Hot Wings-style spicy glazed wings

Ingredients

Wings

• 1.2 kg chicken wings, separated at the joint, tips discarded
• 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminium-free)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Glaze

• 60 g hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot or similar)
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Method

1. Dry the wings. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels. Place on a rack over a tray. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour (or overnight) — dry skin = crispy wings.
2. Season. Toss wings with baking powder, salt, and pepper. The baking powder is the secret to super-crispy skin.
3. Bake. Heat oven to 200°C. Bake wings on a wire rack over a tray for 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.
4. Glaze. Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in hot sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, and paprika. Simmer 2 minutes.
5. Coat. Toss the hot wings in the glaze in a large bowl until evenly coated.
6. Glaze set. Return wings to the oven for 3–4 minutes to set the glaze.
7. Serve. Pile high with extra glaze on the side for dipping.

Tips

• The baking powder trick is the secret to crispy wings in the oven. Don’t skip it.
• Pat dry, then refrigerate uncovered. Dry skin = maximum crisp.
• Toss wings in the glaze in a large bowl — too small a bowl and the wings steam instead of coat.