I married a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Every Sunday, along with most Thursdays and Mondays, is dedicated to intense viewing of men hurling themselves against each other in the name of sport. Hurrah! Seriously, though, I’ve really gotten into football in the six years since I’ve become an honorary Steelers fan. And there are definitely some edible perks to the game: pumpkin beer, apple cider, and FOOTBALL FOOD.
We had sausage, peppers and onions while tailgating in the teeth-chattering cold at our first home game at Heinz Field. So delicious. We imbibe in hot dogs and nachos in the stadium seats. I’m a fan of most game day snacks (buffalo chicken dip, come to mama), but the one that gets me the most excited is probably chicken wings.
I was a late adopter to wings, because my first couple of experiences included flabby wing skin. Shudder. How gross does that sound? Because it is! You other typically non-chicken skin eaters are with me here: the only skin worth eating is crispy. These wings are steamed before they’re baked (yay, not fried!), so the skin becomes crispy and delectable under the gooey, sweet and tangy sauce. 
This sauce, my goodness. It has some zing from the sweet chili sauce and sriracha (the hip, spicy brother to ketchup), brown sugar to lay down some sweetness, and ginger and garlic for some deep layers of flavor. Have I convinced you? How about this: buffalo sauce can get old. Thai sticky wings really excite the same ole buffalo situation, and they don’t even need a dip in blue cheese dressing.
- Want a quick and easy way to chop the green onions and cilantro? Use kitchen shears. Snip snip, and you’re done.
- My favorite method for these wings is to steam on day one, refrigerate overnight in a sealed container lined with paper towels to soak up any moisture, then bake on day two. Hurray for dinner at 6:30 p.m., not 8!
- Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is (for the ingredients) and Alton Brown (for the steaming technique). My main adaptations to the ingredients make the recipe spicier.
Sticky Sesame Chicken Wings
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Crispy chicken wings steamed then baked, coated in a sweet, tangy, and spicy sesame sauce. Perfect for game day or a casual weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 whole chicken wings or 24 split chicken wings
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp pepper
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) sweet chili sauce
- 0.25 cups (60 ml) rice vinegar
- 0.25 cups (60 ml) light canned coconut milk
- 2.5 tbsp light brown sugar
- 3 tsp garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 lime, juiced
- 0.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha (spicy chili sauce)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 green onions, diced
Instructions
- Using kitchen shears, a cleaver, or a knife, chop off the tips of the wings and discard. Separate the wings at the joint so that each whole wing is in two pieces.
- Place a large pot, filled with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
- Place the prepared wings in the steamer basket, cover the pot, then reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.
- Remove the wings from the basket, let cool slightly, then pat very dry with paper towels. Lay out the wings in a single layer on a cooling rack, set the rack in a sheet pan (with sides) lined with paper towels, and place in the refrigerator to dry for about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Pat any remaining liquid off of chicken wings, then season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the paper towels from the sheet pan and replace with parchment paper or foil; leave the wings on their rack with the sheet pan below.
- Roast in the middle of the oven at 425°F (218°C) for 30 minutes, turning over with tongs once.
- Take wings out of oven.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- In a large saucepan, combine sweet chili sauce, vinegar, coconut milk, sugar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and sriracha, whisking to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then let simmer for 5 minutes, whisking constantly.
- Add wings to the saucepan of warm sauce and toss to fully coat. Place the wings back on their rack with tongs, leave the sheet pan below, and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 20 minutes.
- Spoon remaining sauce from saucepan on top of the wings, and sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and green onion.
Notes
- For extra crispy wings, air dry them uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours after steaming.
- To reduce the spiciness, omit the sriracha or use a milder chili sauce.
- Leftover wings can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or air fryer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 wings
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the sesame sauce to stick to the wings rather than slide off?
Pat the wings completely dry before baking and cook them until the skin is crisp. Toss them in the sticky sesame sauce right when they come out of the oven so the heat helps the glaze adhere.
Should I bake or fry these wings?
Baking on a rack set over a sheet pan at 425°F gets the skin crisp without frying and makes cleanup much easier. Flip the wings halfway through to ensure even browning on both sides.
Can I prepare the sticky sesame sauce in advance?
Yes, the sauce keeps refrigerated for several days. Rewarm it gently before tossing with the wings since it thickens considerably when cold and will not coat evenly straight from the fridge.
