This easy recipe is a game day favorite—perfect for tailgating or a night on the couch. You can bake these wings in either a regular oven or a convection oven; instructions for both methods are included below.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- These wings are baked, not fried, so you get crispy skin without a vat of hot oil.
- A sticky honey-bourbon BBQ glaze delivers sweet, smoky, and spicy flavors that are addictive.
- If you have a convection oven, use the included chart to adjust temperature and time for quicker, even cooking.
Crispy baked wings get a Cajun-inspired dry rub for flavor and crunch, then are dunked in a honey-bourbon barbecue sauce that caramelizes to a glossy, finger-licking finish. Pile them on a platter beside chips and a dip for the ultimate party spread.
These wings pair well with hearty dips and sides—think Rotel sausage dip or crisp fries—for classic game day fare.
🧾 Ingredients
Below is an overview; full measurements and printable instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
🔪 Instructions (overview)
This is a quick summary. See the full recipe card below for precise measurements and step-by-step details.
- Simmer the sauce ingredients until thick and glossy.
- Toss wings in a seasoned flour mixture.
- Bake the wings on a prepared sheet until golden and cooked through.
- Coat the hot wings in the sauce, return to the oven briefly to set the glaze, then rest before serving.
The sauce is versatile—try it on meatballs, pork, or grilled chicken for a quick flavor boost.
🌞 Convection cooking
Convection ovens cook faster and more evenly. As a general rule, set a convection oven about 25°F lower than a conventional oven and start checking for doneness earlier.
For these wings, try 375°F in a convection oven and begin checking 10–15 minutes before the suggested regular-oven finish time. The chicken’s internal temperature should reach 160–165°F before resting.
| Regular Oven | Time | Convection Oven | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 425°F | 35 minutes | 375°F | 20 minutes |
| 400°F | 40 minutes | 350°F | 25 minutes |
| 375°F | 45 minutes | 325°F | 30 minutes |
| 350°F | 50 minutes | 300°F | 35 minutes |
🥫 Storage
Leftover wings keep well and reheat best in the oven to preserve crispness. Store cooled wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
To reheat: place wings on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–20 minutes, depending on size, until heated through. Microwaving is faster but can make the skin soggy.
The glaze will keep in the fridge for a few weeks and is useful on other proteins or even store-bought wings.
📖 Variations
- Use whole wings, or buy or cut them into drumettes and wingettes—both work well.
- For boneless “wings,” use bite-sized pieces of chicken breast or thigh; coat and bake the same way.
- Adjust the sauce: milder BBQ for sweeter wings or hotter barbecue or extra hot sauce to kick up the heat.
- If you can’t find Creole seasoning, substitute a Cajun blend or mix your own with chili powder, cayenne, paprika, garlic and onion powders, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.
- If you prefer no alcohol, swap the bourbon for apple cider or add a little brown sugar to match the sweetness.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Pat wings very dry before coating—dry skin crisps better and helps the dry rub stick.
- Shake the wings in a paper bag with the flour mixture for tidy, even coating.
- Let wings rest on the sheet for a few minutes before baking to improve crisping.
- For crispier results, bake on a wire rack set over the sheet. Make sure the rack is oven-safe metal.
- Arrange wings in a single layer with space between pieces so air can circulate.
- Don’t forget a favorite dipping sauce—ranch or blue cheese are classic choices.
👩🍳 FAQs
You can disjoint wings into drumettes and wingettes, buy them pre-cut, or leave them whole. Dry them well before coating so the flour rub sticks and the skin crisps.
Buffalo wings typically refer to deep-fried wings coated in a cayenne-based hot sauce. These are oven-baked and finished with a BBQ glaze, giving a different flavor and texture.
Yes, you can substitute buffalo sauce, but the honey-bourbon BBQ glaze provides a sweet, smoky balance that complements the seasoning in this recipe.
Baking powder is one method to achieve crispness, but this recipe achieves crispy skin through drying, a seasoned flour coating, and high-heat baking—no leavening needed.
A higher temperature (425°F) helps create crisp skin quickly. Use the conversion chart above if you’re using a convection oven or prefer lower temps.
Absolutely. Serve them with sides like roasted potatoes, veggies, a salad, or fries to round out a main meal.
📚 Related recipes
- Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Chicken — sweet, salty, and smoky, great hot from the oven or off the grill.
- Buffalo Chicken Bake — a quick, tangy, crowd-pleasing dinner you can prep ahead.
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs — a fast, low-mess way to get grilled flavor year-round.
- Saltine Cracker Recipe (Crispy, Buttery, Ready in 30 Minutes)
- Bacon Ranch Pull-Apart Bread
- Maple Chipotle Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
- Cranberry Meatballs
🍽️ Serve with…
- Frito Corn Salad
- Crispy Fried Potatoes
- Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- No-Bake Rolo Cookies for dessert
📞 The last word
Try the copycat bourbon chicken recipe next for a food-court favorite at home. For seasonal snacks, Halloween jalapeño poppers and cream cheese sausage balls make great companions for wing night.
Adjust servings in the recipe card to scale the ingredients up or down for your crowd. If you enjoy this recipe, please leave a five-star review!
📖 Recipe
Spicy Oven Baked Wings with Honey Bourbon Glaze
Ingredients
Wings
- 18 chicken wings
- ½ cup flour
- 1 tbsp Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere’s)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Cooking spray
Sauce
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Bourbon Sauce
- Combine sauce ingredients and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let the sauce rest while you prepare the wings; it will continue to thicken.
Wings
- Separate wings into drumettes and wingettes if desired, or leave whole.
- Mix flour, Creole seasoning, and smoked paprika in a bowl.
- Pat wings dry with paper towels so the coating adheres.
- Coat wings thoroughly in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Arrange wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 15 minutes, watch carefully so they don’t burn, then turn and bake an additional 20–30 minutes until cooked through and golden.
- Remove wings and dip into the sauce (use tongs—wings will be hot). Return sauced wings to the sheet and bake 5 minutes more, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160–165°F.
- Let wings rest 5 minutes before serving.
Convection Oven Method
- Set convection oven to 375°F and bake wings 35–40 minutes, turning about halfway through. Always verify the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F, then let rest to reach 165°F.
Notes
Tips
- Thoroughly dry wings before coating for the crispiest skin.
- Use a paper bag to shake wings with the dry mix for easy, even coating.
- Rest wings briefly on the baking sheet before baking and use a rack for extra crispness.
To make boneless wings:
- Cut boneless breast or thigh into finger-width strips.
- Pat dry, coat in the flour/spice mixture, let sit, then coat again if desired.
- Bake, checking internal temperature after 15 minutes, then finish as directed.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 594 kcal
Nutrition information is estimated. Verify with your own calculator if needed.
This recipe has been tested multiple times. Changing ingredients or technique may alter results.
First published July 2019. Last updated September 19, 2023 with extra convection oven guidance.