Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Honey and molasses provide sweetness and chilies bring the heat in these addictive chicken wings while a unique cooking method keeps them healthier than frying.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo chicken wing pieces
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 6 chili peppers, optional
- Fresh rosemary leaves, optional
Instructions
- Wash chicken wings very well and place them in a large skillet. Do not dry the wings.
- Sprinkle salt on them.
- Cover the skillet with its lid and cook the wings over medium low heat for 5-7 minutes. Let them release their juice.
- Turn them over and let the other sides partly cooked when there is still juice inside. Make sure you put the lid back after turning over.
- Cook until a little juice left.
- Bring it to the lowest heat and toss in chili peppers and chili powder.
- Add olive oil over them, cover it and cook turning them over as needed until they are done.
- Take the lid and drizzle pomegranate molasses and honey over the wings.
- Toss in sesame seeds and turn them over every now and then until all wings are coated with the sticky pomegranate&honey sauce and sesame seeds.
- As a final touch, throw some fresh rosemary leaves into the skillet and take it from heat.
- You can serve it with a little extra honey.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Soy and Honey Glazed Pork Chops
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
- Walnut and Goat Cheese Crostini with Honey and Pomegranate
- Blue Cheese Naan with Caramelized Apples, Onions, and Honey
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pomegranate molasses and where can I find it?
Pomegranate molasses is a thick, tart-sweet syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice, used widely in Middle Eastern cooking. The excerpt highlights it as the main sweetener alongside honey in these wings. Find it at Middle Eastern grocery stores, specialty food shops, or online — the recipe uses 2 tbsp for about 1 kilo of wings.
Why does the recipe cook the wings covered with a lid at first instead of roasting or frying them?
The covered skillet traps the wings’ own moisture during the first 5–7 minutes, creating steam that cooks them through without added fat. The instructions say not to dry the wings after washing so there is enough liquid to generate steam. Once the juice has mostly cooked off, the lid comes off and the honey-pomegranate glaze is added — the excerpt calls this a “unique cooking method” that keeps the wings healthier than frying.
Are the chili peppers and fresh rosemary required?
No — the ingredient list marks both the 6 chili peppers and the fresh rosemary leaves as optional. The chili powder (1/4 tsp) is included either way, so the wings will still have heat without the whole peppers; the rosemary is a finishing touch added right before removing from heat. 
