This Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings recipe has crispy and crackly chicken wings coated in a sweet, sticky glaze. Refrigerating the wings overnight ensures extra crispy skin.
Can't get enough of chicken wings? Try my Salted Egg Chicken Wings and Honey Butter Chicken Wings next!
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๐ About This Recipe
To be honest, I think every sweet and sour chicken wing recipe on the internet gets it completely wrong. And it usually boils down to how the sauce is made.
Other recipes call for a large amount of liquid, which is then thickened with cornstarch. The resulting sauce is watery and has a gloopy texture. Because of this, the wings lose their crispness fast.
The ideal sauce should be sticky and glaze-like, similar to the consistency of honey.
My sauce is made without cornstarch and involves simmering the sauce to reduce its moisture content. The resulting sauce is densely packed with flavor and doesn't make the wings soggy.
๐ง Ingredients
- Chicken Wings: We'll be using two pounds today.
- Salt and Baking Powder: For marinating the chicken. Salt adds flavor to the meat, and baking powder creates tiny air bubbles on the skin, resulting in a crispy texture when fried.
- Vinegar: I'm using white vinegar for its neutral flavor and strong acidity.
- Brown sugar: You can also use white sugar, but I think brown sugar tastes better.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: I like the flavor it adds. You can just use more white vinegar as well.
- Pineapple Juice: Use the juice from a can of pineapples.
- Strawberry Jam: You can also use raspberry jam.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Toss chicken wings with baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated. Refrigerate wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours. Rotate the pan every 8 hours for even drying.
STEP 2: Heat 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Fry the chicken wings in batches, stirring and turning occasionally to ensure even cooking, for about 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165ยฐF. Transfer to a pan lined with paper towels to dry.
STEP 3: Combine white vinegar, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, and jam in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-9 minutes until it reduces by about half. Set aside. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
STEP 4: Reheat oil to 400ยฐF and re-fry the chicken wings in batches for 1 minute until brown and super crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
STEP 5: In a large bowl, combine chicken wings and sweet and sour sauce, and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ Variations
- Baked: Bake at 450โ on the upper-middle rack for 30-45 minutes, flipping once in between.
- Air-fried: Place the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space in between. Air fry for 15-20 minutes at 400โ, flipping once in between.
๐ฅก Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Allow the Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
Reheating: Bake in a 350ยฐF oven for 10-15 minutes or air-fry for 3-4 minutes at 400ยฐF.
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๐ Recipe
Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
- neutral oil (for frying)
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ยฝ cup white vinegar
- ยพ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam (or raspberry jam)
Instructions
- Toss chicken wings with baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated. Refrigerate wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
- Heat 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF. Fry the chicken wings in batches, stirring and turning occasionally to ensure even cooking, for about 4-5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165ยฐF. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to dry.
- Combine sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-9 minutes until it reduces by about half. Set aside. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Heat oil to 400ยฐF and re-fry the chicken wings in batches for 1 minute until brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken wings and sweet and sour sauce, and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
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