Oven-Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Wings & Rice

My neighbor brought over a batch of these honey garlic wings to a backyard gathering last summer, and I watched them disappear faster than the ice in anyone's drink. The sticky-sweet coating caught the evening light as people kept reaching for just one more, and I found myself in the kitchen the next day frantically scribbling down what I could remember about the sauce. Turns out, it's simpler than it looked, and now this recipe lives permanently in my rotation for when I need something that feels a little fancy but actually requires minimal fuss.

I made this for my sister's book club night when she asked me to bring something that could sit warm without drying out, and I realized halfway through that I'd somehow created the perfect game-day food. People were dunking pieces in the buttery rice, using the sticky glaze as an excuse to lick their fingers, and the kitchen smelled so good that one guest actually asked if she could just stand there for a minute before eating. That's when I knew this recipe had staying power.

Ingredients

• Chicken Wings (1.5 lbs, split and tips removed): Splitting them yourself is annoying, so honestly just buy them pre-split and save your wrists the trouble; the quality doesn't change one bit.
• Olive Oil (1 tbsp): This light coating helps the seasonings stick and gives the wings something to crisp against in the hot oven.
• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Smoked Paprika (1 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1/2 tsp): These three do the heavy lifting for flavor before the sauce even touches the wings, so don't skimp or skip.
• Garlic Powder (1/2 tsp): Pairs with the fresh garlic in the sauce for a garlic flavor that feels deep instead of one-note.
• Honey (1/3 cup): Use good honey here if you can; cheap honey tastes thin, but decent honey rounds out the sauce with something almost floral.
• Low-Sodium Soy Sauce (1/4 cup): The saltiness anchors everything sweet, so don't grab the regular stuff or your sauce becomes a salty disaster.
• Unsalted Butter (5 tbsp total, split between sauce and rice): Butter is the actual secret ingredient that makes this taste restaurant-quality instead of like you dumped condiments on chicken.
• Fresh Garlic (4 cloves, minced): Mincing it yourself matters here because garlic powder and fresh garlic taste completely different; fresh gives brightness.
• Ketchup (2 tbsp): Sounds weird, but ketchup adds depth and a subtle sweetness that balances the soy sauce's saltiness in a way pure honey alone can't.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tbsp): A tablespoon cuts through the richness so the sauce doesn't feel cloying or one-dimensional.
• Chili Flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): Skip these if heat isn't your thing, but they add a little pop that makes people ask what you did differently.
• Cornstarch Slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water): This thickens the sauce into something that actually coats the wings instead of running off into the rice.
• Long-Grain White Rice (1 cup): Fluffy rice is the perfect vehicle for all that sticky sauce, and white rice soaks it up better than brown.
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (2 cups): Check the label; regular broth turns this salty fast, and you want room for the soy sauce flavor.
• Fresh Parsley (2 tbsp, chopped): It's just a garnish, but green on a plate full of brown and golden makes everything look intentional instead of rushed.

Instructions

Get Your Oven Ready:

Preheat to 425°F and line your baking sheet with foil, then set a wire rack on top and lightly grease it. This setup is what keeps wings from sticking and lets air circulate underneath so they get crispy instead of steamed.

Prep the Wings:

Pat them completely dry with paper towels, then toss with olive oil and the salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Wet wings don't crisp, so don't skip the drying step no matter how impatient you feel.

Bake Until Golden:

Spread wings in a single layer on the rack and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through so both sides turn golden and crispy. You'll know they're done when the skin looks tight and crackly and they smell incredible.

Cook the Rice:

While wings bake, bring broth, butter, and salt to a boil in a saucepan, then stir in rice and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 18 minutes, then remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Make the Sauce:

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic for about a minute until it smells fragrant, then add honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and chili flakes if you want heat. Let it simmer for a minute, then stir in your cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens into something glossy and clingy.

Coat the Wings:

Transfer your baked wings to a large bowl and pour the warm sauce over them, then toss everything together until every piece is coated. This is when your kitchen smells like an actual restaurant.

Plate and Serve:

Spoon rice onto plates, top with sticky wings, and scatter fresh parsley over everything. Serve immediately while the wings are still warm and the rice is steaming.

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I made this once for my dad on a random Tuesday night when nothing else sounded good, and he actually put his phone down mid-meal to tell me it was restaurant-quality, which from him felt like winning something. We ended up eating in near silence because the food was that good, and that's become my benchmark for whether a recipe actually deserves to stick around.

Why the Oven Rack Matters

Using a wire rack instead of cooking wings directly on the sheet is the difference between wings you'll brag about and wings that taste okay. The air underneath means the bottoms get as crispy as the tops, and the fat drips away instead of pooling underneath and making everything greasy. I learned this the hard way by making wings both ways back-to-back, and the rack version won so decisively that I stopped bothering with the other method.

Making the Sauce Shine

The honey and garlic are the obvious stars, but the ketchup and apple cider vinegar are what keep this sauce from tasting one-dimensional. Ketchup adds a subtle sweetness and depth that pure honey alone can't touch, and the vinegar cuts through the richness so every bite feels balanced instead of heavy. I tested this sauce a dozen times because I kept wondering if I was missing something, and it wasn't until I understood what each ingredient was actually doing that I stopped tinkering.

Timing and Serving

Everything about this meal works because you can time it so the rice finishes right when the wings come out of the oven. Start your rice about 25 minutes into the wings' baking time, and while the rice simmers you can make the sauce, which takes maybe five minutes. When you plate it, the rice is still warm and fluffy, the wings are hot and sticky, and you look like you planned a full meal instead of throwing dinner together.

• If you're making this ahead, keep the wings and sauce separate until you're ready to serve so they stay crispy and the sauce doesn't get absorbed into the coating.
• Leftover wings reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven for about ten minutes if you cover them loosely with foil.
• This recipe doubles easily if you're feeding more people, just use two baking sheets and extend the cooking time by a few minutes.

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This recipe has become my go-to when I want something that feels special without the stress, and that's worth something. Make it, feed people you like, and let them ask for the recipe.

Recipe FAQ

→ How do I get the crispiest chicken wings in the oven?

Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels before seasoning. Use a wire rack on your baking sheet to allow air circulation and flip them halfway through cooking. The high oven temperature of 425°F helps render the fat and crisp the skin.

→ Can I make the honey garlic sauce ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the sauce up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop and whisk well before tossing with the freshly baked wings.

→ What sides pair well with these sticky wings?

Buttery rice is the perfect base to soak up the extra sauce. You could also serve with steamed broccoli, roasted vegetables, or a crisp cucumber salad to balance the sweet and savory flavors.

→ Can I use chicken drumsticks or thighs instead?

Absolutely. Adjust the cooking time to 45-50 minutes for drumsticks and 35-40 minutes for bone-in thighs. The sauce quantity works well for any cut, just ensure pieces are similar in size for even cooking.

→ How can I make the sauce less sweet?

Reduce the honey to 1/4 cup and increase the soy sauce to 1/3 cup. You can also add an extra teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or a splash more chili flakes to cut through the sweetness.

→ What type of rice works best for this dish?

Long-grain white rice creates fluffy, separate grains that perfectly absorb the butter and any sauce. Basmati or jasmine rice are excellent alternatives that add aromatic notes to the dish.