Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken
This outrageously delicious, sweet, sticky, spicy chicken is everything you want sticky wings to be. It’s full of flavors, a little spicy, sweet, and super easy to make either on a grill or in the oven. Just a great balance of sweet, salty, and spice. You won’t mind licking your fingers!
I love lots of flavor, but I also love convenience! And grilling these guys saves the messy cleanup from baking them. And my favorite part is the layer of smokiness it adds to the taste of the chicken.
So for today, I’m bumping up this oldie but goodie chicken recipe for everyone to see. This chicken dinner recipe is right on time, whether it’s the dead of winter or the middle of summer. So fire up the grill for these chicken wings because they are simply AHA-MAZING!
The Awesome Sauce
These wings are moist, tender, crispy, and super flavorful to the bone with or without the sauce. But the sauce is what makes them spicy and finger-licking-good sticky.
Honey and sugar add sweetness, the Caribbean hot sauce and jerk spices add the heat, and a touch of pineapple juice delivers tropical vibes. If you ask me, the sauce is the heart of this recipe. Think BBQ sauce gone on a Caribbean vacation.
How to Make Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken
- Prep the wings, then lightly season them with salt, black pepper, jerk seasoning, and cornstarch. Drizzle with a little oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill or air fryer grate. (Photos 1-3)
- Make the sauce with ketchup, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Maggi sauce, and simmer for about 2 minutes. (Photo 4)
- Toss the wings in the sauce, or serve the sauce on the side. (Photos 5-6)
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t feel like making my homemade Caribbean pepper sauce, feel free to use your favorite brand.
- Adjust the heat level to suit personal preference, add more for heat seekers, or add less for kid-friendly wings.
- You can grill, fry, air fry, or bake the wings, whatever your preference. In some of the pictures, they’re grilled, and in some of them are air-fried.
Making it Ahead
You can grill or bake the wings ahead, then store them in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezer for 3-4 months. Make the sauce ahead as well, and store it separately in a glass jar (store it nin an airtight freezer container or ziplock bag if freezing). When ready to serve, crisp the wings up in the oven or air fryer, heat the sauce, coat the wings, and enjoy.
What to Serve With Sticky Spicy Chicken
I love to serve sticky chicken with coleslaw or potato salad with plantain fries and mac and cheese on the side. Other options include carrot and celery sticks with ranch dressing or roasted broccoli and carrots.
However you serve it, be sure to have plenty of napkins ready on the table or shamelessly suck your finger clean!
More Spicy Chicken Recipes to Enjoy
Love more spicy chicken recipes on your menu? I’ve got your back. You’re totally in for a treat with these recipes:
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Jerk Chicken Wings
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Grilled Peri Peri Chicken
By Imma
This post was first published on June 7, 2016, and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos.
Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
The Sauce
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
- 2 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup (135g) ketchup
- ⅛-¼ cup (42-85g) honey
- 1-2 tablespoons (12-25g) brown sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3 tablespoons (45g) or more Caribbean pepper sauce (adjust to taste)
- 2-3 tablespoons (35-50ml) Maggi sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon (3g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (120ml) pineapple juice or water
Chicken Wings
- 2½-3 pounds (1.2-1.5kg) chicken wings
- salt to taste (the ratio runs ½-1 teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken)
- 1 teaspoon (2g) ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons (35-55g) jerk seasoning
Instructions
The Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium or small skillet. Then, saute the garlic and green onions for about a minute.
- Add the ketchup, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Maggi sauce. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, thoroughly mix the cornstarch with some of the pineapple juice or water.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce, and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until you have a thick and sticky sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let it cool.
Chicken Wings
- Rinse the chicken wings. If time permits, let them dry uncovered in the fridge for 2-3 hours. If short on time, dry wings with a paper towel, then proceed with the next step.
- Place the chicken in a large plate or bowl, lightly season with salt and black pepper, then mix with jerk spice and a drizzle of oil (to prevent chicken from sticking to the grill).
- When ready to grill, wipe the grill down lightly with oil. Preheat on medium heat, or if using charcoal, fill it half full. Let it light up for 25 minutes or more.
- Place chicken wings on the grate and grill for 20-30 minutes, flipping every 3-4 minutes, until they are golden brown.
- Remove from the grill and toss with the sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.
Tips & Notes:
- Maggi sauce is similar but more complex than soy sauce. But you can use either, or even coconut aminos.
- If baking instead of grilling, bake the chicken at 425℉ (220℃) for about 40 minutes (20 minutes on each side).
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks work fine instead of wings.
- I used my 18-inch charcoal grill. Low to moderate heat worked best for me because it’s easier to control the flames, and it renders the fat from the skin for crispier chicken.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used.
This was delicious!
Thanks 🙂
We’ve made this with grilled wings, oven-baked wings, and grilled salmon. It’s so delicious we just can’t go back to other sauces. I can’t keep the homemade Caribbean pepper sauce in my fridge. I eat it on eggs, dip veggies in it, smear it on a tortilla. Honestly, I’m crazy for this sauce and the pepper sauce!
Thanks for the feedback. So happy to hear it worked out well for you.
How much salt would you use for 18-20 wing sections?
It’s about 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken. A little more or less depending on preference.
We made this recipe with drumsticks on the grill last night. I knew when I read the title I was going to like it, but my husband ate four drumsticks! He couldn’t get enough. It will be on me recipe go-to list forever. Thank you!
Hello, Please can I use flour in place of corn starch?
Yes you can.
Wow, if these truly taste as good as they look, i am in serious trouble!!!!!!
Yes you are Billie- Lol. Plan on making more than required.
By far the BEST chicken wings i have EVER had in my life!! Thankyou so much for this delicious recipe
Awww… thanks, Angie 🙂 ! Glad you loved it !
Sticky wings were very tasty! My family and I loved them!
Yaaay! So glad to know that. Thank you for stopping by.
I’m a guy who never comments on recipes but these are hands down best wing recipe I’ve ever had. Made every week for a month and still just as delicious as the first. Great recipe Imma I’m a fan for life!
Thank you for the kind words, Bill. I’m happy you love this as much as I do. This is truly a wonderful chicken wings recipe.
Maggi is similar to soy sauce. Feel free to replace it with soy sauce or coconut aminos.
I make Jerk chicken wings 3-4 time a year. Basically, just chicken wings grilled with jerk seasoning. They are good, but nothing special.
THIS is just what they needed to make them the very best chicken wings I have ever made. The sauce knocks it out of the park. It complements the jerk seasoning perfectly! Messy to eat, but worth it!
I wasn’t sure what specifically you used for Jamaican hot sauce. The only thing I could find at the local store, with the word Jamaica on it was regular “Pickapeppa.” It tasted great, but next time I am going to add a little red pepper sauce to kick the heat up.
Great outdoor grilling recipe for Memorial Day!
Thanks!
Hi Imma, do you have a suggestion for a side to go with these wings? I’d love to make this and serve this week for dinner. l am drooling at the picture!
Hi Valerie! Potato or plantain fries and some vegetables (carrots, celery) on the side if entertaining.
Glad you enjoyed Michele! My little guy is the same way about spice! 🙂
Bake at 425℉ (220℃) for about 40 minutes. About 20 minutes each side.
Yumm! Looking forward to trying them soon, need to have a party to try them (I’ve pinned for later so I don’t forget). Finger licking’ good 🙂
Awesome! Do let me know how it turns out.
I just made these. The wings are some of the tastiest wings I’ve ever had. Awesome recipe! Will be making again very soon!
Trey, thank you so much! That is so nice to hear. You’ve have just brightened my day.
Love that these are cooked on the grill and that sauce is divine – yes to tangy limes!
Yes a perfect accompaniment for that beer. I love wings like this. So moorish.
Love the grilled version of these!!! Yum!
They sure will, Patti
I am excited about this recipe! I used to live by a Jamaican restaurant growing up and they had a similar dish there. It was my favorite and I haven’t been there in years! I am excited to try this out! I love all the spices in this recipe.
I love this jerk-flavoured seasoning! Though I don’t eat chicken, I can see this going really well on tofu. Yum!
It will do just just fine.