Sticky Habanero Wings are sweet, spicy, and totally addictive. Perfectly baked wings topped with a sweet, sticky glaze featuring homemade habanero sauce. These Caribbean-inspired wings are perfect for your next game day appetizer!
Did someone say game day?!
Happy Sunday! Those who know me from the blog might be a bit surprised to learn that I am a HUGE sports fan. I got my love of sports from my dad, who literally hasn’t met a sport he doesn’t love. One of our favorite ways to bond is to watch sports together and argue over the refs, or when we can, to play sports together.
Our favorite sports are probably basketball, football (both kinds!), track and field, and tennis. But recently my dad has been into golf, which of course means now I’m golfing too! I’m horrible at it, but it’s awesome riding golf carts around the golf course with my dad, so I’m not complaining.
During quarantine, one of the things that really boosted my and my dad’s spirits was the return of sports. Though we didn’t know what to expect with the NBA bubble or the NFL, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well everything has gone and how competitive the games have been, and we feel for all the families who bravely let their loved ones risk their health daily just to give us fans a bit of joy by doing what they love.
Another thing we really love about the return of sports is the return of game day snacks! Yay snacks!
Now about these wings…
No game day is complete without game day food, and wings are the #1 game day food option. While honey BBQ or buffalo wings are delicious, who says game day wings can’t have a taste of the Caribbean?! That’s where these sticky habanero wings come in. Baked wings topped with a homemade habanero sauce that’s been mixed with sweet maple syrup and honey to create the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and sticky. This is finger food at its finest people!
Now obviously I don’t eat meat so I had to reach out to my friend, a certified chicken connoisseur, to taste test this recipe and it received the stamp of approval! These wings have (and I quote) “respectable spice” that isn’t overpowering, but will hit you after 2 or 3 wings. There’s just enough spice to have you craving more. And trust me, you will. So just do yourself a favor and make a personal batch of these sticky habanero wings, you’ll thank me later.
The recipe…
This sticky habanero wings recipe is pretty straightforward. First, we make the habanero sauce by blending together fresh onions, habanero (i.e. scotch bonnet) peppers, ginger, apple cider vinegar, water, honey, and salt in a food processor. Then cook the mixture on the stove for about 10 minutes to give the flavors a chance to develop. Then set aside to cool. If you don’t want to make hot sauce from scratch or don’t have habanero peppers, see below for some substitutions.
While the habanero sauce is cooling, prepare the wings. I cleaned my wings with some vinegar and water, then cleaned them again with some lemon juice. I hate smelly wings, so a double cleanse is absolutely necessary! Next, pat the wings dry with a paper towel and add the dry seasonings. We don’t need to over season the wings because we’ll be adding more stuff to them later on. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes. I like to bake my wings because its (a little) healthier and because baked wings tend to be more flavorful.
While the wings are baking, prepare the sticky habanero glaze by combining maple syrup, honey, chili flakes, and a little of our freshly made habanero sauce. Once the wings get out of the oven, transfer them to a skillet with some oil and pan fry until the wings are golden brown. Then add the glaze and allow the wings to cook for another 1-2 minutes. That’s it!
Substitutions…
What if you don’t have habanero peppers?
Not a problem! You can substitute the habanero peppers for fresh jalapeno peppers, those will work nicely as well.
Can I use store bought habanero sauce?
Absolutely. Just substitute 1 tsp of store bought habanero sauce for the amount of fresh habanero sauce in the recipe. Feel free to add more heat if you’d like!
What other flavors can I add to these wings?
These wings are already super flavorful, but you can add even more delicious Caribbean flavor by adding some mango salsa to the glaze, or by adding chunks of pineapple. Experiment and let me know what you come up with in the comments.
Looking for more spicy dishes? Try these:
Spicy Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Share this recipe…
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know by rating it and leaving a comment below. I would love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag #sweetandsorrel on Instagram!
Sticky Habanero Wings
Ingredients
Homemade Habanero Sauce
- 2 large habanero peppers, chopped with seeds
- 1/4 large white onion, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
Sticky Habanero Wings
- 1.5 lb fresh wings
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp Homemade habanero sauce (or 2 tsp store bought sauce)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 stalks chopped green onion (scallions), for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Homade Habanero Sauce. Combine ingredients for homemade habanero sauce in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and allow sauce to cool. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Clean chicken wings and pat dry. To a large bowl, add chicken wings, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and 1 tbsp of oil. Use a spatula to stir until all the wings have been coated. Transfer wings to parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until wings are fully cooked.
- Prepare the sticky habanero glaze. While wings are baking, prepare the glaze. To a small bowl, add 2 tbsp of homemade habanero sauce, maple syrup, honey, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
- Add remaining oil to large skillet and heat over high heat. Add cooked wings to skillet and allow them to cook until caramelized, about 4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to low and carefully add glaze. The glaze will start to bubble up and become froathy, so working quickly, use a spatula to coat the wings in the glaze. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until glaze thickens and adheres to the wings.
- Remove wings from skillet. Top with chopped green onions. Enjoy!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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