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 Baked Chicken Wings but I also love the flavor and convenience of cooking them on the grill, too! No messy clean up at the end. And my favorite part is the added layer of smokiness that it adds to the overall taste of the chicken.
So for today, I’m bumping up this oldie but goodie Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken recipe for everyone to see. This chicken dinner recipe just comes right on time since it’s already summer.
This is truly a great way of enjoying chicken wings. And they are quite easy to grill too! Now get ready to fire up the grill for these chicken wings because they are simply AHA-MAZING!
Spicy Chicken Sauce
Moist, tender, crispy, and SUPER flavorful to the bone with or without the sauce.
But honestly, you’d be curious to try what it’d be when it comes to this sticky sweet spicy hot sauce. Thank goodness, that I have these genes for high heat tolerance coz I just can’t imagine my life without being able to enjoy all those spicy flavored food.
If you’d ask me, the hot & spicy sauce is actually the heart of this chicken recipe. It gets its undeniable flavors from these components below.
Caribbean Homemade Pepper Sauce– a sweet and spicy kind of hot sauce with a fruity tropical spin to it
Honey and Brown Sugar – for that beautiful caramelization and sweetness
Ketchup – to balance out the sweetness and add a bit of savory flavor into it
Lemon – that provides a phenomenal finishing flavor touch to these already delicious wings
Can You Use Any Hot Sauce?
I know, it’s not that every day that you come across a fruity sweet kind of hot sauce just like my homemade Caribbean Pepper Sauce. So use your favorite brand of hot sauce, if you have any.
Can You Make it in Advance?
Absolutely! You can actually grill them up during the weekend, store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. On the day of serving, simply make the chicken sauce and reheat the chicken in a skillet or microwave until warm. Lastly, coat the chicken well with the sauce.
What to Serve with Sticky Spicy Chicken?
Our sweet sticky spicy chicken sauce also doubles up as a dip in this recipe. You can either coat the chicken in it or serve it as a side. It makes a fabulous finger food for sharing with Plantain Fries or this Caribbean-style Coleslaw.
Or you may also serve it as a main dish with plain or fried rice for dinner along with vegetables like broccoli and carrots.
However you serve it, be sure to have plenty of napkins ready on the table or just shamelessly suck your finger clean!
More Spicy Chicken Recipes
Love more spicy chicken recipes on your menu? I got your back. You’re totally in for a treat!
How to Make Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken
Add butter to a medium or small skillet and melt. Then add garlic and chopped green onions then sauté for about 1minute or more. Then add ketchup, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Maggi Sauce. Simmer for about 2 minutes. In a separate small bowl, thoroughly mix the cornstarch with some of the juice or water. Stir in the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Bring to a boil. Adjust heat to low and simmer for about 10mins. You will then have a thick and sticky sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let it cool. Wash chicken wings, if time permits let it dry out in the fridge for a couple of hours (about 3 or more). Do not cover. If short on time, dry wings with a paper towel or kitchen 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 drizzle with oil (to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill). When you are ready to grill, wipe down the grill and lightly oil. Preheat for medium heat. Or if using charcoal, fill it half full. Let it light up for about 25 or more minutes. Place chicken wings on the grill. Let them grill for approximately about 20-30 minutes, flipping every 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove and mix with sauce or serve on the side.
This post was first published on June 7, 2016, and has been updated with added tips.
Sweet Sticky Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 1 teaspoon (5g) minced garlic
- 2 green onions , chopped
- ½ Cup (142.5g) ketchup
- ⅛ -¼ cup (42.5g-85g) honey
- 1-2 tablespoons (12.5g-25g) brown sugar
- juice of 1 Lemon
- 3 tablespoons (57g) or more Caribbean Pepper Sauce , adjust to taste
- 2-3 tablespoon (30ml-45ml) Maggi Sauce (or Soy Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon (2.71g) cornstarch
- ½ cup (118.5ml) pineapple juice or water
Grilled Chicken Wings
- 2 ½ - 3 pounds (1133.98g-1360.77g) chicken wings
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoons (2g) ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons (24g-36g) Homemade Jerk Spice Blend
Instructions
- Add butter to a medium or small skillet and melt. Then add garlic and chopped green onions then sauté for about 1minute or more.
- Then add ketchup, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Maggi Sauce. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, thoroughly mix the cornstarch with some of the juice or water.
- Stir in the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Adjust heat to low and simmer for about 10mins. You will then have a thick and sticky sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Let it cool.
Grilled Chicken Wings
- Wash chicken wings, if time permits let it dry out in the fridge for a couple of hours (about 3 or more). Do not cover.
- If short on time, dry wings with paper towel or kitchen 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 drizzle with oil (to prevent chicken from sticking to the grill).
- When you are ready to grill, wipe down the grill and lightly oil. Preheat for medium heat. Or if using charcoal, fill it half full. Let it light up for about 25 or more minutes.
- Place chicken wings on the grill.
- Let them grill for approximately about 20-30 minutes, flipping every 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Remove and mix with sauce or serve on the side.
Tips & Notes:
- If you are baking these instead of grilling, bake the chicken 425 degrees F for about 40 minutes. About 20 minutes on each side.
- Use any hot sauce you have as a substitute for the homemade Caribbean Pepper Sauce.
- You can also use drumsticks instead of wings.
- Adjust the heat level to mild or heat seekers adjust to suit taste buds.
- I use my 18-inch charcoal grill. Low to moderate heat works best when grilling these wings. You can easily get control over the flames that way. And it helps render out the fat from the skin making it crispy.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Angie Slater says
By far the BEST chicken wings i have EVER had in my life!! Thankyou so much for this delicious recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Awww… thanks, Angie 🙂 ! Glad you loved it !
Jewell says
Sticky wings were very tasty! My family and I loved them!
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! So glad to know that. Thank you for stopping by.
Bill says
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!
imma africanbites says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
It’s soy sauce .
Don M says
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!
Valerie says
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!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Valerie! Potato or plantain fries and some vegetables(carrots, celery) on the side if entertaining.
Imma says
Glad you enjoyed Michele! My little guy is the same way about spice! 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes . About 20 minutes each side.
Miss Food Fairy says
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 🙂
https://missfoodfairy.com/2016/08/19/yellow-split-pea-falafels-in-pita/
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Do let me know how it turns out.
Trey says
I just made these. The wings are some of the tastiest wings I’ve ever had. Awesome recipe! Will be making again very soon!
ImmaculateBites says
Trey, thank you so much! That is so nice to hear. You’ve have just brighten my day.
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto says
Love that these are cooked on the grill and that sauce is divine – yes to tangy limes!
Mark, Compass & Fork says
Yes a perfect accompaniment for that beer. I love wings like this. So moorish.
Shinee says
Love the grilled version of these!!! Yum!
ImmaculateBites says
They sure will Patti
Kate says
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.
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
I love this jerk-flavoured seasoning! Though I don’t eat chicken, I can see this going really well on tofu. Yum!
ImmaculateBites says
It do just just fine.