Honey-Soy Chicken Wings: Where Honey Shines

These wings aren’t just glazed — they’re bathed in honey. Sticky, sweet, golden honey combines with soy, garlic, ginger and chilli to make each bite rich, caramelised, with that deep honeyed warmth that lingers. If you love honey, these are the wings for you.

Ingredients

• 175 g (½ cup) honey — choose a honey with character (a bold floral or manuka works beautifully)
• 125 ml (½ cup) soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 long red chilli, seeded, finely chopped (for heat, which honey loves to balance)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 12 large chicken wings
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted — for a nutty crunch
• (Optional) Steamed white rice, to serve
• (Optional) Asian greens, to serve

Method

1. Preheat & get ready
   Preheat your oven to 230 °C. While it warms up, line a roasting pan ready to take wings.
2. Make the honey-soy sauce magic
   In a heavy-based saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chilli, and water. Turn the heat up high to bring the mixture to the boil, stirring so the honey melts and integrates into the sauce. The aroma of honey melting with garlic and ginger will fill your kitchen — this is where flavour begins.
3. Set aside & reduce
   Pour half the honey-soy mixture into the roasting pan (you’ll use this later to coat the wings), and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Keep the rest in the saucepan and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until it thickens into a syrupy glaze. This syrup is going to give you that honey-glossy finish.
4. Coat the wings
   Add the chicken wings to the roasting pan. Turn them thoroughly so each wing is well coated in the first portion of honey-soy mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Roast
   Roast the wings, turning regularly, for about 40 minutes. Use the heat and time to build layers of caramelised honey glaze on the wings; you want them dark golden, sticky, and cooked through.
6. Final touches
   Rest the wings for a few minutes once out of the oven. Then drizzle the reserved honey-soy syrup over them. Scatter over the toasted sesame seeds.
7. Serve
   Serve warm, with steamed rice and some fresh Asian greens to cut through the richness. Go full honey-lover: a little extra spoonful of honey on the side for anyone who wants to dip or drizzle.

Why Honey Makes This Special

• Sweetness & depth: The honey isn’t just a sugar replacement; it builds flavour — floral, golden, warm — that plain sugar can’t match.
• Stickiness & texture: As honey caramelises, it gives those wings that brilliant sticky crust you can’t resist.
• Balance: Honey’s sweetness plays off the salty soy, the sharp garlic & ginger, and the heat from chilli — creating harmony.
• Glowing finish: That syrupy honey glaze at the end is visual magic and flavour magic in one.

Tips & Variations

• Use a bold honey (like manuka) if you want more honey aroma and depth. You might even reduce the water slightly so the honey flavour really dominates.
• For extra flavour, allow the wings to marinate in the honey-soy mixture for a few hours or overnight.
• Try finishing under the grill (broiler) for the last few minutes to deepen caramelisation.
• If desired, add herbs like chopped coriander or spring onion on top for freshness and colour.

These wings are all about celebrating honey — not just as a supporting act, but as the flavour that carries the roast, the sauce, and the crunch. Let me know if you want a version adapted for manuka-honey or something lighter!