This recipe for Sweet and Spicy Baked Sriracha Buffalo Chicken Wings is stunningly crispy and flavorful without being fried.
You truly can have a crispy batch of chicken wings that are oven-baked and not fried.
I’ve seen several tricks, but my personal favorite hacks are: 
1. Thoroughly dry every single chicken wing. Singular, because you literally take paper towels to each piece of chicken and remove as much moisture as you possibly can. This works nearly just as well as the chilling/air drying method and is just way faster.
2. I use a combination of baking powder and corn starch in the dry rub. We add those two ingredients to just the right mixture of simple spices. Then we let them do The Twist with the chicken before baking.
These simple techniques create a flavorful and crispy batch of oven-baked chicken wings. They’re so good at this point, we could just devour all the crispy wings now and call it done.
But let’s say you wanted continue on with the awesome sauce…
Of course, the good stuff is in the sauce. Everyone knows the sauce is what makes buffalo wings so finger-licking great. We’ve done buffalo wings using all kinds of sauce variations, including classic Frank’s Red Hot.
While all variations are yummy in their own right, our all time favorite is Sriracha hot chili sauce. It’s made with sun-ripened chilies, ground into a paste with garlic. We use up bottles of Sriracha like wild. Case in point: These BBQ Sriracha Ribs are spectacular and this Honey Lime Shrimp with Sriracha boasts stunning flavors.
For our Honey Sriracha Buffalo Chicken Wings sauce, the team players include pure honey, butter, soy sauce, and Sriracha. The sauce is so awesome, you’ll be rightfully temped to use it on everything from here on forth.
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Sweet and Spicy Baked Sriracha Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Crispy baked chicken wings tossed in a sweet and spicy honey-Sriracha sauce. A perfect game-day appetizer or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1361 g) chicken wings
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher/coarse salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) pure honey
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) sriracha
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- freshly chopped parsley or chives or garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) with rack on upper middle position. Line a large baking sheet with foil and grease the foil.
- Thoroughly dry chicken wings with paper towels.
- In a large Ziploc bag, combine garlic powder, pepper, salt, baking powder, and cornstarch. Mix well. Add chicken wings and shake to coat.
- Place wings in a single layer on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until browned and crisp.
- While chicken is baking, make the sauce. In a small pot, melt butter. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Transfer baked wings to a large serving platter.
- When ready to serve, pour desired amount of sauce over wings, tossing to coat. Save some sauce for serving on the side, if desired.
- Serve immediately while chicken is crisp.
Notes
- For extra crispy wings, increase baking time by 5-10 minutes, or until desired crispness is achieved.
- To reduce the spiciness, decrease the amount of sriracha or add a touch of brown sugar to balance the heat.
- Leftover wings can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F (177°C) oven for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 wings
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 500
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I dry each chicken wing with paper towels before baking?
Thoroughly drying each chicken wing removes excess moisture, which helps achieve a crispy texture when baked.
What is the purpose of using baking powder and corn starch in the dry rub?
Baking powder and corn starch work together to create a crispy coating on the wings by absorbing moisture and aiding in browning during baking.
Can I use a different type of hot sauce instead of Sriracha for the wings?
Yes, you can use other hot sauces like Frank’s Red Hot, but Sriracha is preferred for its unique flavor profile that combines heat with a hint of sweetness.
Awww, you’re so very welcome, Amy! Hope you’ll come over to http://www.chewoutloud.com for all my family-tested and favorite recipes. Can’t wait to see what you will cook up next! :)
Just wanted to jump in say “Thank You So Much For This Recipe”. You made me get memories from my childhood. I say this because my mother use to make something very similar to this for me and my brothers when I was around 12 years old. I could never figure out how she did it and she never shared the recipe with me either. But today I was lucky enough to stumble upon it here. I made this recipe exactly to your recipe instructions and it turned out so good that my kids kept on asking for more.
Thank you
Amy Knoll