Oven Baked Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are an all-time favorite appetizer, game day snack, or late-night meal, but did you know that there’s a way to make them even healthier? It’s true! My Oven Baked Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings are baked, not fried, which means that they’re perfectly crispy, sticky, and satisfying without the extra oils. What could be better than that? Plus, they can easily be made gluten-free!

When my boys had a sudden craving for chicken wings, I knew it was time for me to make a better-for-you option. After all, while I love a good crunchy cauliflower wing, they just don’t compare to chicken wings. I’m sorry to all my vegan friends, but chicken wings just hit different!

But let’s be honest, chicken wings aren’t always the healthiest option out there. Part of what makes them taste so good is the fact that they’re deep fried in oil and coated in super salty sauces. And while these things make the wings taste delicious, it got me thinking… there has to be a healthier way to make chicken wings. That’s how this recipe was born.

These chicken wings are baked, not fried, but don’t let that fool you: they still have that crunchy texture that you know and love. By coating these wings in flour, baking them on both sides, and then finishing them off in the broiler, they achieve that perfect crunchy consistency, minus the extra oils. And with a sauce made from just a few simple and healthy ingredients- honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and tapioca flour- you can say goodbye to the days of feeling sluggish after a super salty chicken wing. These wings are perfectly balanced and delicious when served as an appetizer, or as a meal of their own!

What You Need to Make These Perfect Chicken Wings

• Chicken Wings: Of course, you need chicken wings in order to make… well, chicken wings! I get mine from my local butcher, but any grocery store with a butcher should be able to get wings for you.
• Flour: You can use either regular all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour for this recipe. Both work just as well!
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Sea salt and black pepper add a delicious touch to any chicken wing recipe, and this recipe is no exception!
• Olive Oil or Avocado Oil Spray: To help the wings get perfectly crispy, we’ll need a little bit of oil. I like using either olive oil or avocado oil spray in order to keep things simple and easy!
• Honey: Honey adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the wings and gives them their “sticky” texture.
• Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos: You can use either soy sauce or coconut aminos to give the wings a salty taste that perfectly offsets the sweetness of the honey.
• Garlic: I highly recommend using fresh garlic, in this recipe. You can truly taste the difference that fresh garlic makes, and garlic powder just won’t give you the same flavor.
• Ginger: Just like with the garlic, you’ll want to use fresh ginger in this recipe.
• Tapioca Flour, Arrowroot Starch, or Corn Starch: A little starch is needed to thicken up the sauce. You can use tapioca flour, arrowroot starch, or corn starch to achieve this. All of the above have been tested and work well in this recipe.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper flakes give these wings a slight kick without making them too spicy.
• Sesame Seeds: These are optional, but I love topping these wings with sesame seeds for a crunchy finish!

How to Make These Sweet & Sticky Chicken Wings

To make these chicken wings, start by preheating your oven to 425 F. Next, take a paper towel and dry off the chicken wings very well. This is the key to making them perfectly crispy!

Once the chicken wings are dried off, add them to a bowl along the flour, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss each wing until it’s fully coated in the flour mixture. Then, transfer the coated wings to a foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet. If you’re like me and want to keep your baking sheets clean, you can layer both on top of each other: first the foil, then the parchment paper. Depending on how large your wings are, you might need multiple baking sheets.

Once the wings have all been coated, spray them with oil and bake them in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, once the 30 minutes are up, flip them and bake them for an additional 20 minutes. While the wings are baking, prepare the sauce by adding all of the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan or pot on the stove. Heat the mixture over medium heat, and stir the sauce for 6-7 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Once it’s done, remove it from the heat and set it aside while the wings finish cooking.

After the 20 minutes are finished, turn the broiler on for 2 minutes so that the wings get a perfect brown color. Just watch them carefully so that they don’t burn! Once the wings are done, remove them from the oven. Pour the sauce on top of the wings and use tongs (or your hands!) to coat the wings in the sauce. Finally, top with sesame seeds if desired, serve, and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim