Honey gold wings are a sweet and tangy chicken wing recipe you're going to love! Made with mustard and honey, we get a sticky sweet sauce that will have you coming back for more.
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Baked until crispy and then tossed in a homemade honey gold sauce, these wings truly have it all. These Honey Gold Wings are crispy, sticky, sweet, tangy, and bring a nice kick of spice to your plate too.
While the spice level is similar to my Honey Lemon Pepper Wings, these wings truly stand out as a unique experience.
Bring these wings to the next football game or barbecue and watch how fast they disappear. (If you plan on sharing, you may need to make a bigger batch). Or add a plate of Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and Tomato Jalapeno Salsa to give everyone more options (so you'll get more wings for yourself).
If you love chicken wing recipes, be sure to check out my Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings, Honey Buffalo Wings, and Soy Garlic Chicken Wings. They're all out-of this world amazing!
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Buzz From Readers
"Sauce was really good, sweet with a punch of spice."
- Shainna
💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're better than fried wings. Because we bake these Honey Gold Wings instead of deep frying them, we have a lot less fat. If desired, you can cook them up in the air fryer following the reheating instructions below.
- They're cheaper than buying prepared wings. Buying 2 pounds of prepared chicken wings from my local Publix would cost upwards of $16. Making them at home costs less than $10, AND I usually have most of these ingredients on hand already, making it even cheaper. Check out some Frugal Pantry Staples to Keep on Hand so you can make wings more cost-effectively too.
- You can make as much or as little as you want. This is one of those recipes that can easily be halved or tripled and still turn out fabulous. Perfect for eating them by yourself or with friends.
🛒 Ingredients
Honey- You will need some honey for this sauce. I like to use local raw honey for a stronger flavor, but storebought pasteurized honey works fine too. Use your leftover honey for some Honey Soy Chicken Bites at dinner time.
Yellow mustard- For that golden color and tangy flavor, add in some yellow mustard. This is also what we use in our Honey Mustard Pork Shoulder Roast and Homemade Cheese Crackers, so if you have some leftover, feel free to try some more recipes.
Chicken wings- Use 2 pounds of thawed chicken wings and drumettes.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Honey: If you're running low on honey, you can swap half or all of it with maple syrup, corn syrup, or brown sugar. Each option gives a slightly different sweetness but still complements the mustard flavor beautifully.
Mustard: Yellow mustard is the most affordable and classic choice, but you can use Dijon or spicy brown mustard for a tangier, more robust flavor.
Chicken Cuts: This sauce works great on drumsticks, thighs, or boneless tenders too, just adjust the cooking time as needed. It's a great way to stretch the recipe across different meats.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy wings in bulk. Family packs are often far cheaper per pound. Separate and freeze portions for later meals or game-day snacks.
Buy frozen wings. Frozen chicken wings often cost significantly less than fresh, and all you need to do is thaw them before use.
Save the drippings. The Honey Gold Wings sauce that collects at the bottom of the pan makes a flavorful glaze for rice or roasted veggies, no waste!
Repurpose leftovers. Shred any leftover wings and toss with cooked rice or pasta for a quick, flavorful meal the next day.
🥄 Instructions for Honey Gold Wings
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Place your chicken wings onto the pan in an even layer.
Step 3: Sprinkle with salt and pepper on top.
Step 4: Bake for 50 minutes.
Step 5: Turn to High Broil for about 3 minutes or until your desired level of crispiness. Keep a close eye so that they do not burn. Flip over and broil the other side as well.
Step 6: Add the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan over medium high heat stir occasionally and bring to a boil.
Step 7: Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Step 8: When the chicken is finished cooking, add to a large mixing bowl and add the sauce over the top.
Step 9: Mix well until evenly coated.
Serve warm. Enjoy!
📖 Air Fryer Version
Prepare the sauce as directed but instead of placing your wings on a baking sheet, add them in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook at 390F for 10 minutes. Flip the wings over to reveal the bottom sides. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Toss in a bowl with the sauce and serve immediately.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Do not overcrowd the baking sheet. If too many wings are placed on the sheet, they may not cook properly.
- Cook in batches if needed. If you are multiplying the recipe, divide the wings between 2 or more baking sheets as needed.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. While they can be saved, these wings taste best when freshly made and served hot.
Reheating: Reheat wings in a 350°F oven or air fryer for 5-8 minutes to restore crispiness. You can also microwave them for 30-60 seconds, though the texture will be softer.
Make Ahead: You can bake or air fry the wings ahead of time and store them un-sauced in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat and toss with freshly warmed honey sauce for that just-made flavor and shine.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
For a meal, serve up these Honey Gold Wings with some Creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.
For an appetizer, you can't go wrong with my Mini Spinach Artichoke Dip Bread Bowls or Creamy Vanilla Fruit Dip and sliced fresh fruit.
- Mini Spinach Dip Bread BowlsRecipe $9.54 / Serving $0.40
- Creamy Vanilla Fruit DipRecipe $3.17 / Serving $0.40
- Apple Berry SalsaRecipe $3.74 / Serving $0.94
- Chicken Bacon Ranch BombsRecipe $11.47 / Serving $0.72
❓ Honey Gold Wings FAQs
The honey gold sauce is a Carolina inspired BBQ sauce made with a base of mustard and honey (or sometimes honey mustard is used). The variations of this sauce recipe vary but the main components are usually honey, mustard, hot sauce, butter, and seasonings.
While you certainly could, these wings taste best when served fresh. Leftovers can be reheated, but they won't be as crispy -in fact, they'll be soggy.
While chicken is safe to consume at 165 degrees F, you will find that chicken meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender at closer to 185-190F. If your wings are fully cooked and tough, cook them a little longer for the meat to be more tender. Note you don't want to cook past 190F as that is when they'll start to dry out.
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🐝 If you tried these honey gold wings, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Honey Gold Wings
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings, thawed - ($5.96)
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Honey Gold Sauce
- ½ cup honey - ($1.96)
- ¼ cup yellow mustard - ($0.24)
- 1 teaspoon paprika - ($0.08)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - ($0.08)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder - ($0.04)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - ($0.37)
Instructions
- Prep oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake wings. Arrange wings in a single layer on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 50 minutes.
- Broil. Switch oven to High Broil and broil wings about 3 minutes until crispy. Flip and broil the other side, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Make sauce. Add honey, mustard, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and butter to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Toss. Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl, pour sauce over top, and toss until evenly coated.
- Serve. Serve warm.
Notes
- Air Fryer Option. Cook wings at 390°F for 10 minutes, flip, then cook 10 more minutes. Toss with prepared sauce and serve.
- Cooking Tips. Avoid overcrowding the pan. Use multiple baking sheets if needed.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Best enjoyed fresh.
Nutritional Information
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Shainna Simmons says
Sauce was really good,sweet with a punch of spice.