Spicy Honey BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe | Wicked Spatula (2024)

The perfect sweet & spicy honey barbecue wings recipe! Find out how to make baked honey BBQ wings that are EASY - with the best honey barbecue sauce for wings.

by Maya Last Updated on April 1, 2020 11 Comments

I love a good BBQ – summer skies, hot sunny days, fresh food and good company – and honey BBQ chicken wings… you always serve those, right? But who says they are limited to barbecues? Barbecue chicken wings in the oven are just as delicious (and let’s face it, it’s not summer year round!). This honey barbecue wings recipe ticks all those boxes and more! And marinating your wings in the perfect honey BBQ wing sauce recipe is the secret.

I have tried out so many recipes for BBQ chicken wings and this one has to be up there with my all time favorites. In fact, I think it could be a contender for the best BBQ chicken wings recipe ever!

This delicious honey BBQ wings recipe is tasty AND healthy, as it broils the wings rather than fries them. Marinate your chicken in my amazing honey barbecue sauce for wings before grilling them. Super crispy, incredibly tasty and they soak up the sauce perfectly. Heaven on a grill!

These are much messier than my grilled cilantro lime wings, but they are worth it, I promise.

How Long Do Honey Barbecue Wings Take?

The actual cooking of the honey BBQ chicken wings takes barely any time at all. Just around a half hour under the broiler – flipping them half way through cooking.

But, it really is worth taking the time to marinate the wings in the honey BBQ sauce before cooking them. At least an hour is best! This allows the flavors to absorb into the meat.

How To Make Honey BBQ Wings

There are just 3 steps for how to make honey bbq wings – make the sauce/marinade, marinate the chicken wings, and finally broil them!

How to make honey barbecue sauce for wings:

To make the honey BBQ sauce (which is also the BBQ chicken wings marinade!), you’ll simply simmer these ingredients together:

• Tomato paste
• Honey
• Molasses
• Dijon mustard
• Lemon juice
• Apple cider vinegar
• Paprika
• Ghee
• Cayenne pepper hot sauce
• Sea salt

How to use BBQ chicken wings marinade:

When the marinade is ready, reserve half of it for later. Toss the raw wings with the other half, then set in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour. Don’t forget to cover the chicken with plastic wrap before putting it into the refrigerator.

To make the honey barbecue sauce for wings, simply add all the ingredients except the wings to a pan and bring to a boil. Once you reach boiling point, lower the temperature of the hob and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to combine and intensify.

TIP: The flavors will continue to intensify and absorb into the chicken the longer you leave it. This can be left to marinate overnight if you wish.

How to cook honey BBQ chicken wings:

Cooking honey barbecue chicken wings in the oven is super easy!

In a preheated broiler, broil the coated wings for 12-15 minutes or until the wings start to go crispy and charred in a few spots. Flip the wings over and broil for another 12 minutes.

Finally, toss the wings in the remaining sauce to serve!

How Many Calories Are In BBQ Chicken Wings?

This honey BBQ wings recipe has 227 calories, 14 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams of fat and 12 grams of protein. A serving is 1/4 lb, which is about 4-5 wings.

Can Honey BBQ Wings Be Made In Advance?

Yes, you can make these ahead! The chicken can be prepared and marinated in the special honey barbecue sauce for wings in advance. Just broil when you are ready to serve them.

TIP: Honey BBQ chicken wings are great to take in a lunch box to work or school as a cold snack. They are also perfect to serve at a buffet with other cold meats.

Can Honey BBQ Wings Be Baked In The Oven?

Once you know how to make homemade honey BBQ wings in the oven under the broiler, you might wonder if you could just bake them without broiling. Yes, you could, but they don’t turn out quite as crispy.

If you want super crispy honey barbecue wings, broiling is best!

What Goes With BBQ Chicken Wings?

There are so many recipes that I love to serve with this baked barbecue chicken wings recipe. Here are a few sides to try with it:

• Cauliflower potato salad
• Dairy-free ranch dressing – for dipping celery sticks!
• German pan fried potatoes
• Paleo baked blooming onion

The photos show these wings served with a simple red cabbage slaw, but pomegranate Mexican slaw takes it to a whole new level!