Spicy Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings for Party

Ingredients You'll Need

Great wings start at the butcher counter. Look for “party wings” already split—flats and drumettes separated—so you skip the joint-snapping mess. If you can only find whole wings, buy an extra pound; trimming yourself reduces yield. Seek out plump, pale-pink skin with no off smells; if the label says “air-chilled,” grab it. Air-chilling means the birds were cooled by cold air instead of water, so the skin stays drier and crispier.

Chicken: 4 lb (1.8 kg) party wings, patted very dry. The drier the skin, the louder the crunch.

Baking powder: 1 Tbsp aluminum-free. Don’t skip this; the alkaline pH raises tiny bubbles that blister the skin.

Kosher salt & pepper: 1 ½ tsp each Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper per pound of wings.

Honey: ½ cup (170 g) wildflower or clover. Avoid dark buckwheat here; its robust flavor can overpower the chiles.

Sriracha: ⅓ cup (100 g) classic Huy Fong with the rooster on the bottle. It’s thicker, brighter, and less vinegary than boutique brands.

Unsalted butter: 3 Tbsp (42 g). Butter softens the Sriracha’s sharp edges and creates a velvety lacquer.

Rice vinegar: 2 tsp. Adds a clean snap that balances all that sticky honey.

Lime: 1 medium, zested and juiced. The zest’s oils perfume the glaze; juice keeps it tangy.

Soy sauce: 1 tsp for umami depth. Use tamari if you need gluten-free.

Garlic: 2 cloves, micro-planed. Raw garlic can burn, so we add it off-heat.

Optional garnish: Toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions for color and crunch.