These Honey Chipotle Wings are exactly my kind of recipe because I love anything with a little heat, and I’m always looking for dishes that can easily feed a crowd. The smoky spice from the chipotle paired with that sticky honey glaze hits the perfect balance for me—bold, flavorful, and just spicy enough to keep you coming back for more. They’re the kind of wings I make when friends are coming over because they’re simple, satisfying, and guaranteed to disappear fast, with everyone hovering around the platter until the very last one is gone.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love These:
- Whether it’s game day or a movie night at home, these chipotle wings are sure to please.
- The smoky heat and sweetness combo is perfectly balanced, not too spicy, not too sweet.
- If an air fryer is your jam, these are super easy to air-fry.
- Customize the heat level and sweetness, and pair them with your favorite dip.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Chicken Wings: Juicy wings that crisp beautifully and soak up the sauce. You can also use chicken flats if you prefer.
- Baking Powder: Helps the skin get extra crispy when baked to perfection in the oven.
- Spices: Garlic powder and salt add depth and enhance the flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: Brings smoky heat and rich chili flavor to the sauce. You can add adobo sauce if you want them spicier.
- Fresh Garlic: Add bold, aromatic flavor. You can finely chop or use a garlic press to get the full flavor.
- Honey: Sweetens the sauce and creates a sticky glaze. See below for other sweetness options.
- Lime Juice: I like to use fresh lime juice to add brightness and to balance the sweetness. Add a bit of lime zest if you’re feeling fancy.
- Orange Juice: Provides natural sweetness and a subtle citrusy flavor that pairs perfectly with chipotle.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need:
- Large Baking Sheet
- Metal Wire Cooling Rack
- Large Bowl
- Blender, Food Processor, or Immersion Blender
- Medium saucepan
- Serving Bowl
Pat Dry
Pat the wings completely dry before seasoning, this will give you an ultra-crispy texture.
How to Make Honey Chipotle Wings
- Preheat the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray it with cooking oil.
- Place the wings in a large bowl and pat them dry with paper towels. Add in the baking powder and spices. Toss to evenly coat.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack and bake in the oven until the skin is crispy.
- While the wings are cooking, make the sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced.
- Once the wings are done cooking, transfer them to a clean bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss until they are well coated.
You can find the recipe card below for thorough instructions.
Give them air
Bake on a wire rack set over a sheet pan so hot air circulates and gives you perfectly crispy wings.
How to Modify:
- Add an extra chipotle pepper or a spoonful of adobo sauce to boost spice levels for the perfect burn.
- Tone down the heat and use just one chipotle pepper, and add more honey or orange juice if you don’t care for spicy food.
- Want a different sweetener? Swap honey for maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar.
- Use boneless chicken thighs or tenders if you prefer a boneless option, and use the same seasoning and sauce.
Dietary Customizations:
- Specific Carbohydrate Diet: Skip the baking powder.
- Low Sugar: Use zero sugar honey if you want to reduce the calories on this one.
Serving Suggestions:
These chipotle wings really are the perfect finger food for a spread of various appetizers. Try Cottage Cheese Tzatziki or Creamy Crab Dip with Goat Cheese with some pita chips or your favorite crackers. If you want something sweet to balance the spicy, try Prosciutto, Pear, and Gorgonzola Bites or a Fruit Platter.
For more dip ideas, I highly recommend Dijonaisse Sauce, Truffle Mayo, or a delicious homemade ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing with celery sticks or carrot sticks on the side.
Common Questions:
You can cook the wings ahead of time, but they’re best sauced just before serving. Reheat until crispy, then toss with the honey chipotle sauce.
They have a medium heat level. You can easily adjust the spice by using more or fewer chipotle peppers.
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Pat the chicken wings dry, season, and arrange in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook for 22–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden and crispy. Make the sauce and toss right before serving.
Yes! Spray your grill grate before cooking the chicken, or you’ll regret it. Grill until cooked through, then brush with sauce during the last few minutes. Warm on low heat with the sauce so it doesn’t burn.
Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. To reheat, warm in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes.
More Chicken Recipes You Will Love:
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- The Best Shredded Chicken
- Creamy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
If you make these Honey Chipotle Wings, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Honey Chipotle Wings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings legs and drumsticks split
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ¾ cup orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking oil
- Place the wings in a large bowl and use paper towels to pat the wings dry. Add in the baking powder, garlic salt and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack.
- Transfer to the oven to bake, for 30 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the skin is crispy.
- While the wings are cooking make the sauce. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small sauce pan on medium high heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced by ⅔
- Once the wings are done cooking transfer them to a clean bowl, pour the sauce overtop and toss until they are all well coated in the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Yum! I made about half the amount of chicken. Mine didnโt crisp up, I think when I make this again Iโd do my air fryer. Loved the sauces! I donโt have a blender so I used my food processor, wouldnโt recommend for the chipotle sauce because it got a tad grainy with the dates. For the crema it was fine. A hair spicy but in a very pleasant way. The apple cider vinegar in the crema was delightful. Using this for game days!
Not that good
Yes please!! I love everything about this!
I totally agree, it’s hard to go wrong when chicken wings + chipotle + avocado are involved!