12 Wing Sauce Recipes That Go Way Past Buffalo

Buffalo wings are fine. They are also the only thing on the platter, every single time, and by the third party even the people who love hot sauce start reaching for the vegetable tray instead.

These twelve sauces work with the same base method: oven baked wings on a wire rack, tossed after cooking so the skin stays crisp underneath the glaze. Every sauce here also works in the air fryer; cook the plain, dry seasoned wings at 380°F for 22 to 24 minutes, flipping once, then toss them exactly the way the recipe says.

One batch below uses bourbon, so keep that platter for the adults and set out something else nearby if anyone under drinking age is circling the table. A few others lean on soy, sesame, peanut, egg (mayonnaise) or dairy (butter and parmesan), so check the ingredient list before plating for a mixed crowd.

Most of the sauces can be made a few days ahead and warmed gently before tossing, which means the only thing left on party day is the oven timer.

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Hot Honey Wings With Smoked Garlic

Plain honey on wings reads a little one-note after the second bite, all sweetness and no edge. Hot honey fixes that without asking for a specialty ingredient list.

Butter carries the smoked garlic through the glaze so it coats the tongue instead of just sitting on top of the heat, and the honey keeps the vinegar from biting too hard. The skin stays crackly underneath because the sauce goes on after baking, not before.

Pile them onto a platter still warm, a short rest first, since the glaze needs those two minutes to stop sliding. If smoked garlic cloves are not around, smoked paprika plus regular garlic powder gets close enough that nobody at the table will flag it.

Hot Honey Wings With Smoked Garlic

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder not baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank's RedHot
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon smoked garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced, plus 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Flaky salt and chopped chives for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
• Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels; wet skin steams instead of crisping.
• Toss the wings in a large bowl with the baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper until lightly and evenly dusted.
• Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer, leaving space between each piece.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest piece reads 165°F.
• While the wings bake, combine the hot sauce, honey, butter, smoked garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk until the butter melts and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes.
• Pull the wings from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes so the skin stops steaming.
• Transfer the wings to a large clean bowl, pour over the warm sauce, and toss with tongs until every piece is glossy.
• Pile the wings onto a platter, scatter with flaky salt and chopped chives, and serve right away while the skin still crackles.

Good to Know

Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge; warm it gently before tossing so it pours instead of clumping.

Gochujang Wings

Buffalo is vinegar-forward and sharp. Gochujang is slow, sweet-savory heat that builds across a few bites instead of hitting all at once.

The paste clings heavy and glossy because it is already thick before it ever meets the pan, so there is no cornstarch trick needed to make it stick to crackly skin. Soy sauce and sesame oil both play a part here, worth a mention if anyone at the table manages those allergies.

Scatter sesame seeds and scallion right before the platter goes out, since they go soft and sad if they sit in the sauce too long. Gochujang lives in the Asian foods aisle of most big grocery stores now, so this is rarely a special trip.

Gochujang Wings

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder not baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup gochujang Korean chili paste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallion for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
• Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
• Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest piece.
• While the wings bake, whisk the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat; simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
• Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes off the heat.
• Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm sauce, and toss until every piece is coated thick and even.
• Pile onto a platter, scatter with sesame seeds and scallion, and serve immediately.

Good to Know

No gochujang in the pantry yet, swap in 3 tablespoons sriracha plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar for a close, slightly brighter stand-in.

Honey Mustard Wings

Honey mustard gets filed under kid sauce more often than it deserves, mild enough to skip the heat entirely for a crowd that does not want fire.

Whole grain mustard gives it texture, those little seeds popping between bites, while a spoon of mayonnaise keeps the sauce creamy enough to cling instead of running off in a thin stream down the platter.

Good for a mixed table where not everyone wants spice; keep a small bowl of hot sauce on the side for anyone who wants to doctor their own plate. It contains egg, from the mayonnaise, worth flagging before it goes out.

Honey Mustard Wings

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder not baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Chopped fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
• Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
• Toss the wings with the baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until the skin is deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
• While the wings bake, warm the honey, mustard, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and whisk in the mayonnaise until smooth (off the heat keeps it from splitting).
• Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes.
• Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the sauce, and toss until coated.
• Pile onto a platter, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve right away.

Good to Know

Double the sauce and keep half in the fridge for dipping raw vegetables or as a sandwich spread later in the week.

Garlic Parmesan Wings

Garlic parmesan is the one every sports bar gets slightly wrong, either too dry and powdery or so heavy with cheese that it clumps instead of coating.

Melting the butter first lets the garlic actually cook for thirty seconds instead of going in raw and sharp, and stirring the parmesan in off the heat keeps it from seizing into rubbery strings.

Serve this one the minute it is tossed, since parmesan firms up fast as it cools and loses that just-melted look. Dairy shows up twice here, in the butter and the cheese, so note that for anyone avoiding it.

Garlic Parmesan Wings

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Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Makes 4 to 6 servings (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder not baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan plus extra for serving
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
• Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
• Toss the wings with the baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest piece.
• While the wings bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned; remove from the heat.
• Stir the parmesan, parsley, and red pepper flakes into the warm butter until just combined.
• Transfer the hot wings straight to a large bowl, pour over the garlic butter mixture, and toss until evenly coated.
• Pile onto a platter, sprinkle with extra parmesan, and serve immediately while the cheese still looks melted.

Good to Know

Grate the parmesan fresh rather than using the pre-shredded bag; it melts into the butter instead of clumping on top.

Lemon Pepper Wings

Lemon pepper wings live or die on the pepper, and most bottled blends go stale in the cabinet long before the jar is empty.

Grinding black pepper fresh over warm butter wakes the oils up in a way the pre-ground version cannot, and lemon zest stirred in at the end keeps the citrus bright instead of cooked flat and bitter.

These sit nicely next to something cold and creamy like ranch, if the table wants a dip. Quick to pull together, since there is no simmering involved, just melted butter and a squeeze of juice.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, whisk the melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, cracked pepper, garlic powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
7. Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes.
8. Add the hot wings to the bowl of lemon pepper butter and toss until every piece is glossy and evenly specked with pepper.
9. Pile onto a platter, tuck in the lemon wedges, and serve right away.

Sweet Chili Wings

Sweet chili sauce straight out of the bottle is fine on its own, but it tastes a little flat once it hits hot, crispy skin.

A splash of lime and a clove of real garlic wake the bottled sauce back up, and the sticky texture holds onto cracked skin without needing to be cooked down at all.

Good one for a milder table, the heat here is gentle. Leave out the fish sauce entirely for a simpler version and nobody will notice it is missing.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
• Chopped cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, warm the sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and fish sauce (if using) in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often, until just glossy.
7. Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes.
8. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the sauce, and toss until coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges alongside.

Maple Bourbon Wings

Maple and bourbon sound like a fall dessert until they land on a hot wing, where the char on the skin balances all that sweetness out.

Simmering the bourbon with the maple syrup cooks off some of the sharp alcohol edge while the sugars reduce down thick enough to cling, and a splash of vinegar keeps the whole glaze from tipping into candy territory.

This batch is for the adults’ end of the table only; pour it responsibly and keep anyone under drinking age on the honey mustard instead. For a non-alcoholic version, apple cider stands in for the bourbon at the same amount.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Pinch of cayenne
• Flaky salt, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, combine the maple syrup, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, mustard, butter, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat; simmer 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes.
8. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm glaze, and toss until sticky and evenly coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with flaky salt, and serve right away while the glaze is still glossy.

Mango Habanero Wings

Mango habanero sounds like restaurant-only territory, but the sauce is really just a quick blend and a five minute simmer.

Blending the mango smooth before it hits the pan means the sauce clings in an even layer instead of leaving fruit chunks that slide off on the first bite, and the habanero’s heat builds slow after the sweetness lands first.

Wear gloves while chopping the habanero, or wash hands immediately after, since the oils sit on skin for hours otherwise. Pull the seeds and ribs for a milder batch, since that is where most of the heat lives.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup ripe mango chunks (fresh or thawed frozen)
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic
• Pinch of salt
• Diced mango and chopped cilantro, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, blend the mango, habanero, lime juice, honey, garlic, and salt until completely smooth.
7. Pour the blended sauce into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and glossy.
8. Transfer the baked wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm sauce, and toss until fully coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with diced mango and cilantro, and serve immediately.

Teriyaki Pineapple Wings

Bottled teriyaki tends to taste like soy sauce with sugar dumped in. Homemade takes five extra minutes and actually tastes like pineapple.

Real pineapple juice instead of the canned syrup keeps the sauce from turning cloying, and a small cornstarch slurry at the end is what gets it thick enough to actually coat the wing instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Toss on diced fresh pineapple right at the end for a little acidity against all that sticky sweetness. It contains soy, easy to flag for a mixed table.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• Toasted sesame seeds and diced fresh pineapple, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, simmer the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 to 2 more minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. Transfer the baked wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm sauce, and toss until glossy.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with sesame seeds and diced pineapple, and serve immediately.

Spicy Peanut Satay Wings

Peanut sauce on wings reads unexpected until the first bite, then it is obvious why satay skewers have worked for decades.

Warm water thins the peanut butter just enough that it pours instead of clumping onto the skin in one thick glob, and a spoon of sriracha keeps the whole thing from tasting like a snack food instead of dinner.

It contains peanuts and soy, so keep this one off the table entirely if anyone has a peanut allergy rather than just setting it at the far end. Crushed peanuts on top add the crunch the sauce alone does not have.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water, as needed
• Chopped peanuts and cilantro, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, warm the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sriracha, and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking in warm water a tablespoon at a time until pourable, about 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes.
8. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm sauce, and toss until every piece is coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with chopped peanuts and cilantro, and serve immediately.

Cajun Butter Wings

Cajun seasoning on its own dries wings out fast. Butter is what keeps all that spice from turning the skin chalky.

Melting the butter with the spice blend first lets the paprika and cayenne bloom instead of sitting raw on top, and a spoon of hot sauce at the end adds a little vinegar tang the butter alone does not have.

Good one for a table that wants heat without sweetness anywhere near it. Make a double batch of the dry spice mix ahead and keep it in a jar for next time.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Chopped parsley and lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in the Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika, and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the hot sauce and lemon juice.
8. Transfer the baked wings to a large bowl, pour over the warm butter, and toss until evenly coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Alabama White BBQ Wings

White barbecue sauce confuses people who have never had it. Mayonnaise on a wing sounds wrong until the vinegar and pepper hit.

The mayo base coats thick and even without any cooking at all, and a spoon of horseradish gives it the bite that red barbecue sauce usually gets from tomato and sugar instead.

No stove time needed for the sauce itself, just a whisk and a bowl, so this is one of the faster ones here. It contains egg, from the mayonnaise base.

Prep 15 minutes · Cook 45 minutes · Total 1 hour · Serves 4 to 6 (about 20 wings)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (or Dijon mustard)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of cayenne
• Chopped chives, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and set a wire rack inside it.
2. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels.
3. Toss the wings with the baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl until evenly coated.
4. Arrange the wings skin side up on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping once at the 20 minute mark, until deep golden and a thermometer reads 165°F.
6. While the wings bake, whisk the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, horseradish, black pepper, sugar, garlic powder, and cayenne together in a large bowl until smooth.
7. Let the baked wings rest for 2 minutes so they stop steaming.
8. Add the hot wings to the bowl of sauce and toss until thickly and evenly coated.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with chopped chives, and serve right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wings do I need per person for a party?

Plan on 6 to 8 wings per person as one appetizer among several, or 10 to 12 if wings are the main food on the table.

Why is my wing sauce too thin, and how do I thicken it?

A thin sauce usually needs more reduction time on the stove; whisking in a tablespoon of cornstarch while the mixture cooks fixes it fast without changing the flavor.

Can I use frozen chicken wings for these recipes?

Yes, as long as they are fully thawed and patted very dry first; wet, half-frozen skin steams in the oven instead of crisping.

Why does wing sauce burn in the air fryer?

Sauces containing honey or other sugars can burn when exposed to high heat for too long, so sauce goes on after cooking, never before.

How do I get sauce to actually stick to the wings?

The skin needs to be crispy first, since that skin needs to be crispy so the sauce has something to stick to; a short rest before tossing also helps it cling instead of sliding off.

Can I make wing sauce ahead of time?

Most of these sauces keep well in a sealed jar in the fridge for several days; warm them gently on the stove or in the microwave before tossing with hot, freshly baked wings.