Our family recipe for sticky Chinese Chicken Wings! Tossed in a savoury, sweet, garlicky Asian marinade, then baked in the oven and basted until deeply golden and very, very sticky…..
As with ribs, there’s no way to look elegant when you annihilate a plate of wings. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
These Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings are so moorish, once you start you won’t be able to stop!
This is my family recipe for Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings which has been tweaked and perfected over years, with input from everyone (mother, brother, sister and me) and many heated debates! We finally agreed this is The Recipe and have been loyal to it for years and I don’t see it changing soon. After all, why tinker with perfection?
The marinade for this recipe is a perfect balance of slightly spicy (very mild), salty, sweet with a touch of tang, and the subtle fragrance of Chinese Five Spice from hoisin sauce as well as five spice powder.
Chicken Wing Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Chinese chicken wing marinade.
We have a rule that it is acceptable to omit one ingredient from the marinade, but if you are missing more than one, then don’t bother making it……. 😂 However, it IS acceptable to substitute with similar ingredients, and I’ve provided a fairly lengthy list of “acceptable” substitutions in the recipe!
(PS If you’re querying the inclusion of ketchup in this marinade – yes, it really is used in Chinese cooking and you’ll find it used in other Chinese recipes you know and love like Sweet and Sour Chicken!)
Chinese Cooking Wine
* Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing / shaoshing wine) is, as with many Chinese recipes, the “secret ingredient” that takes this marinade from “tasty” to “NAILED IT!!” It’s an essential ingredient in all your favourite Chinese restaurant recipes, from Fried Rice to Beef and Broccoli, Chow Mein to Cashew Chicken. It adds complexity to the flavour as well as seasoning (it’s salty).
I use it so often, I even wrote an entire post about it! If you’ve ever followed a recipe for a Chinese takeout copycat recipe but found it just wasn’t quite as good as the real deal, the missing ingredient was probably Chinese cooking wine.
You can get a bottle for $2 (sometimes less!) from Asian stores, though it’s sold in grocery stores in Australia nowadays. It lasts “forever” in the pantry, and I use it in virtually every Chinese recipe.
I try to include substitutions in every recipe and in this case, the best substitutes for Chinese Cooking Wine are (in order of preference):
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Mirin
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Dry sherry
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Drinking sake or other drinking rice wine
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Chicken broth/stock
The chicken wings
I typically make my wings recipes using wings that have been cut into drumettes (the mini chicken leg / drumstick looking part) and wingettes (the other part). Most grocery stores sell them pre cut, otherwise, follow the steps here for how to cut up whole wings OR cook them whole.
How to make it
The making part is very simple:
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mix the Chinese chicken wing marinade and pour over wings;
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marinade for a mere 10 to 15 minutes – don’t marinade for longer otherwise it will make the wings too salty and also makes the marinade watery (from drawing moisture out of the wings) which makes it harder to baste;
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Spread wings out on tray lined with foil and paper. Yes, use both. You’ll thank me later – when you’re sleeping tonight instead of scraping super-glued marinade off the tray; and
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bake for 50 minutes until golden and sticky, basting 2 – 3 times with reserved marinade and tray juices.
How to serve these Chinese wings
I must admit, the times I have enjoyed this the most have involved a few glasses of wine….this is the ultimate midnight snack. Forget kebab stands, we need chicken wing carts outside pubs and clubs, and definitely at every taxi queue! 😂
So they really do make fabulous finger food for sharing, whether passing around as a starter or a casual grazing-platter style gathering.
Or serve these chicken wings as a meal with a side of Fried Rice and a fresh, crunchy Asian Slaw.
However you serve it, be sure to have plenty of napkins handy – or to suck each an every finger clean!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg /3 lb chicken wings , cut into drumettes and wingettes (Note 1)
Chicken Wing Marinade (Note 2 for substitutions)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil , toasted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine, sub Mirin, dry sherry)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup or Aussie tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or sambal oelek (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
Garnishes (optional)
- Finely sliced shallots/scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Coriander/cilantro leaves
- Finely sliced fresh chili
Instructions
- Mix Marinade ingredients.
- Place wings in large bowl, pour over Marinade and toss well. Set aside for 10 minutes - do not marinate for longer than 1 hour. (Note 3)
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Line baking tray with foil then greaseproof paper (you'll thank me later).
- Shake excess marinade off wings (but reserve the marinade) and spread on baking tray - can be fairly snug but not super squished (use 2 trays if needed).
- Bake 45 - 50 minutes, basting with a brush at 25 minutes and 35 minutes, using the reserved marinade and juieces on the tray.
- The meat should be able to be pulled off the bones quite easily, they should be just starting to char on the edges and a sticky, dark red/golden colour all over.
- Sprinkle with garnishes - coriander/cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, chilli, sliced shallots/scallions - then serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Sesame oil - use toasted (dark brown, not yellow oil). In Australia, toasted is the norm, untoasted is hard to find.
- Lemon juice can be substituted with rice vinegar - or any white / clear plain vinegar (not balsamic)
- Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine) best subs are Mirin (reduce sugar by half) or dry sherry. Next best - cooking sake, drinking sake or other rice wine. No alcoholic sub - chicken broth/stock.
- Soy sauce - use light or all purpose. Do not use dark soy sauce - it's far too intense!
- Hoisin Sauce can be substituted with oyster sauce but then you should add an extra 1/4 tsp of Chinese Five Spice Powder
- Oyster Sauce can be substituted with Hoisin Sauce but if you do so then do not add the 1/2 tsp of five spice powder.
- Chilli Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelak - sub with any other Asian chilli sauce or paste, such as Chilli Bean Sauce or Sriracha.
- Garlic and ginger - fresh is best! But in an emergency, can sub with 1/2 tsp dried powder
- Five Spice Powder - a Chinese mix of five spices sold in everyday grocery stores!
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2014, updated September 2019 with new photos, brand new video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Oi! Back off dog!!!
Hi Nagi – can these be made in the air fryer instead? What temp/time would you recommend? Thanks!
Omg. Yum. Made it exactly as recipe stated. Next level delicious thank you.
Are you boiling off the marinade before you baste during the cook? Or is 20mins enough time to make it safe to eat?
Amazing! Delic and easy! Kids loved them
Fan force or just normal oven top bottom heat ? Turn once or twice whilst baking? Cheers
These wings were delicious 😋. I didn’t have hoison and subbed with teriyaki as others mentioned nor did I have Shaoxing and just left it out. I only made 10. My daughter and I wished for more. We will definitely make these again and again. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Made these numerous times but not rated. Made again today, so easy, so good. After being an avid Tinner for years the only thing I didn’t have in the cupboard was the wings! I also freeze with plain or fried rice for lunches.
I made your Chicken Wings
Stickey recipe and it came out great. Cooked in a pan on the stove. Would have been better if I had all the ingredients. I am 90 yrs old and loved it. Thanks
Wow – these are so finger lickin’ good. Could just sit eating them all night.
Can the marinade be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge? Just trying to think of ways to save time where I can (busy working mumma).
We just love these. finger food at its best. Recipes easy to follow everything explained.100%
My family love these. I mean loooove! I think I’ve made them at least twenty times, in fact i make them once a week by demand.
I’ve made these 4 times as delicious so tasty best wings I’ve tasted. Cooked today for the first time in my ninja air fryer. Cooked at 200 for 16 min turned halfway and basted 3 times, they were delicious and ready quicker than a flash, can also use reheat mode on air fryer so still taste fresh
WHY ISN’T THE OVEN TEMPERATURE INCLUDED WITH CHICKEN WING RECIPE
DERRRRRR
I know right. Like I made the recipe and I ended up getting food poisoning for 4 days because she didn’t say the chicken had to be fresh.
WHY CAN’T YOU ASK A QUESTION WITHOUT BEING RUDE?
DERRRRRR
Especially since this question is making you look a bit foolish.
It is… 180°c
Step 3 – 180C
How embarrassing for u
What a game changer at my house on game nights for sure !!! Combination of these and your crispy wings have absolutely delighted my family and friends …..thankyou for sharing. No more takeout here !!!
These tasted great. As somebody who cooks Asian food often, all the ingredients were pantry staples. I used siracha for the chilli paste. It was delicious. Mine weren’t as dark as the picture but next time I will keep them in a bit longer. Definitely going to eat it again! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these wings tonight and they were some of the most tender and tasty wings I’ve ever made. Outstanding!
Sooo good, the more we ate the better they got!!
Absolutely delicious . It’s now become a firm family favourite . Quick simple and so tasty . I add a chilli as we love spice .
So delicious and easy to make! I actually did marinade the chicken overnight in the fridge, and the flavors are immersed in the drums, through the skin. Yummy! Eating it now with my shirataki fried rice. Nom.
Made this a couple of times and it’s awesome. Probably been answered before but I want to make a big batch of the marinade and freeze for another time . I scaled to eight people and the marinade came to roughly two cups for two kilos of trimmed wings. I want to make 10 cups. Is the marinade ok to freeze is my short question.