This Honey Butter Chicken Wings recipe features crispy and crackly chicken wings coated in an irresistible honey butter sauce—the perfect snack for game day. Napkins required - definitely.
Can't get enough of Chicken Wings? Try my Salted Egg Chicken Wings and Sweet and Sour Wings next!
If you're anything like me, you're always on the hunt for easy and exciting recipes to add to your repertoire. And trust me, honey butter chicken wings are a game changer!
Honey butter chicken wings are the perfect combination of crispy and crackly wings smothered in a sweet and savory sauce. The recipe only takes 45 minutes from start to finish, making it ideal for a busy weeknight. Pair it with freshly chopped carrots and celery for a luxurious and balanced meal.
The sauce has only four ingredients, but it's absolutely delicious—a true testimony to simplicity and minimalism. Keep reading to learn all my tricks for making the best honey butter sauce and crispy, juicy chicken wings.
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🍯 What is honey butter sauce?
Honey butter sauce is a sweet and savory sauce made by slowly heating butter and honey until they become a creamy, emulsified sauce. Typically honey butter sauce only contains two ingredients: honey and butter, but many recipes include optional ingredients like cinnamon and vinegar to boost its flavor.
Honey butter is becoming increasingly popular in the world of snacking! You can find it in all sorts of snacks like popcorn, chips, and nuts. One of my favorite honey-butter flavored snacks is Haitai honey butter chips.
For my recipe, I like to stick with the bare minimum to keep honey and butter at the forefront of the dish. Having said that, I provide some fun variations at the bottom of this post. Keep reading!
🧂 Ingredients
For the crispy chicken wings:
- Chicken wings - you can use the whole wing, wingettes, or drummettes. Drumsticks will work too, but you'll need to cook them a couple of minutes longer.
- Flour and cornstarch - are used for the crispy coating. Flour provides crunchiness, while cornstarch adds lightness and crispness. I use this combination for many deep-fried foods like fried enoki mushrooms and crispy onion rings.
- Baking powder - creates tiny air bubbles in the coating, which expand and crisp up in the hot oil, resulting in extra crispiness.
For the honey butter sauce:
- Butter - the base of the honey butter sauce. It adds creaminess and richness. Be sure to cook the butter at a low temperature, so the butterfat doesn't separate and make the sauce oily.
- Honey - the key ingredient. It adds sweetness and gives the wings a sticky texture. If you like honey-based sauces, check out my Honey Garlic Spare Ribs next!
- Garlic - adds a garlicky flavor profile to the sauce. Use fresh garlic and chop it yourself for the best flavor.
- Salt - just a little bit to enhance the flavors of the dish
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Dredge chicken
In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Toss chicken wings in the mixture until evenly coated. Arrange coated wings in a single layer on a baking sheet, then refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
📋 Note
During this time, the salt will help draw out moisture from the wings, allowing the flour coating to hydrate and adhere better.
Step 2. First fry
Heat 1 inch of oil in a dutch oven, high-walled pot, or wok to 375℉. Cook 6-8 chicken pieces at a time until they turn golden brown and crispy, making sure to stir them with a spider occasionally to ensure even cooking.
📋 Note
Wingettes take about 4-6 minutes, while drumettes take closer to 6-8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should read 160℉.
After frying, place cooked wings on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and let them rest for at least 15 minutes, or you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours.
Step 3. Double fry
Reheat oil to 400℉ and fry chicken for 1 minute until brown and crispy. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
Step 4. Make honey butter sauce
In a large nonstick pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add honey, garlic, and salt, and mix until nice and creamy. Cook for 1 minute to let the flavors meld.
Step 5. Coat wings
Add chicken wings to the pan and toss to evenly coat in sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon for squeezing at the table. Enjoy!
💭 Top Tips
- Use high-quality organic honey for the best flavor. Organic bees usually have access to more diverse plants and trees, so their honey has a more complex flavor profile.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the chicken pieces quickly. Aim for a temperature of 160℉ to ensure juicy meat.
- Heat the butter sauce on low heat to prevent the butterfat from separating. If it does, the sauce will be oily and not creamy.
- Add a splash of lemon juice to the sauce or serve wings with a wedge of lemon so guests can squeeze lemon onto each wing. Lemon juice helps brighten up these wings.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Nori-tastic - Sprinkle powdered or crushed nori sheets after tossing the wings with the honey butter sauce. The nori adds a layer of toasty umami and complements the sweetness of the honey.
- Hot honey - Add 1 tablespoon of sriracha or any hot sauce while making the honey butter sauce. Or add spicy gochujang like in my spicy enoki mushrooms recipe.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Store honey butter chicken wings in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers by baking at 375℉ for 5-7 minutes, or if you have an air fryer, cook them at 350℉ for 3-5 minutes.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Combining cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking powder results in super crispy chicken. The flour mixture absorbs moisture from the wings and becomes crispy when fried in hot oil.
The time depends on many factors, such as the initial temperature of the wings, the size of the wings, the temperature of the oil, and the vessel used for cooking.
I recommend about 4-6 minutes for wingettes and 6-8 minutes for drummettes when cooking in oil heated to 375℉. But this can vary greatly depending on the factors above. The best way to know if the chicken is cooked is by using an instant-read thermometer. The deepest part of the meat should register 160℉.
Yes, feel free to use margarine instead, but the flavor might not be as good. Avoid tub or spreadable margarine as the water content is too high.
🍽 Looking for more game day snacks?
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment. I'd love to hear your feedback!
📋 Recipe
Honey Butter Chicken Wings
Equipment
- 1 deep fryer, dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- neutral oil (for frying)
Dredge
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
- 2 clove garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Dredge chicken: In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Toss chicken wings in the mixture until evenly coated. Arrange coated wings in a single layer on a baking sheet, then refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- First fry: Heat 1 inch of oil in a dutch oven, high-walled pot, or wok to 375℉. Cook 6-8 chicken pieces at a time until they turn golden brown and crispy, making sure to stir them with a spider occasionally to ensure even cooking. Wingettes take about 4-6 minutes, while drumettes take closer to 6-8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should read 160℉. After frying, place cooked wings on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and let them rest for at least 15 minutes, or you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours.
- Double fry: Reheat oil to 400℉ and fry chicken for 1 minute until brown and crispy. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
- Make honey butter sauce: In a large nonstick pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add honey, garlic, and salt, and mix until nice and creamy. Cook for 1 minute to let the flavors meld.
- Coat wings: Add chicken wings to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon for squeezing at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use high-quality organic honey for the best flavor. Organic bees usually have access to more diverse plants and trees, so their honey has a more complex flavor profile.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the chicken quickly. Aim for a temperature of 160℉ to ensure juicy meat.
- Heat the butter sauce on low heat to prevent the butterfat from separating. If it does, the sauce will be oily and not creamy.
- Add a splash of lemon juice to the sauce or serve wings with a wedge of lemon so guests can squeeze lemon onto each wing. Lemon juice helps brighten up these wings.
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