Sticky Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings
these chicken wings are slow-cooked in a deliciously sweet and sour sauce, then caramelized under the broiler to create some sticky- finger-lickin’ goodness!
Hello, friends!
Super bowl is just a little over a week away and I’m not going to lie.
I cannot wait!
Not that I’m a huge fan of football or anything.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’ll watch it.
But truth be told, it’s the yummy snacks that come along WITH the game that have me doing the happy dance.
This year, like previous years, we’ll be watching from home. And I’m planning a spectacular day-long grazing affair.
Although Michael isn’t super picky about what appetizers I make, he does have one that is a MUST HAVE.
Chicken Wings.
And not just any kind of chicken wings.
Ooey-Gooey, super sticky, super saucy- finger-licking good chicken wings.
A few years back I started experimenting with different sauces and marinades for those delectable wings hubby loves so much.
Neither one of us are a fan of super-hot wings, although Michael prefers a bit more heat than I do. So I focused more on the flavors we do love.
Since we try to do appetizers for dinner night on a monthly basis, it didn’t take long for me to come up with one that we both like.
The sweet and sour sauce I created for the chicken wings is by no means hot. Hot as in spicy. But you could definitely add in some sriracha or other hot sauce if you like.
And the best part is you can throw it all together in your slow cooker, add the wings, and walk away!
Because who wants to be in the kitchen and miss those commercials, right?
what you’ll need to make sticky sweet & sour chicken wings:
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Equipment/Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
- Baking sheet (you’ll see why in a bit)
- Foil
- Mixing bowl
- Thongs
- medium saucepan
Ingredients:
- Chicken wings
- Soy Sauce
- Rice Vinegar
- Pineapple juice
- crushed pineapple
- garlic
- ginger
- brown sugar
- honey
- cornstarch
- water
- sesame seeds
- cilantro
how to make the chicken wings:
- Cut the wings into two pieces and snip off the wing tips.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken wings and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour.
- Place the chicken wings and marinade in a crockpot or slow cooker
- Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 1-2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the wings registers 165°.
how to get that sticky-finger licking goodness:
These wings are TOTALLY edible at this point and I dare you not to bite into one the minute they’re done!
BUT WAIT!
If you really want that sticky-lip-smacking yumminess I mentioned, then there is one more step you MUST do. I promise…it will be SO worth the wait!
- First, turn your broiler on low.
- Meanwhile, cover a baking sheet with foil.
- Using a thong, place the chicken wings onto the baking dish.
- Then pour the sauce into a medium saucepan
- Create a slurry using cornstarch and water
- Whisk the slurry into the sauce and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens.
- Place the chicken wings in the oven.
- WATCH the wings closely! You want that sauce they’ve been soaking in to begin to caramelize and darken a bit. But you don’t want them to burn!!!
- Remove the wings and place them in a large serving bowl.
- Pour some of the sauce over them.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
NOTE: If you’re not ready to serve the wings immediately, place them back in your slow cooker and keep them warm.
These sticky wings are an explosion of flavor the moment they hit your lips. First, you taste that wee bit of tang from the vinegar and sweetness from the pineapple and honey. Then a bit of savory yum from the soy, ginger, and garlic. And finally, that tender juicy chicken shines through and you gobble it all up in one bite.
So of course you have to grab another. And another. And another.
Did I mention you might want to double the recipe?
Oh, and forget the niceties and napkins. It’s everyone for themselves when it comes to these Sticky wings!
Here’s the full recipe!
Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
Tender& juicy chicken wings slow-cooked in a tangy-sweet sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings **Split at the joints & tips removed (about 16 wings and drummettes)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
- 2 Tablespoons crushed pineapple
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
-
Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice, pineapple, sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic in a large mixing bowl.
-
Add in the chicken wingettes. Coat the wings.
-
Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 1 hour.
-
Pour wings and sauce into a 2- quart crockpot or slow-cooker. Turn on low and cook wings for 4 hours. Or on high for 1-2 hours. Or until the wings reach a temperature of 165° at the thickest part of the wing.
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Turn the broiler on your oven to low.
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Line a baking sheet with foil.
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Using tongs place the chicken wings onto the baking sheet.
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Pour the sauce from the crockpot into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the sauce and whisk until combined. Lower the heat and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.
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Meanwhile, place the wings under the broiler. WATCH CLOSELY so as not to let them burn. When they begin to darken around the edges, remove them from the oven.
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Place the wings back in the crockpot or in a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve.
I hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for Sticky Sweet & Sour Chicken Wings!
Looking for more appetizers for the big day?
SHOP THIS POST STICKY SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN WINGS↓
Thank you so much for stopping by!
These look amazing Christine and super easy too! I love anything that has a sweet and sour mix so I’m super excited to try these. Thank you for the recipe. I can’t believe Super Bowl Sunday is already here. Hugs, CoCo
They were SOOO good, CoCo! I can’t wait to make them again next weekend!