Oven-Baked Hot Pepper Honey Wings (Gluten-Free)

These delicious hot pepper honey wings are baked to perfection and then tossed in a honey sauce infused with spicy red pepper flakes and jalapeño peppers. They’re the perfect balance of slightly sweet and a little spicy 🤤.

Only a few ingredients and an oven are all you need to make crispy oven-baked wings without the mess and added fatty calories that come with deep-frying.

A Brief History of Chicken Wings

It’s widely accepted that Buffalo wings were invented in 1964 by Teressa Bellissimo. At the time, Bellissimo was the co-owner of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. She made the wings for her son and his friends as a late-night snack. The wings were such a hit, they were added to the menu the very next day.

According to the National Chicken Council, in the 1980s, consumers started to prefer boneless-skinless breast meat, so the wings became an inexpensive by-product. Instead of throwing out the wings, restaurants realized they could sell the wings for cheap and still make a profit.

It didn’t take long for chicken wings to gain popularity and they quickly became a football fan’s favorite snack. The National Chicken Council predicted that 1.33 billion wings would be consumed by Americans during the 2017 Super Bowl.

A Fun Fact About Honey

When honey is sealed, it never spoils. There isn’t enough water in honey to support the growth of bacteria and mold spores.

If properly stored, it can last thousands of years. In fact, jars of still edible honey have been found in Egyptian tombs that date back to around 980 B.C., which is over 3,000 years old 😲.

Hot Pepper Honey Chicken Wing Ingredients

• 2 pounds (about 9 pieces) chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 cup of honey
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 jalapeño, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes

Ingredient Notes

• Wings are packaged in different ways. The cheapest option is to purchase them fresh, as entire pieces. If you purchase them as whole pieces, you will have to separate the wings into the flat and drummette sections. This will obviously take a little extra time but it isn’t difficult. The easier, but slightly more expensive option is to purchase the wings (fresh or frozen) already separated into the flat and drummette sections.
• I deseeded and deveined the jalapeño. If you’d like more heat, you can leave the veins and seeds.

Recipe Notes

• Cooking times will vary depending on the oven and the amount of wings you’re making.
• For easy clean-up, use parchment paper on your non-stick baking sheet.
• You can prepare your wings ahead of time and make them later. Season the wings according to the recipe and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 6 hours. When you’re ready to cook them, follow the recipe directions.

Equipment Needed for Hot Pepper Honey Wings

• 1 medium-sized mixing bowl
• Tongs
• 1 non-stick baking sheet
• 1 blender or food processor

How to Make Hot Pepper Honey Wings

1. Preheat your oven to 425° F.
2. Place wings on a non-stick baking sheet and season both sides with salt and pepper.
   
3. Bake the wings at 425° F for 20 minutes.
4. While your wings are baking, prepare the hot pepper honey sauce. Combine honey, lemon juice, jalapeño, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend the ingredients. I only pulsed my blender a couple of times because I prefer the sauce to be chunky. How much you blend the sauce is totally up to you.
   
5. Using tongs, flip all of the wings over and cook for an additional 25 minutes. The wings are done when they have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165° F.
   
6. Once the wings are done, place them in a medium-sized mixing bowl, pour the hot pepper honey sauce on top, and combine.
   
7. Serve and enjoy!
   

How to Use This Chicken Wing Recipe

These wings are awesome alone or go well with any appetizer spread. If you’re doing a spread, check out my Mango Jalapeño, Crispy Oven-Baked, Garlic Parmesan, Strawberry Habanero Jalapeño Hot Pepper, and Lemon Pepper Wing Recipes!

Wings and pizza go together like peanut butter and jelly! Make it a meal with some delicious, Chewy, Cheesy, and oh so Easy Homemade Pepperoni Pizza!

The beauty of Flavor Ratios is that we blend flavor combinations according to OUR own preferences. All recipes you find on this site serve as a guide. Who am I, to limit the amount of jalapeño or red pepper flakes you put on your wings? That would be wrong, and honestly, it’d keep me awake at night knowing your appetizer could’ve been better!

Watch How to Make Hot Pepper Honey Wings

I love seeing all of your flavorful creations! Don’t hesitate to leave a review or comment and be sure to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!