Snacks Baking hot honey wings garlic butter game day crispy

Mike's Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Wings with Garlic Butter

Name: Mike's Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Wings with Garlic Butter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 lb chicken wings; 1.5 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free); 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 3 clove garlic cloves, minced; 0.33 cup Mike's Hot Honey; 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Crispy oven-baked chicken wings finished with a warm garlic butter and sticky Mike's Hot Honey glaze. These wings deliver a perfect balance of crunchy skin, savory garlic, and sweet-spicy honey — ideal for game day or a flavorful snack.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 15m · Cook: 45m · Total60 mins

DifficultyEasy

Serves4

AuthorJake

Ingredient Spotlight

Mike's Hot Honey

A commercial brand of chili‑infused honey created in Brooklyn, NY, used as a sweet‑spicy condiment. It tastes like floral honey with a warm, red‑chile heat and a sticky, aromatic finish. Find it in many U.S. grocery stores, specialty food shops, or online; substitute by gently warming honey with crushed red‑pepper flakes or a little hot sauce/chili paste and tasting to adjust for heat.

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Jake's note

"These wings shine when you want a crowd-pleasing snack with minimal fuss — the baking powder method gives reliably crisp skin and Mike's Hot Honey provides that addictively sticky finish. Serve hot right out of the oven for best texture and flavor."

Mike's Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Wings with Garlic Butter

These wings began as a simple idea: take reliably crisp oven-baked chicken and finish it with a sauce that sparkles — the bright bite of garlic butter and the forgiving sweetness of Mike's Hot Honey. The trick is in the contrast: the baking powder and a hot oven deliver blistered, glassy skin while a quick toss in warm honey-butter leaves the exterior glossed and sticky without sogging the crust. A pinch of lemon in the butter cuts through the honey's richness so every bite tastes layered rather than one-note.

This version is designed for practical home cooks who want bar-quality results without deep-frying or complicated technique. It scales well for a crowd, tolerates a little hands-off time while the oven does the work, and rewards a brief broil with that restaurant-style caramelized finish. Serve these when you want something that travels well to a party or reads as special at a casual dinner: the wings are at their best hot and immediately after glazing, when skin, sauce, and garlic are doing their best work together.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

5:55 pm–6:07 pm→Dry and season the wings

6:07 pm–6:19 pm→Arrange and bake until crisp

6:19 pm–6:31 pm→Make the garlic butter

6:31 pm–6:43 pm→Warm and combine Mike's Hot Honey, then glaze wings

6:43 pm–6:55 pm→Serve immediately

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Dry and season the wings

Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the wings with baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and neutral oil until evenly coated — the baking powder helps draw moisture from the skin so it crisps in the oven.

For this step

2.5 lbchicken wings
1.5 tspbaking powder (aluminum-free)
1.5 tspkosher salt
1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
1 tbspneutral oil (vegetable or canola)

Arrange and bake until crisp

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 40–45 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until skin is deep golden and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone reads 165°F (74°C).

Make the garlic butter

While the wings bake, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and lemon juice and cook just until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds; remove from heat to avoid burning the garlic.

For this step

4 tbspunsalted butter
3 clovegarlic cloves, minced
1 tspfresh lemon juice

Warm and combine Mike's Hot Honey, then glaze wings

Gently warm Mike's Hot Honey in a small saucepan or microwave until pourable, then whisk together with the garlic butter. Place the baked wings in a large bowl, pour the hot honey-garlic butter over them, and toss gently to coat. For a stickier, slightly caramelized finish, return coated wings to the rack and broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.

For this step

0.38 cupMike's Hot Honey

Warm and combine Mike's Hot Honey, then glaze wings

Serve immediately

Transfer wings to a platter and serve hot. Offer lemon wedges and extra black pepper on the side; these wings are best enjoyed fresh while the skin is still crisp and the honey glaze is sticky.

Tips from the kitchen

Pat wings very dry

Moisture is the enemy of crispness — give wings a long pat down with paper towels and let them air-dry briefly in the fridge if you have 30 minutes.

Use aluminum-free baking powder

Aluminum-free baking powder avoids metallic off-flavors; it raises pH at the skin, helping proteins brown and crisp without changing taste.

Rack for even heat

Bake wings on a wire rack over a rimmed sheet so hot air circulates all around each piece and fat renders away from the skin.

Protect the garlic

Cook garlic in the butter only until fragrant and remove from heat; scorched garlic turns bitter and will ruin the sauce.

Broil for stickiness

After tossing with the honey-butter, a 1–2 minute broil caramelizes the glaze — watch constantly to prevent burning.

Variations & substitutions

Smoky Maple Glaze

Swap half the honey for pure maple syrup and whisk in 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a woodsy counterpoint to the garlic butter.

Honey-Sriracha Kick

Stir 1–2 teaspoons Sriracha or gochujang into the warmed Mike's Hot Honey for a thicker, tangy heat that clings to the skin.

Crispy Cauliflower Wings

For a vegetarian option, toss cauliflower florets with the baking powder and oil, roast until browned, then coat in the warmed garlic-honey mix.

Air-Fryer Method

Cook wings in a preheated air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, shaking halfway, then toss with the garlic-honey to finish.

Storage & make-ahead

Leftover wings can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; keep the glazed wings separate from extra sauce to preserve crispness if possible. To reheat, spread wings on a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes until hot and the skin resurfaces; avoid microwaving if you want to retain crisp texture. You can make the garlic butter and warmed honey ahead and reheat gently just before tossing with hot wings.

What to serve with it

Plate the wings on a warmed platter with lemon wedges, a small bowl of blue cheese or ranch for dipping, and crisp celery and carrot sticks to cut the richness. For drinks, pair with a hoppy pale ale or a citrusy IPA to stand up to the honey's sweetness, or a cold, zesty lager for a smoother match.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen wings?

Yes, but thaw completely and pat dry before coating with baking powder and oil; excess moisture from partially frozen wings will prevent crisping and lengthen baking time.

Why baking powder instead of flour or cornstarch?

Baking powder raises the pH and promotes browning and crispness without adding a noticeable coating, so you get blistered skin rather than a breaded crust.

How can I make the glaze extra sticky?

Warm the honey until just pourable and toss the wings while both the wings and glaze are hot; a brief broil after glazing helps the sugars caramelize and adhere.

What if my garlic burns while making the butter?

If garlic browns, start over with fresh butter; burnt garlic tastes bitter and will negatively affect the glaze, but you can avoid this by keeping heat low and removing the pan from the burner as soon as garlic is fragrant.

Is broiling necessary?

No — broiling adds a caramelized finish and deeper color, but if you prefer to avoid the risk of burning you can skip it and still have tasty, sticky wings.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

4 servings

Step 1: Dry and season the wings

chicken wings2.5 lb
baking powder (aluminum-free)1.5 tsp
kosher salt1.5 tsp
freshly ground black pepper1 tsp
neutral oil (vegetable or canola)1 tbsp

Step 3: Make the garlic butter

unsalted butter4 tbsp
garlic cloves, minced3 clove
fresh lemon juice1 tsp

Step 4: Warm and combine Mike's Hot Honey, then glaze wings

🛒 BuyMike's Hot Honey0.38 cup

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Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 3–4 wings (340g)

Calories802

Total Fat42.2g

Saturated Fat11.5g

Trans Fat0g

Polyunsaturated Fat18.6g

Monounsaturated Fat8.2g

Total Carbohydrates46.2g

Dietary Fiber3.5g

Total Sugars18.3g

Protein58.3g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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