deeply golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. For extra crispiness, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end — watch closely so they don’t burn.

Toss the hot wings in the warm garlic hot honey sauce just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

These crispy hot honey chicken wings are perfect for game day, weekend hangouts, or honestly any night you want something fun and a little messy. I love serving them with celery and carrot sticks and a bowl of creamy blue cheese dressing to cool things down between bites.

If I’m putting together a full appetizer spread, I’ll usually add soy garlic wings for contrast and set out a smoky paprika dip with warm pita chips. It turns into one of those casual tables where everyone just keeps reaching for one more thing.

For a more complete dinner, crispy sweet potato wedges are always a favorite around here. A simple green salad with maple Dijon vinaigrette helps balance the richness, and roasted asparagus and carrots work beautifully too if you want something warm but still fresh.

And if you’re feeding a crowd, especially teenagers, go ahead and double the batch. These disappear fast.

More Recipes to Try

If wings are a regular thing in your kitchen, broiled chicken thighs are another easy option when you want something simple but still satisfying. For a casual weeknight dinner, chicken fajita wraps are quick and always a hit.

If you’re in the mood for something cozy and slow-simmered, creamy bolognese pasta brings that deep comfort flavor. And when you want to switch it up but keep things fun, fish tacos are always a good idea.