These Honey Garlic Chicken Wingettes give you the sticky, sweet-and-savory flavor of classic honey garlic wings without deep-frying them in vegetable oil.
The wingettes are seasoned and baked or air-fried until crispy, then tossed in a homemade honey garlic sauce made with real honey, garlic, ginger, and reduced-sodium soy sauce.
They’re perfect when you want wings that still feel indulgent but are prepared with a lighter cooking method.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40–45 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Servings: 6
Serving Size: About 4 wingettes
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 24 cleaned chicken drumettes and/or flats
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon salt-free all-purpose seasoning, optional
Honey Garlic Sauce
- ⅓ cup pure honey
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Oven Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Wings
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Pat the wingettes very dry with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the oil.
Add the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, salt, and optional salt-free seasoning. Toss until the wings are lightly and evenly coated.
Step 2: Bake
Arrange the wings in a single layer on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, turning them halfway through, until browned, crispy, and fully cooked.
Chicken should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Air Fryer Option
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
Arrange the wings in a single layer and air-fry for approximately 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Cook in batches if necessary so the basket is not overcrowded.
Make the Honey Garlic Sauce
While the chicken cooks, combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and optional sesame oil in a small saucepan.
Simmer over low to medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the sauce and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat.
Coat the Wings
Place the cooked wingettes in a large bowl.
Pour the warm honey garlic sauce over the wings and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
Serve warm.
Helpful Tips
For crispier wings: Drying the chicken thoroughly before seasoning is important. Moisture on the surface can prevent the wings from becoming crispy.
Don’t overcrowd the pan: Leaving space around the chicken allows hot air to circulate around the wingettes.
For a stronger honey flavor: You can increase the honey to 6 tablespoons (⅜ cup) if you prefer sweeter wings.
Using regular soy sauce: You can use regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium, but I recommend reducing it to about 3 tablespoons because regular soy sauce is substantially saltier.
Want extra sauce? Don’t automatically double the soy sauce. You can make 1½ times the sauce recipe while keeping the soy sauce slightly lower and adjusting it after tasting.
Estimated Nutrition Facts
Per serving, approximately 4 wingettes with sauce:
- Calories: 300–330
- Protein: 22–25 g
- Total Fat: 15–17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4–5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22–25 g
- Total Sugars: 16–18 g
- Added Sugars: approximately 15–17 g
- Sodium: approximately 500–650 mg
Nutrition values are estimates and will vary according to the size of the wings and the brands of soy sauce, honey, and other ingredients used.
