Grilled Chicken Wings with Chili Garlic Sauce
Published April 3, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
These amazing grilled chicken wings tossed in a sweet honey chili garlic sauce are the perfect appetizer for any party or get-together. You will immediately be hooked on these zesty wings as soon as you try them.
One of my favorite parts of any meal is the delicious appetizers. It’s even better at a party with a wide array of options. If you’re similar, you must try my Spinach and Artichoke Dip or Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.
Grilled Chicken Wings with Chili Garlic Sauce
Grilled chicken wings with chili garlic sauce are one of my homemade specialty recipes of Asian-inspired marinated wings grilled and tossed in a sweet honey chili-garlic sauce. These are different from a traditional grilled wing in that the flavors of the marinade and sauce greatly influence the overall taste of the wing.
This recipe can, of course, be tailored to your liking. You can skip the marinade and just use the sauce, or use the marinade and don’t toss them in the sauce. Both provide a balance of flavors while being comfortably spicy and sweet.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Hoison Sauce – This is fermented soybean paste and can be purchased at most grocery stores in the international aisle. You can also substitute with BBQ sauce or oyster sauce.
- Vinegar – I used rice wine vinegar. However, you can swap it with cider or white distilled vinegar.
- Soy Sauce – Any good shoyu or tamari soy sauce will work. If you are soy-free, you can substitute coconut aminos.
- Fish Sauce – This is an optional ingredient, and it will add some incredible umami flavors.
- Oil — I used sesame oil to create more Asian-inspired flavors, but you can use any neutral-flavored oil.
- Wings — You will need fresh or frozen and thawed chicken wings. You can also use flats, drumettes, or a combination of both.
- Chili Garlic Paste — This spicy garlic sauce, also known as sambal, can be purchased at most grocery stores in the international aisle.
- Honey – Any grade of honey will work.
- Oranges – You can use freshly squeezed or orange juice from a carton.
- Herbs — I finish the wings with fresh cilantro and green onions to add flavor, but this is optional.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Wings with Chili Garlic Sauce
Preheat the grill to 400° to 450°. In a large bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy, fish sauce, and sesame oil until combined. Once mixed, combine with chicken wings and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
When they’re done marinating, remove the chicken from the marinade and cook on a preheated grill until dark grill marks have formed and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes per side.
Once the wings are cooked, remove them from the grill and set aside to rest. In a separate large bowl, whisk together chili sauce, honey and orange juice. Next, toss the cooked wings in this mixture until the wings are completely coated.
Serve the wings on a large platter and garnish with optional sliced green onions, cilantro leaves, and sesame seeds. Additional optional garnish: orange slices and rice crackers.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep them warm, covered with foil on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper in the oven at 200°.
How to Store: Cover them and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze cover with all of the sauce and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: To reheat them, place them on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper, cover them in foil, and bake in the oven at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until warm.
chef notes + tips
- When using soy, food items and caramelize quicker than normal which means it can tend to burn. The lower temperature of the grill will give you dark grill marks without charring anything.
- My general rule for all marinades is to let them sit overnight or for at least 12 hours. The longer they marinade, the more flavorful they’ll be.
- If the sauce’s flavor is too intense, add a little soy sauce and water to help break it up.
- Since these have an Asian flair to them, I served them up with rice crackers and orange slices.
- Wings are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
- Another simple way to tell if they are cooked is by simply slicing into the middle and ensuring all the meat is white without any pink.
More Appetizer Recipes
Grilled Chicken Wings with Chili Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 cup sesame seed oil
- 4 pounds chicken wings
- 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- juice of 2 oranges, about, 1/3 to 1/2 cup
- sliced green onions for garnish, , optional
- fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, , optional
- sesame seeds for garnish, , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 400° to 450°.
- In a large bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy, fish sauce, and sesame oil until combined. Once mixed combine with chicken wings, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Once marinated, remove the chicken from the marinade and cook on a preheated grill until dark grill marks have formed and the chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes per side.
- Once the wings are cooked, remove them from the grill and set aside to rest.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together chili sauce, honey, and orange juice. Next, toss the cooked wings in this mixture until the wings are completely coated.
- Serve the wings on a large platter and garnish with optional sliced green onions, cilantro leaves, and sesame seeds. Additional optional garnish: orange slices and rice crackers.
Anyway these can be roasted in the oven, Billy?
For sure they can
Winner winner chicken dinner this is a very flavorful chicken meal to make everybody loved it —- loved the sauce!!!
Amazing!
We actually made this with chicken legs, for a larger meal. I started marinating them the night before and my husband grilled them the next day. Really flavorful! Everyone loved them.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
The sauce makes this recipe amazing. Thanks.
This quickly became a favorite at my house! Yummy!
I can’t get enough of the sauce on these wings – such a great recipe!
That sauce on these was epic. So good.
These are a favorite with my husband. So flavorful!
This is the best recipe I have ever made. I always keep the ingredients on hand. Thank you for such an awesome dish!!