Barbecue Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings, patted dry and separated at joints
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 0.5 tsp habanero hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two sheet pans with aluminum foil. Pat chicken wings completely dry with paper towels—this is critical for crispness.
- Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a small bowl. Toss wings in a large bowl with the dry rub until evenly coated, then distribute across both sheet pans in a single layer, skin-side up.
- Roast wings for 30 minutes at 425°F until the skin begins to render and edges turn golden. Remove from oven and drain excess fat if needed.
- While wings roast, prepare the barbecue sauce: combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey, butter, liquid smoke, and habanero hot sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes until butter melts and sauce is glossy and cohesive. Do not boil. Taste and adjust heat level with additional hot sauce if desired.
- Remove wings from oven after 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Toss wings in the barbecue sauce until fully coated, then return to sheet pans skin-side up.
- Roast sauced wings for 12-15 minutes at 375°F until the sauce caramelizes and develops a light char on the edges. The internal temperature of the thickest wing should reach 165°F.
- Transfer wings to a serving platter. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving. Reserve any remaining sauce as a dipping accompaniment.
Inspired by Rashad Jones’s winning barbecue chicken wings. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.