These Sticky Honey Sesame Chicken Wings are Lick-Your-Fingers Goodness!
If you’ve been around PWWB for a while, you know we’re pretty obsessed with chicken wings. Grilled buffalo wings have been a favorite ever since our Milwaukee days, but my love of wings actually was born from an oven-baked recipe. Specifically, my mom’s honey sesame wings. They’re the BEST.
These baked sesame chicken wings are a snack my mom often prepares when we visit. They start with a savory-sweet marinade similar to Mom’s famous teriyaki sauce. It’s made with just a handful of seriously flavorful ingredients (& you probably have most of them on hand already!) so it offers maximum flavor with minimal effort. Savvy Mom cooking at its finest! 😎
My favorite thing about this honey sesame chicken wings recipe, though, is that it’s almost entirely hands-off. The oven takes over once the wings are marinated. As the honey sesame wings bake, the marinade reduces into a built-in wing sauce at the bottom of the pan. They’re sticky, sweet, & SO good – very little effort for a big reward!
Baked Sesame Chicken Wings Recipe Highlights
You’ll be obsessed over this easy sesame chicken wings recipe because it’s…
- TOTALLY HANDS-OFF. The only prep you have to do is make a simple honey sesame marinade with a handful of pantry staples. From there, marinate the wings & let the oven do the rest of the work! Easy!
- BEAUTIFULLY SAVORY-SWEET. The teriyaki-inspired marinade infuses the honey sesame chicken wings with a balanced savory-sweet flavor. The wings bake right in the marinade for ease, which reduces into a sticky-sweet glaze as it cooks to create a built-in wing sauce. So good!
- THE BEST STICKY SHAREABLE. Whether you serve them as a game day snack, party appetizer, or as a simple weeknight dinner, everyone loves these sticky sesame wings. Just make sure you bring plenty of napkins! 😉
Wings are ALWAYS a win! 🏈 ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Honey Sesame Chicken Wings, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!
Maximum Flavor, Minimal Effort
3 foolproof secrets to low-fuss, flavor-packed dinners, learned from years working in restaurants.
The Easiest Honey Sesame Wings Marinade
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
This simple sesame chicken wings marinade makes ALL the difference for these baked wings. To make it, you need 9 simple ingredients, most of which are probably already in your pantry. Together they create a teriyaki-inspired explosion of flavor that’s the perfect blend of sweet, savory, & aromatic. To make it, you need…
- Chicken wings – Feel free to use fresh or frozen chicken wings, & whatever combination of drumettes & flats you love most.
- Soy sauce – The key savory component of the marinade, though you can substitute with tamari to keep your sesame wings gluten-free.
- Honey & dark brown sugar – This combination plays double duty: it adds a balanced of sweetness to the marinade & gives the honey sesame chicken wings a beautiful glaze as they bake.
- Sesame – This sesame chicken wing marinade uses sesame oil for the ultimate flavor bomb & sesame seeds for an added pop of texture. (The seeds are also great as a garnish for serving!)
- Aromatics – Finish the marinade with punchy garlic, zingy ginger, aromatic green onions, & a bit of cayenne pepper for a delicious kick of heat.
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
Tips for Marinating Honey Sesame Chicken Wings
How to marinate the wings? ⇢ Simply whisk everything together & you’re good to go! Place the chicken wings in a plastic bag or airtight container & pour the honey sesame marinade over top. The wings should be evenly coated so the marinade really soaks into them.
Suggested marinating time. ⇢ The honey sesame wings should marinate for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days. The longer the better! I love to marinate honey sesame wings the night before I want to make them. About an hour before I want to serve, it’s easy to take them right out of the fridge & transfer them to a baking sheet for the oven. Simple!
Easy meal prep. ⇢ Feel free to whisk everything up ahead of time & store the marinade in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Simply pour it over the wings the day before or the morning of the big game. Easy!
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Of course, fried chicken wings are always incredible (& grilled wings are our go-to!), but baked wings are so EASY that you gotta love them too! These quick-baked wings take just 30 minutes to cook. The result is juicy & sticky-sweet perfection.
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Prep the sesame wings on a baking sheet. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup because things are about to get messy! 😉 Place the wings in a single, even layer on the baking sheet & pour the rest of the marinade onto the pan too. Why? ⇢ As the honey sesame wings bake the savory-sweet marinade turns into a sticky glaze. It’s like a built-in wing sauce & it’s the BEST part!
Bake the honey sesame wings. For best results, bake the honey sesame chicken wings at 425 degrees F. After about 30 minutes, use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temp of the wings & confirm they’re cooked through.
Optional but encouraged: Broil! Finish the honey sesame chicken wings under the broiler for an amazing charred & glaze-y finish. They only need a few minutes under the broiler for awesome results, so stay close by & keep an eye on them. Why? ⇢ The sweetness in the marinade quickly gets extra gooey & caramelized under the high heat of a broiler. It’s the perfect finishing touch!
Serving Savory-Sweet Honey Sesame Wings (Tip: Bring Plenty of Napkins!)
Baked chicken wings dinner. ⇢ For a fun & easy weeknight dinner, I like serving these honey sesame wings just like Mom – plate lunch style, alongside a scoop of white rice & Hawaiian Mac Salad. They’re also perfect when paired with fried rice or a quick noodle stir fry like our favorite Pork Chow Fun.
Serving honey sesame wings as a game day shareable. ⇢ Pile the wings on a big platter & be sure not to leave any of the sticky-sweet glaze on the bottom of the pan behind! Garnish with some freshly sliced green onion & an extra sprinkle of sesame seeds for an extra pretty touch.
As far as I’m concerned, game day snacks honestly don’t get better than a platter of wings, but if you’d like to make a bigger spread, try rounding things out with a few crowd-pleasing appetizers like…
I can’t wait for you to try these Honey Sesame Chicken Wings! They’re a longtime favorite amongst my family – you seriously can’t beat their simplicity & savory-sweet flavor. I am pretty sure that you’re going to be obsessed, too!
If you do give them a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
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Baked Honey Sesame Chicken Wings
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinating Time: 12 – 72 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Dishes, Snacks, Appetizers
- Method: Baked, Sheet Pan
- Cuisine: American, Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These easy Baked Honey Sesame Chicken Wings are savory-sweet & lick-your-fingers good!
They start with a teriyaki-inspired sesame marinade made with loads of ginger, garlic, & honey. Bake until tender & juicy, then finish under the broiler to give the sesame wings amazing char & a sticky-sweet glaze.
With just 10 ingredients required, this sesame chicken wings recipe yields maximum flavor with minimal effort. Easy enough for a weeknight & also a perfect party appetizer or game day snack – an all-around win!
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds fresh chicken wing sections
- ½ cup soy sauce, can sub tamari if gluten-free
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, can sub light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the honey sesame marinade & marinate the chicken wings: In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, cayenne pepper, and garlic until well combined. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable bag or airtight container. Pour the marinade over top and toss to coat thoroughly. Seal and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 3 days—the longer the brine, the juicier and more flavorful the wings!
- Baked honey sesame wings prep: At dinnertime, preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack positioned in the top third. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Arrange the chicken wings in a single, even layer on the baking sheet, pouring any remaining marinade over top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake the honey sesame chicken wings: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to encourage even browning. The wings are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a drumette registers 165°F.
- Optional: Finish under the broiler: For extra caramelization, transfer the wings to the rack under the broiler. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning, until beautifully browned and glazey.
- Serve: Let the wings cool slightly, then garnish with green onions and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for these baked honey sesame chicken wings happens during the marinade step. Up to 3 days in advance, marinate the wings according to Step 1 of the Recipe Directions. Then, at dinnertime, all that’s left to do is preheat the oven and bake—easy! (10 minutes active prep)
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