Home / Recipes / Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken Wings

Name: Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: vegetable oil (for frying); 1/2 cup cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 pounds chicken wings (rinsed and patted dry); 1/2 cup rice vinegar; 1 1/2 cups water; 2/3 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 cloves garlic (finely minced); 1 1/2 tablespoons chili paste; 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water to make a slurry

55 mins

| 39 Comments |

5 from 7 votes

Jump to Recipe 01/02/15 | Updated: 05/24/20 | by Nora

These Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken Wings are deliciously crispy underneath a sticky made-from-scratch Thai Sweet Chili Sauce full of Asian flavors.

frontal view of sticky chili wings in light colored bowl

I’ve always felt like there’s two different kinds of people:

The ones who eat meat from bones like they’ve never done anything else in their lives and then those who cringe at the very thought of it.

I’ve belonged to the latter group for as long as I can remember – never would I have imagined myself eating something like chicken wings. But recently I decided to give them another try and I was blown away by how delicious bone-in meat actually can be.

Now if eating chicken wings is something sounding not in the least appealing to you – stick with me (no pun intended).

There is so much more punch and juiciness involved than you’d ever get with boneless chicken breasts – a whole new depth of flavor waiting to be discovered by your taste buds.

close up view of garlic peel on paper towel

We’ve been having an awful lot of snow lately, and today hasn’t turned out to be a friendly spring awakening either – it’s raining.

Not a downpour mind you, but just enough to take away the magic of winter and overshadow everything with a dull grayness. This is exactly the weather making me dream of sunny shores somewhere far away. Of white beaches and deep blue water. And of good food eaten in the sunset while the soft sound of distant music is blown away by a soft breeze.

top down view on bowl with wings and small bowl of chili sauce

And it is with a deep sigh I then return back to the wet and dreary reality – to whip up something reminiscent of my daydreams.

Enter Sticky Sweet Chili Chicken Wings to satisfy my cravings for a sunnier day. The crispy golden texture of fried chicken gets coated with the most delicious and fragrant homemade Thai sweet chili sauce – which is infinite times better than any bottled variety.

The result is a wonderful parining of flavors and textures you simply cannot get enough of.

image collage to show breaded chicken wings, and chicken wings being fried

After coating the wings with lightly seasoned cornstarch they are fried to crispy-golden perfection.

No need to be afraid of the deep frying process either – the trick is to allow the oil to get hot enough (test this with a wooden spoon – if bubbles appear around it you are good to go) and not crowding the pan.

If this means frying the chicken in three batches – so be it. It’s much more desirable to end up with something you’ll actually enjoy eating than with a half-done soggy pile of meat.

image collage to show fried chicken wings, and glazed chicken wings in skillet

Once the wings have all been fried and drained the sauce gets done in minutes.

This recipe couldn’t be any easier – a mix of vinegar, sugar, minced garlic and water gets boiled down a bit before stirring in chili paste and cornstarch. The crispy wings are then heated through right in the sauce for an irresistibly sticky finish.

frontal view of skillet with chili sauce, spoon and single chicken wing

Served hot immediately after finish them, these wings just beg to be eaten by hand even if this means getting a bit messy.

They are perfect as a part of a meal, as a snack or as simple finger food – just like their counterparts, these Honey Lime Crispy Chicken Wings. Gather your friends around and share the food love – or keep them all to yourself and devour them while watching your favorite show. Either way – there will not be a single one left, bone-in meat lover or not.

top down view on chili wings on parchment paper

Need more party food inspiration?