Firecracker Chicken Wings Recipe

Okay, here’s a recipe for the weekend 🙂 that’s perfect for the grill or for baking in the oven. These Firecracker Chicken Wings are super simple to make and they will be gone like THAT! Promise! The combination of sweet honey and spicy sauces will have your mouth watering for more!

There are some secret ingredients in this chicken glaze… and a little bit of my Southern upbringing included here. You see, I come from a long line of BBQ chicken grillers. First there was my grandpa, my dad’s dad. Picture him standing by a BBQ pit, smoke surrounding him. We used to joke about his “burnt” BBQ chicken. His secret was to baste the chicken on the grill and the result was some of the best chicken I ever ate. My dad knows that my favorite meal he makes is his special BBQ chicken. As kids we used to joke and call it Papa Pete’s World Famous BBQ Chicken. He taught me the magic in mixing your BBQ sauce with BUTTER!!!

In the South, it’s typical to start with a rub on anything… this helps with the first layer of seasoning… to help set it in to the meat. Basically you mix together a bunch of seasoning and “rub” it on. It’s typical to season with salt and pepper, but you might also add paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. This recipe ups the ante a bit. I’ve been loving the firecracker wings from a local restaurant and I wanted to try to replicate what they were doing. Their sauce is a little sweet and also somewhat spicy. I don’t like my food to be so spicy that I can’t enjoy the flavors, so I went with a simple buffalo sauce mixed with honey, soy and Sriracha. The flavors were dynamite!

For this chicken wing recipe, you start by rubbing on seasonings and then you baste the chicken with the sweet and spicy glaze. This recipe works perfectly on the grill or in the oven. I went with the oven this time around and baked them on top of a wire rack so the grease would drip through and the chicken would crisp up. Once they were done, I sprinkled them with sesame seeds and garnished with cilantro. They were so yummy right out of the oven. They were full of flavor, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. I couldn’t stop licking my fingers!

This recipe is so tasty and it could be simplified to make it kid friendly (or simply grill a few pieces without the glaze). Chicken wings are a great weekend or party food and work perfectly as a meal or appetizer. Serve them with Ranch Dressing and garnish with some lime wedges for added flavor! Here’s the recipe:

Firecracker Chicken Wings Recipe

These Firecracker Chicken Wings are sweet and spicy. They are flavored with honey, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, Buffalo Sauce, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper! You can bake them in the oven, on a wire rack to make them crisp, or on the BBQ grill. These chicken wings are perfect for parties, sports gatherings, or as a meal all by themselves!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Appetizer, Main Dish, Party Food

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 package Chicken wings or drumsticks If you use large drumsticks, increase cooking time until chicken cooks to 165 degrees inside
• 4 Tbsp Butter Salted on Unsalted, we use salted
• 1 Tbsp Grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper or Lemon Pepper We use Lemon Pepper
• 8 Tbsp Butter for the glaze
• 1 Tbsp All Purpose Flour for the glaze
• 1/4 cup Honey for the glaze
• 1/4 cup Sriracha Sauce
• 1 tsp Buffalo Sauce
• 1/4 tsp Red Hot Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Lime Juiced
• 1 Handful Cilantro Chopped
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with non-stick spray.
2. Melt 4 tbsp of butter. In a bowl, combine the 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss the chicken into this rub. Place the chicken on the wire rack and bake for 20-25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a saucepan heat the 8 tbsp butter. Once it's melted, add the 1 tbsp flour and let it brown. Typically in the South, this is called a Roux. It's often added to gumbo to give it flavor. Once it's browned, stir in the 1/4 honey, 1/4 Sriracha, 1 tsp Buffalo Sauce, 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 1/4 tsp Red Hot Sauce and the juice of one lime. Simmer for a minute or two.
4. At the 15 minute mark with the chicken, take them out of the oven and set on stove top. Baste the chicken with the glaze. Turn the chicken onto the other side and baste. Place back in the oven. Bake another 5-10 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven. Set each piece on a plate. Remove the wire rack and foil. Throw the foil away and line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the chicken on the parchment paper. Baste the chicken again. Turn and baste the other side. Broil the chicken for about 5 minutes or until it starts to crisp on the outside.
6. Remove chicken from oven and garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro. Cut lime wedges to use for added flavor. Serve warm with Ranch Dressing and ENJOY!

Notes

SWEETIE PIE AND CUPCAKES FAVORITE PRODUCTS

Baking Cooling Wire Rack

Pyrex Bowl Set of 4

Wilton Air Cookie Sheet

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!