Hot Sriracha Garlic Chicken Wings
Sriracha HOT chili sauce, crispy chicken wings, and tons of garlic, make these spicy wings the *best* chicken wings we’ve ever cooked!
The wings are marinated in olive oil & spices, then baked for 30 mins. before being deep-fried to finish cooking, and get their wonderfully crispy skin. Then, you toss them in the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, and garlic sauce before serving. Yum!!!
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds chicken wings, split (serves 4)
- 3-4 quarts vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the marinade:
- 1/8 cup ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon *
- 1 tbl kosher salt
- 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* – (we tried the orig. amount of cinnamon, then halved it, bottom line… no cinnamon. we just did not like it in this recipe! your call if you want to try it.)
For the sauce:
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup Sriracha chili sauce (or to taste)
- 3/4 stick (6 tbl) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
—————————————————–
- In a large bowl, combine coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt and olive oil. Toss in wings to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. (We put the wings in a 2 1/2 gal zip-loc bag and poured in the marinade)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place wings in a single layer on large, rimmed baking sheet(s). Roast for about 30 minutes, until wings are firm, but not done. (They’ll finish cooking in the deep-fryer)
- In a clean bowl, add Sriracha, butter, cilantro, zest and juice, and garlic
- Working in small batches, deep-fry wings until crispy and browned, about 5 min – add each batch to sauce, and toss to coat well
- Serve hot, on a platter with your favorite condiments
(serves 4 – figure 1lb wings per person)
Brian’s Tips:
The lightly seasoned marinade seems to hardly be enough to flavor the chicken wings, but, trust me… it does it’s job.
I’m usually the “more must be better, right?” kind of cook… so I was disappointed in the volume of this marinade. But it really gets the job done with “less is more” attitude.
You would think the hot Sriracha sauce would be too much to handle, but it mellows after blending with the butter, and soaking into the wings.
We added the minced garlic to the sauce, but next time, we are going to save some to throw on the finished wings instead – adding a raw, crunchy garlic flavor. Reminds us of Beck’s Garlic hot wings, in Sykesville, MD. Anyone?
The original recipe by Cleveland, OH, Chef Michael Symon, is in the Feb ’08 issue of Food and Wine Magazine.
Update (10/17/08): We found that after baking for 30-35 minutes, letting the wings “rest” for about 10 minutes *before* deep-frying, helped the natural juices settle back into the meat. Which meant the wings were not so “wet” going into the fryer. For deep frying, we get better results with a LeCreuset cast iron dutch oven… the Presto-type electric fryers can’t hold the temperature as well.
We also shortened the deep-fry time to 2-3 minutes for our best batch yet. The skin more tender and just as crisp.
Update (04/01/08): Huy Fong Sriracha Sauce needs no refrigeration.
Any questions? Would love to hear from you. Email me at: brian [at] hotsaucedaily.com
Or better yet, leave a quick comment below.
Let me know if you try this, and how much you like this awesome wing recipe!
More Sriracha sauce articles:
Flying Goose Sriracha Sauce Part 1
Your blog should come with those “DO NOT LOOK WHEN HUNGRY” warnings, yup, even though I can’t really take spicy food much to the consternation of friends and family since Singaporeans are supposed to be able to guzzle chilli by the bucketful from birth.
Thanks, Lis… maybe you’ll find that “something special” hot food that will light you up! Then you’re on your way, and your family and friends will accept you again! Kidding!
Wifey here, and I gotta tell you, I am a huge hot wings fan. But these are , by far, the BEST wings I’ve ever put in my mouth. OMG, so good you can’t even imagine…… sigh, wish we were having them tonite!
I’ve often wondered if there was a good recipe using Sriracha –this looks very promising.
And it’s great to meet a foodie who loves hot sauce and meat!
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I know what you mean. Sriracha sauce is awesome on it’s own, and many restaurants drizzle it around the plate, but finding a recipe to actually use it is rare.
I might have to make a to-do list of finding more recipes that actually *use* Sriracha sauce, as opposed to just adding it like Tabasco or other sauces on the side.
Thanks for the great idea!
These wings are on the menu at Michael Symon’s restaurant Lolita in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. They are some of the best wings I’ve ever had. In the restaurant they finish them off with some fresh hot pepper slices. Yum!
Dave, that’s great that you’ve had the *real thing* at Lolita!
Thanks for correcting me about Symon’s restaurant being in Cleveland, and not Cincinnati.
Can’t wait to find out what the pepper slices are!
Trust me-these are some of the best wings. Hot and savory. While so enjoyable when they’re made by Chef Matt (exec. chef at Symon’s Lolita), they are easy to make at home. Personally, I add black pepper and sesame to the rub, and kaffir lime and minced garlic to the sauce (but, as mentioned above, the raw garlic goes in at the last minute). Besides some personal taste, this recipe is sound on its own.
As Chef MS suggests, they can be made in the oven and are just as good. Total time in my convection oven is a little over an hour (additional 30-40 min over the 30 min in the recipe).
Funny about the Siracha-I usually don’t even have tabasco at home. The “red rooster” has more flavor, and can be used in almost anything, LOL!
@pchak – I’ll have to try adding the black pepper and sesame to the rub/marinade.
Sounds like it would broaden the taste and make it more savory.
What form of sesame are you talking about? Seeds or oil?
And tell me more about the kaffir lime… the actual fruit or what?
Thanks!
Hi Brian,
I just add some dark seeds-sorry for not being more specific.
Kaffir lime (sometimes called Thai lime) rinds provide a richer flavor than normal lime zest. The fruit loosk more like a “monkey ball” from a walnut tree, though, LOL!
I steep a couple dried pieces in the sauce. You should be able to get it dried/brined at any store that specializes in Asian spices. I get mine from a stand at Cleveland’s West Side Market (Narrin). She also carries the requisite “red rooster” sriracha, though I can get a cheaper industrial-sized bottle at a local Asian grocer.
“West Indian” limes are supposed to be a substitute (though I suppose if you find them, you can find kaffirs ;-). I would use regular lime zest, and a little of the squeezed juice in a pinch (it will be a little brighter, but won’t take it too far out of whack).
I look forward to checking out your blog regularly.
cheers!
hi,
I made these wings for a party last week and they were awesome. I just got a call from my brother-in-law asking for a new batch!
By far the best wings I’ve tasted and the fact that I could make them myself is just icing on the cake:-)
Thank you for the recipe
Looking back over the comments on one of our favorite, and most popular, recipes, I wanted to thank you for leaving your post. We enjoy these wings every time we make them, and are glad you enjoyed them too!
Just wanted to let you know we LOVE this recipe! We’ve been enjoying this recipe since you posted last year. Yesterday we were reminded that it is indead a small world by meeting your wife @ H.T.’s. It was a pleasure, she’s very nice. It’s always nice to meet some fellow “foodies”, especially so close to home!
Hey, how are you guys? Tho I’m not at HT anymore, I cannot tell you how great it was to meet you both way back then. Hope all is well!
Prepared this recipe for the second time… This may well be the best I’ve ever tried. I’m experimenting with the recipe using legs today. I’ll let you know the outcome.
Fantastic blog! Hotsaucedaily ROCKS!
DDog
Hi DixieDog,
Thank you so much for the love! I hope you’re still enjoying the blog and our second annual Week of Wings posts!
Browsing though your site….. these wings sound awesome we are gonna try em out later today !
These are my favorite wings now. I grilled them though instead of deep frying and they are fantastic! My son the fire eater says they are the best wings he’s ever had. Had to hunt for the Shriracha but found it at Shaw’s here in RI.
That’s awesome to hear that, Scott! We’ve also done them on the grill, and they are just as good.
Glad you found the Sriracha sauce near you. Tell your friends to try this recipe.
Huh, I saw some different sriracha sauce at the local Job Lot (close-out store) today. It had a rooster on the bottle but the label said it was made in China so I passed on it. Have you seen that one? I’m getting low on my third bottle of the “original” and wondering if I even want to compare. Maybe I’ll go get a bottle just for the heck of it.
I say go for it. Let me know if you buy it, what the brand is, ingredients, etc.
Just bought Sriracha Sauce today for a recipe I thought needed it…I was wrong?!? Go figure, decided why let the sauce go to waste since I love spicy foods and found your website. I’m looking forward to trying your recipe this coming weekend! What more do you need on a weekend night besides a good movie, good company and great wings!
Thanks, Lee! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Got a new LeCreuset for Christmas and decided to break it in on this recipe, leaving out the cilantro and lime (ugh) from the sauce, and following all other recommendations. They turned out great. Wings for breakfast no longer requires the foresight to get some the night before and bring home leftovers.
That’s awesome, Sean. Which LeCreuset did you get?
Just the 2 3/4 qt model. I thought about getting the 6 3/4 but I don’t plan to do a ton of deep frying nor did I want to ask for a $250 piece of cookware for Christmas.
I just wanna give You kudos on the recipe, I tried smoking the wings on mY indirect heat smoker with natural lump charcoal and maple wood chips. OMG, the wings with just the marinade are awesome that waY, but then add the sauce which I increased bY a 1/4 cup for the sriracha sauce and it complimented the smoke wings wonderfullY. Am cooking up another batch right now as I tYpe this. I run the smoker at about 250 for around three hours, i have a cast iron woodchip box that sits on the grate in the firebox, i reload the chips about 3 times throughout the cooking process, the old chips get dumped into the firebox. I then follow the rest of the procedure for the finished product
Hi Tony, it looks like you’ve given some guidance to a fellow wings lover who wants to smoke the wings too! Thanks so much for the detailed instructions, and we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Not sure if anyone monitors this page anymore but I wanted to say thank you. It’s rare that I find a recipe online that not only works, but isn’t bland. These tasted fresh and great, the flavors worked so well together! I totally agree that these would be just fine in the oven to cut back on some of the fat.
I had a question though…when I made the sriracha sauce, I used only 3 tbsps of butter instead of the six and only a 1/4 cup of sriracha. It tasted wonderful to me. What’s the purpose of using 6 tbps of butter? I’m always trying to make recipes a bit healthier but I won’t cut corners if it will have unintended consequences.
Thanks.
Hi Ken. Yes we do keep up with this post… it’s probably my single most popular post on the blog!
As for the butter… if cutting back works for you, then great!
Glad you stopped by to tell us how much you liked this recipe.
~brian
Ok I am ready for some hot wings.
Best wings EVER
Thanks Louis!
I applied this recipe to some thighs last week. Obviously had to up the oven time, and I also put a bit of flour in the sauce to thicken it up since I was not making wings. Turned out awesome.
P.S.: I put a single de-seeded and roasted habenero in the sauce this time around.
This recipe is not limited to wings as you’ve pointed out, Sean. The awesome-ness applies to all chicken parts.
So you added a roasted habanero? That sounds like a great addition to give the sweet, garlicky Sriracha a bit more “bite”!
Thanks for chiming in.
~brian
I misspoke, the habanero went in the marinade. But yes, it gave it some more bite, but two spread across 4 thighs really didn’t add that much more heat.
As much as I dislike Sriracha sauce, I’m still gonna have to give this one a try. Maybe the extra ingredients will “unharsh” it.
Oh yes, you will love them. Chris of NibbleMeThis has declared them one of his top 2 favorite wing recipes ever!
Has anyone experimented with smoking the wings, then frying or grilling before adding the hot sauce? They sound so good I worry if I am taking a risk by smoking the first.
Also, can the sauce be made a night ahead of time with no ill effects?
We recently smoked a batch of wings for 2 hours at 250 degrees and they get quite crispy. I guess if you only smoked them half-way, you could certainly then finish them on the grill or deep fryer.
We’ve never made the sauce ahead of time, it’s so simple to put together. Let us know how it works out if you do. ~brian
Hi John, there’s a comment above regarding smoking the wings from Tony. It seems he had really good success with that method as well! I know you’ll enjoy them, no matter what cooking method you use. We appreciate your comments and questions!
I’ve made the sauce the day before to take on a ski trip. It’s still great and my friends gave them rave reviews but the flavors do blend more. IMHO not quite as good as making it on the spot. Particularly the cilantro flavor seemed to be lost a bit. If you have to make it early, I might keep out the cilantro out and add it last minute.
Excellent point on the cilantro. Even salsa recipes call for cilantro to be added at the end. Guess it avoids wilting the herb before you use the sauce. Thank you Scott!
~brian
I put 64 wings in a vacuum sealed bag with a double portion of the marinade the morning before I smoked the wings, approximately 9 hours. I used by bullet smoker with some cherry wood and smoked the wings for about 2-2.5 hours between 225 and 265. Next I threw the wings on the gas grill on high for about 3 minutes a side. I had a double portion of the sauce already mixed in a large glass bowl. I dumped the wings directly in from the grill, stired them up and served them. The light smokey flavor was nice but not overbearing. The sauce was awesome. All the guys were big fans claiming restaurant quality and new favorite wings. Thanks for the recipe. It will be part of the repertoire from here on out
That is awesome John! Thank you so much for telling us that story. Glad the guys liked ’em. They really do rock.
I will try your technique next time. Especially the double sauce. Looks like a winner.
As for the marinade, we’ve skipped it once, and they just weren’t the same. It really is important.
~brian
Originally saw this recipe in F&W and didn’t love it, something not quite right. Stumbled on your site yesterday and retried it without the cinnamon. Wow, what a good elimination. Absolutely great. Thanks for re-introducing me to it. Now I need to try smoking the wings first.
Wow, I think you’ve hit a chord with me… I will try smoking the wings first (instead of the oven bake). Great idea!
For a really simple and easy smoked wings recipe on your grill, check out GrillGrrrl’s post: http://grillgrrrl.com/2009/10/chipotle-sriracha-buffalo-wings/ … with the added benefit of yet *another* take on the Sriracha Wings deliciousness!
Thanks JLW!
~brian
We’re glad you enjoyed our version of these wings. I see you have a blog as well, http://www.iceagecoming.com . As foodies, we can all use some good sharp knives in our kitchens, and it looks like you’re a good craftsman to keep in mind!
Thanks for the great comment 🙂 Be sure to share us with your friends!
I decided to try these on the charcoal grill tonight, no pre-bake. Did about 3/4 of a chimney full of mesquite bricks, 10 minutes per side, and after flipping rotated to the other side of the grill (one side was burning a little more hot). If I can repeat the results consistently I doubt I’ll ever go back to the bake/fry method.
I’m with ya Sean. I’ve been “smoke roasting” on indirect heat on the Weber, and finishing over direct, just as you’ve described.
How did you like the final taste of the garlic and sriracha on the wings? Pretty awesome, eh?
Hello from Bonnie Scotland. have tried these wings and the sauce is one, if not the best I have ever tasted.
As a lover of everything spicy – I have tried using Rooster Brand by Hoy Fong and also Sriracha Chilli Sauce from Suree brand. Both very similar and not much in it to notice a huge difference. You have a classic wing sauce thank you for sharing.
And thank you Jas for visiting us. I would guess you have easy access to the Flying Goose Brand Sriracha sauce, as it’s sold from some U.K. resellers, as well as German ones.
If you ever get your hands on a bottle of the FG, let us know what you think!
Hi – I’m lucky to live in very close proximity to a large Chinese/asian supermarket that has lots authentic Oriental groceries. Many varities of Sriracha Sauces are available. Rooster is my Fav with the Suree Brand coming a very close second. I notice they have Flying Goose brand and also Shark Sriracha sauce. Have not tried shark and flying goose yet but will are now on my shopping.
This is a great site and so glad I have found it.
Have a nice weekend
I’ve never heard of the Suree Brand. I have had the Shark Sriracha sauce, and it’s an authentic Thailand product… actually the *real* Sriracha style of hot sauce. It’s smooth, and a bit thinner, but has a great flavor.
We have a post that mentions Shark brand and it’s ingredients here:
http://hotsaucedaily.com/2009/01/05/flying-goose-sriracha-sauce-part-2/
I look forward to your opinion of the other good stuff you find!
Hello – Purchased a large 730ml bottle of Flying Goose brand sauce yesterday from my local retailer. looking forward to trying out with your wonderful Sriracha chicken wing recipe maybe later today or tomorrow. Will let you know how I get on.
While shopping yesterday I came across a Sriracha sauce brand “Healthy Boy” didnt purchase but probably will in the near future.
The Suree brand sriracha chilli sauce is I presume is widely available in the UK and is packaged in a bottle similar to the Rooster brand and Flying goose variety. so far I have seen in two varities Green cap (Hot) Yellow cap (Extra hot)
Regards have a great day
That’s great, Jas… You’ll have to let us know how you like it, and how it compares to Huy Fong!
This recipe looks amazing!! I’ve got a fantasy football draft this Sunday and I’m gonna give em a shot! I’m gonna try em on the Traeger grill!
Sounds great Shane! I have to point out that we do prefer this recipe “as is” – that is with deep fried wings, but our experiments with smoke grilled wings were still awesome.
Your Traeger grill will probably do them justice! Do the marinade, smoke/grill/roast your wings your usual way, and toss them in this awesome sauce recipe, and they will rock!
Shane I still stand by my statement from many months ago, that these are my favorite wings ever, and believe me, I’ve had many. Please please let us know how they turn out for you!
Im going to try this recipe out tomorrow for my Labor Day BBQ! I’m excited! I’ve got 10-one pound bags of wings sitting in my fridge in the marinade right now…I’m going to do the bake-then-grill method, as I don’t have a smoker (unfortunately)…suggestions on the baking temp? Like 250, around the same temp as smoking them?
I also added about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, about 1/4 CUP of red pepper flakes, and 1/8 cup of crushed sichuan peppercorns to the marinade, as well as tripled the other intredients in the marinade recipe. So the plan is to bake for 30-45, then grill them for about 5 minutes, then toss them into a simmering saucepan with two-times as much wing sauce, throwing them back on the grill for another 5-10, tossing them in a separate bowl of one helping of the wing sauce, and then serving them. I’ll let you know how it goes! And thanks in advanced for what looks to be an awesome recipe!
1) No idea how mitt romney eating an ice cream cone became my avatar?
2) It should be “ingredients”, not “intredients”.
🙂
Josh,
We roast the wings in a 350 ~ 375 º – You want them just shy of doneness, so the grilling step only has to crisp them up!
Good luck, and let us know how they turn out. And point us to any pics you may take!
Well those turned out to be FANTASTIC! Everyone loved them. I got comments from “it made me tear up a little bit…and that’s a good thing!” to “this is the best thing you’ve ever made!”. I’m posting my album link on your Facebook page, but here’s the (supposedly) public link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151206337944047.508757.521209046&type=1&l=05ac28186b
Wow! You rocked the wings! Nice.