Asian sticky wings glazed

The first time I made these wings, it was a Friday night when my sister called asking what I was bringing to the potluck. I had forgotten about it completely, panicked, and rifled through my pantry—soy sauce, honey, ginger. Something clicked. Two hours later, I pulled these glossy, caramelized wings from the oven and watched them vanish before anyone even sat down to eat.

My dad still brings these up whenever we have family dinners. I made a batch once on a random Tuesday because I needed to use up chicken wings before they expired, and now they're what he requests. He doesn't even ask for much else anymore—just these sticky wings and whatever else happens to be on the table.

Ingredients

• Chicken wings (1.2 kg / 2.5 lbs), tips removed: This is your canvas—ask your butcher to separate the flats and drumettes if you don't want to do it yourself, though it takes maybe five minutes and saves money.
• Soy sauce (80 ml / 1/3 cup): The savory backbone of everything, so use the real stuff, not the light version.
• Honey (60 ml / 1/4 cup): It caramelizes at high heat and gives you that glossy, sticky coating that makes people reach for seconds.
• Hoisin sauce (60 ml / 1/4 cup): This adds depth and a subtle sweetness that rounds out the salt from the soy—don't skip it.
• Brown sugar (2 tbsp): Works with the honey to create that caramelization magic in the oven.
• Rice vinegar (2 tbsp): A tiny bit of tang that balances all the sweetness and keeps it from being cloying.
• Sesame oil (2 tbsp): Use the toasted kind—the aroma alone tells you this is going to be something special.
• Garlic (4 cloves, finely minced): Mince it small so it distributes evenly and doesn't burn on the wings.
• Fresh ginger (1 tbsp, grated): Don't use ground ginger; the fresh root has a brightness that makes all the difference.
• Black pepper (1/2 tsp, freshly ground): Grinding it yourself right before cooking means the flavor actually sticks around.
• Chili flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): If you like heat, add it here, but the dish is perfect without it too.
• Toasted sesame seeds (2 tbsp): The garnish isn't just decoration—it adds crunch and a nutty flavor that pulls everything together.
• Green onions (2, thinly sliced): Slice them right before serving so they're still crisp and bright.

Instructions

Heat your oven and prep the stage:

Set the oven to 220°C (425°F) while you line a baking sheet with foil and nestle a wire rack on top. This setup is your secret weapon—the foil catches drips, the rack keeps wings elevated so air circulates underneath, and you end up with crispy skin instead of soggy bottoms.

Build your marinade:

Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, pepper, and chili flakes in a large bowl until smooth. You should smell the ginger and garlic immediately—that's how you know you've minced it fine enough.

Coat the wings:

Toss the chicken wings into the marinade, making sure each one gets coated. Before you spread them on the rack, fish out about 1/4 cup of the sauce and set it aside in a small bowl—this is your glaze for round two.

First bake:

Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack, not touching if you can help it. Bake for 25 minutes until they start to look a little golden.

The flip and glaze:

Pull them out, brush each wing generously with that reserved marinade, and if you feel like it, flip them so the other side gets some heat. Back in for 10–15 minutes, turning halfway through and brushing again if you can, until they're deeply caramelized and sticky enough to be irresistible.

Finish and serve:

Transfer to a platter, scatter sesame seeds and green onions on top, and serve while they're hot and crispy on the edges.

Save

There was this one time my partner came home while I was pulling these from the oven, and they just stopped and stared, asking if a restaurant had delivered them. They tasted one wing and didn't say anything else for a while—just went back for another. That's when I knew these weren't just wings; they were something that made people pause.

The Sweetness Question

When I first made these, I worried the honey and brown sugar would make them too sweet, like a glazed ham situation. But the soy sauce, hoisin, and vinegar all balance it out—there's saltiness, a hint of tang, and just enough sweetness to make the caramelization happen. It's not dessert disguised as dinner.

Why the Rack Matters

I learned this the hard way when I made these on a plain baking sheet without a rack. The bottoms got soft and steamed instead of crisped. The wire rack creates airflow underneath, which means the skin actually browns and gets that satisfying crunch. It's a small detail that changes everything.

Make It Yours

These wings are forgiving, which is part of why I love them. You can adjust the heat level, swap honey for maple syrup if that's what's in your cupboard, or toss in extra ginger if you want it more pronounced.

• If you want them spicier, double the chili flakes or add a dash of hot sauce to the marinade.
• Serve them with pickled vegetables or a cold cucumber salad to cut through the richness.
• Leftover wings reheat beautifully in a 180°C (350°F) oven for about 10 minutes and taste just as good cold the next day.

Save

These wings have become my go-to when I want to impress without stressing. They're proof that good food doesn't have to be complicated—sometimes it's just about respecting a few good ingredients and knowing when to pull it from the oven.