Asian Chicken Wings

These baked Asian chicken wings are tender, juicy and irresistible. They soak up complex flavors from an Asian-inspired marinade made with sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic and Chinese five-spice powder.
Five-Spice Chicken Wings Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Chicken wings have come a long way. When I was a kid, spicy wings were the only option. You know, the kind that blew your taste buds off and required a bucket of ranch to cool down. Luckily, the wing landscape today is much more vast. Chicken wing recipes feature all kinds of ingredients and take inspiration from cuisines around the world—like the sweet and savory flavors found in this Asian chicken wings recipe.

Inspired by popular ingredients in Asian cuisines, these baked wings are nothing short of delicious. A complex marinade tenderizes the the meat and helps the wings achieve a glossy sheen in the oven. Sweet chili sauce blends with punchy garlic, umami-rich soy sauce and fish sauce, and the warming flavors of Chinese five-spice powder.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the chicken to marinate overnight. After that, it’s a quick 30-minute bake in the oven, and you’re set. And, we promise, it’s well worth the wait!

Ingredients for Asian Chicken Wings

  • Chicken wings: We like to buy whole chicken wings. You’ll get a perfect mix of the two types of chicken pieces, and you get the bonus wing tip—a collagen-rich section that’s perfect for making chicken stock. To speed up prep, you can use “party wings,” which are already cut into the drumette and wingette (or “flat”).
  • Asian-inspired marinade: In this recipe, chicken gets bold flavor from a marinade made with green onions, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, sugar and Chinese five-spice powder.
  • Limes: You’ll finish the wings with a squeeze of lime juice. The bright acidity brings out all the flavors in the marinade and adds a refreshing finish.

Directions

Step 1: Separate the wing sections

Using a sharp knife, separate the wings into three parts: the tip, the wingette and the drumette. Remove and discard the wing tip sections.

Step 2: Make the marinade

Stir together the green onions, chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, sugar and five-spice powder in a large container.

Step 3: Marinate and chill

Add the wings to the marinade, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate eight hours or overnight.

Step 4: Bake the wings

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade. Arrange the wings evenly in a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until no longer pink, turning every 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: The marinade contains a lot of sugars, which can burn in the hot oven. Turning the chicken frequently helps the wings brown evenly. Also, get familiar with the temperature of cooked chicken, and use a thermometer to tell when your wings are done.

Step 5: Finish with lime

Asian Chicken Wings served on plate with lemon wedges TMB Studio

Squeeze the lime wedges over the wings. If desired, top with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve with additional sweet chili sauce.

How to Make Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

Instead of throwing away the marinade after draining the chicken, use it as a glaze to make sticky Asian chicken wings. It’s very important to let the used marinade come to a rolling boil first! It was in contact with raw chicken, so it needs to reach the proper temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria still in there.

Here’s how to do it: In a small saucepan, bring the marinade to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer until thickened, five to seven minutes, stirring frequently. Drizzle the sauce over the wings, and toss to coat. This sauce also makes a great dipping sauce if you want to keep it on the side.

Recipe Variations

  • Serve with chili crisp: Chili crisp is a blend of peppers, oil, garlic, onion, spices and more that adds heat and savory flavor to whatever you drizzle it on. See our Test Kitchen’s picks for the best chili crisp brands.
  • Adjust the flavors: To give the wings a sweeter finish, increase the sugar in the marinade, or use molasses-rich brown sugar. For spicier wings, include cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, chili garlic sauce, Sriracha or a chili paste like gochujang (a key ingredient in our Korean fried chicken recipe).

How to Store Asian Chicken Wings

Chicken wings have the best flavor and texture just after they’re cooked. Of course, if you end up with leftovers, you don’t have to throw them away! Store the wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

The best way to reheat chicken wings is in the oven or air fryer (also our favorite methods for reheating fried chicken). You could use the microwave, but it will lead to soggy skin.

Asian Chicken Wings Tips

Asian Chicken Wings served on plate with sauce and lemon wedgesTMB Studio

How do you make crispy baked wings?

These baked wings have a signature crunch, but you can use a simple trick if you want to make them crispier. Dredge the wings in baking powder before putting them in the oven—like we do when making crispy oven-fried chicken wings. The baking powder pulls the moisture out of the chicken skin, which helps them brown and crisp up more effectively.

Are Asian chicken wings gluten free?

Some of the ingredients in the marinade may contain gluten. Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce, and seek out a gluten-free fish sauce. For the sweet chili sauce, try a mixture of equal parts honey and hot sauce.

What do you serve with Asian chicken wings?

We often serve chicken wings by themselves as a party appetizer, but you can pair them with other game-day snacks like coconut shrimp, glazed meatballs and potstickers. To turn chicken wings into a meal, serve them with easy fried rice and an Asian-inspired slaw.

Five-Spice Asian Chicken Wings

Bird is the word when it comes to these wings. They’re baked to a perfect golden brown and hum with mild, delicious Asian spices. Thanks to an overnight marinade, the chicken inside stays tender while the skin maintains that signature crunch. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Five-Spice Chicken Wings Recipe photo by Taste of Home
Total Time

Prep: 20 min. + marinating Bake: 25 min.

Makes

about 3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 3-1/2 pounds chicken wings
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce or additional soy sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 2 medium limes, cut into wedges
  • Optional: sweet chili sauce, sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Cut chicken wings into 3 sections; discard wing tip sections. Combine the onions, chili sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, sugar and five-spice powder in a large container. Add wings and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425°. Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Place wings in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until no longer pink, turning every 10 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over wings; if desired, top with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with sweet chili sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 52 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 81mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.