Our family recipe for sticky Chinese Chicken Wings! Tossed in a savoury, sweet, garlicky Asian marinade, then baked in the oven and basted until deeply golden and very, very sticky…..
As with ribs, there’s no way to look elegant when you annihilate a plate of wings. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
These Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings are so moorish, once you start you won’t be able to stop!
This is my family recipe for Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings which has been tweaked and perfected over years, with input from everyone (mother, brother, sister and me) and many heated debates! We finally agreed this is The Recipe and have been loyal to it for years and I don’t see it changing soon. After all, why tinker with perfection?
The marinade for this recipe is a perfect balance of slightly spicy (very mild), salty, sweet with a touch of tang, and the subtle fragrance of Chinese Five Spice from hoisin sauce as well as five spice powder.
Chicken Wing Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Chinese chicken wing marinade.
We have a rule that it is acceptable to omit one ingredient from the marinade, but if you are missing more than one, then don’t bother making it……. 😂 However, it IS acceptable to substitute with similar ingredients, and I’ve provided a fairly lengthy list of “acceptable” substitutions in the recipe!
(PS If you’re querying the inclusion of ketchup in this marinade – yes, it really is used in Chinese cooking and you’ll find it used in other Chinese recipes you know and love like Sweet and Sour Chicken!)
Chinese Cooking Wine
* Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing / shaoshing wine) is, as with many Chinese recipes, the “secret ingredient” that takes this marinade from “tasty” to “NAILED IT!!” It’s an essential ingredient in all your favourite Chinese restaurant recipes, from Fried Rice to Beef and Broccoli, Chow Mein to Cashew Chicken. It adds complexity to the flavour as well as seasoning (it’s salty).
I use it so often, I even wrote an entire post about it! If you’ve ever followed a recipe for a Chinese takeout copycat recipe but found it just wasn’t quite as good as the real deal, the missing ingredient was probably Chinese cooking wine.
You can get a bottle for $2 (sometimes less!) from Asian stores, though it’s sold in grocery stores in Australia nowadays. It lasts “forever” in the pantry, and I use it in virtually every Chinese recipe.
I try to include substitutions in every recipe and in this case, the best substitutes for Chinese Cooking Wine are (in order of preference):
Mirin
Dry sherry
Drinking sake or other drinking rice wine
Chicken broth/stock
The chicken wings
I typically make my wings recipes using wings that have been cut into drumettes (the mini chicken leg / drumstick looking part) and wingettes (the other part). Most grocery stores sell them pre cut, otherwise, follow the steps here for how to cut up whole wings OR cook them whole.
How to make it
The making part is very simple:
mix the Chinese chicken wing marinade and pour over wings;
marinade for a mere 10 to 15 minutes – don’t marinade for longer otherwise it will make the wings too salty and also makes the marinade watery (from drawing moisture out of the wings) which makes it harder to baste;
Spread wings out on tray lined with foil and paper. Yes, use both. You’ll thank me later – when you’re sleeping tonight instead of scraping super-glued marinade off the tray; and
bake for 50 minutes until golden and sticky, basting 2 – 3 times with reserved marinade and tray juices.
How to serve these Chinese wings
I must admit, the times I have enjoyed this the most have involved a few glasses of wine….this is the ultimate midnight snack. Forget kebab stands, we need chicken wing carts outside pubs and clubs, and definitely at every taxi queue! 😂
So they really do make fabulous finger food for sharing, whether passing around as a starter or a casual grazing-platter style gathering.
Or serve these chicken wings as a meal with a side of Fried Rice and a fresh, crunchy Asian Slaw.
However you serve it, be sure to have plenty of napkins handy – or to suck each an every finger clean!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg /3 lb chicken wings , cut into drumettes and wingettes (Note 1)
Chicken Wing Marinade (Note 2 for substitutions)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil , toasted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine, sub Mirin, dry sherry)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup or Aussie tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or sambal oelek (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
Garnishes (optional)
- Finely sliced shallots/scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Coriander/cilantro leaves
- Finely sliced fresh chili
Instructions
- Mix Marinade ingredients.
- Place wings in large bowl, pour over Marinade and toss well. Set aside for 10 minutes – do not marinate for longer than 1 hour. (Note 3)
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Line baking tray with foil then greaseproof paper (you'll thank me later).
- Shake excess marinade off wings (but reserve the marinade) and spread on baking tray – can be fairly snug but not super squished (use 2 trays if needed).
- Bake 45 – 50 minutes, basting with a brush at 25 minutes and 35 minutes, using the reserved marinade and juieces on the tray.
- The meat should be able to be pulled off the bones quite easily, they should be just starting to char on the edges and a sticky, dark red/golden colour all over.
- Sprinkle with garnishes – coriander/cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, chilli, sliced shallots/scallions – then serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Sesame oil – use toasted (dark brown, not yellow oil). In Australia, toasted is the norm, untoasted is hard to find.
- Lemon juice can be substituted with rice vinegar – or any white / clear plain vinegar (not balsamic)
- Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine) best subs are Mirin (reduce sugar by half) or dry sherry. Next best – cooking sake, drinking sake or other rice wine. No alcoholic sub – chicken broth/stock.
- Soy sauce – use light or all purpose. Do not use dark soy sauce – it’s far too intense!
- Hoisin Sauce can be substituted with oyster sauce but then you should add an extra 1/4 tsp of Chinese Five Spice Powder
- Oyster Sauce can be substituted with Hoisin Sauce but if you do so then do not add the 1/2 tsp of five spice powder.
- Chilli Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelak – sub with any other Asian chilli sauce or paste, such as Chilli Bean Sauce or Sriracha.
- Garlic and ginger – fresh is best! But in an emergency, can sub with 1/2 tsp dried powder
- Five Spice Powder – a Chinese mix of five spices sold in everyday grocery stores!
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2014, updated September 2019 with new photos, brand new video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Oi! Back off dog!!!
Hey! I just finished following every step for the sticky wings to a tee…
Then I read not to overdo the marinade time!!! Ah well, we will see how they turn out tomorrow – maybe add that bit of info earlier than note 3! Keep up the good work.
Yeah, no so sticky after extended marination but not dry and still very delicious! Would recommend. Cheers
I made these delicious chicken wings and the vermicelli salad with it and my guests (2 children and parents) ate it all, in fact I could have made more and they would have eaten it as well.
Dear Nagi, not only is every recipe you provide always fantastic but also your website, the way recipes are organised is so easy to navigate. I tried another site today and it was a bit frustrating to peruse through it to finally find what I needed for one recipe. It reminded me to tell you how great your site was. Thank you also for your funny and entertaining ways and not to forget about sweet Dozier!
Amazing! Loved these. Cooked in the Weber Q in a foil tray on a very warm day. So we’ll received.
This is insanely delicious and so easy. My friends wanted the recipe the minute they ate it!
I just love Your style of cooking with ease. Your background music which helps. I have to admit, before I go to the recipe I hit the Dozer button first. to get My daily dose of Dozer! lol
You aren’t the only one! N x
At 350 these wings get crispy?
They’re not meant to be crispy, they’re strongly marinated.
If you want them crispy, cook them til crispy without marinade, then coat and cook further. Falls apart, delish
I don’t think 350F is sufficient. I tried these at 425F for about 40 minutes, basted around 20 and 30 minutes. Start watching it around 35 min because it will start to burn just a bit.
Another fantastic recipe!
We cooked them slowly on the BBQ, Turned out sooo yummy
I’ve never had one of your recipes fail.
Love the ease of this recipe and has all my favourite Asian ingredients. I’m taking 3 dozen nibbles to a street Christmas get together for sharing and I know they will all love it.
Worked perfectly exactly the right timing. Tasted great.
Is it possible to freeze the marinade, as I’d like to make it now and use at Christmas.
I tried to give 5 stars in my previous comment but accidentally put 4, definitely a 5 🙂
Made these for Melbourne Cup day tomorrow. The flavour is divine. By the time I reheat they will be perfectly browned.
Great Cup food! N x
Just amazing! Would add hot chilli, as we love spicier food. Ta
Can I use frozen wings for this recipe? It become watery when it is baked although marinade time only 10-15mins
To get them sticky just drain the liquid before the first basting. Making them now, one tray for dinner with Chinese broccoli (I use bakchoy) and basmati rice, the second tray for the freezer 😋
another winner!!!!
Yummy in my tummy! Made 2kg of wings and drumettes so we would have leftovers 😉. Family loved the not too salty, not too sweet flavour.
These wings are by far the best I’ve ever made. Absolutely scrumptious! Thank you for another amazing recipe 😊
Wahoo, that’s awesome to hear Michelle! N x
Thanks for the tip on using foil and baking paper. Clean up was a breeze 😀. (And tasted delicious too)
This recipe was super delicious. Thank you Nagi for this simple to make recipe that pumped with amazing flavour. We are happy campers. 🙂
Does anybody know if this Marinade be kept in the fridge a day or two if something comes up and I can’t bake the wings on the same day?
I do Not mean keeping the Wings IN the Marinade, just the Marinade itself.
Please let me know!
Thanks,
Christie
Hi Christie, a day or two should be fine here. N x
Could it be frozen?