Sticky, sweet and spicy Asian chicken wings, juicy and oven-baked, marinated in my homemade chili garlic glaze, then broiled until the edges caramelize. 2.4g net carbs and 29.3g protein per serving.
These Asian chicken wings are for the nights when I want something stickier and more layered than my garlic parmesan wings or buffalo wings. The chili garlic glaze is sweet, spicy, and so sticky you’ll need napkins before you reach for the next one.
I make a version of these almost every weekend during football season, and they’re gone before halftime. What makes this recipe work is the blend of pantry-friendly ingredients you probably already have: avocado oil, soy sauce (or tamari if you need it gluten-free), sugar-free honey, chili garlic sauce, fresh garlic, and ground ginger. The sauce comes together in minutes, but the flavor reads like it took all afternoon. After a reader named Rebecca suggested adding a drizzle of sesame oil to the marinade, I tested it and I’m not going back. That nutty depth against the chili garlic heat is the kind of upgrade you notice on the first bite.
Party wings (drumettes and flats) get marinated in the sauce for at least an hour, but I always go the full two. The difference between one hour and two is real. Here’s the technique that matters: the baking marinade just bastes, it doesn’t reduce on its own. The sticky part only happens when you reduce the reserved marinade in a saucepan, brush it all over the baked wings, and then hit them under the broiler for a minute or two. I still hover at the broiler the last 30 seconds because they go from perfect to charred in a blink. That final step gives you the lacquered, caramelized edges that make these low carb wings worth every minute of marinating. A sprinkle of sliced green onions and sesame seeds right at the end adds freshness against all that glaze.
At 29.3g protein and only 2.4g net carbs per serving, these fit into just about any macro plan. My reader Denise said it best after her third batch: she still can’t get over how indulgent they taste for that carb count. I hear that a lot.
If you’re putting together a keto appetizer spread, I always set out buffalo chicken dip and keto nachos next to these. Bacon jalapeno popper dip and chicken parmesan sliders are two more that never have leftovers at my house. For something lighter, bacon wrapped brussels sprouts balance out all that sticky richness. I’ve been serving some version of this lineup at every game day since last fall, and someone always asks for the recipes.
How to make the chili garlic sauce
I’ve made this sauce dozens of times, and the ratio just works. The chili garlic sauce brings a bold, spicy kick while soy sauce adds that deep umami backbone. Avocado oil binds everything together, and sugar-free honey gives just enough sweetness to balance the heat. Fresh garlic and ground ginger round it all out. I always mince my garlic by hand for this (a press makes it too wet and it clumps in the marinade).
Even though most of these ingredients are already in your pantry, here are swaps I’ve tested that still work well:
Avocado oil: I’ve used canola and grapeseed oil here. Both work fine since you need something neutral that won’t compete with the chili garlic flavor.
Sesame oil: Add a drizzle (about a teaspoon) alongside the avocado oil. I started doing this after a reader tried it, and the nutty undertone rounds out the chili garlic heat in a way I wasn’t expecting. I don’t skip it anymore.
Honey: Sugar-free honey keeps the carbs low, but I’ve also used brown sugar style sweetener when I ran out. Same caramelization, slightly different flavor.
Garlic: If you’re out of fresh, use 1 teaspoon garlic powder. I prefer fresh, but the powder dissolves better into the sauce.
Ginger: Fresh ginger is noticeably better here. I grate about a teaspoon on a microplane. The ground version works in a pinch.
Chili garlic sauce: Sriracha is the closest swap. I’ve also mixed Sriracha with red pepper flakes, extra minced garlic, and a splash of vinegar to get closer to the real thing. Chili paste works too, but it’s less tangy.
If you want tangier wings, I add a splash of rice vinegar or a squeeze of lime juice right before tossing. That acidity cuts through the sweetness and makes the coating pop.
Storing and reheating these wings
I make a double batch of these almost every time because they reheat so well. Let the wings cool completely before storing them in an airtight container or wrapping tightly in foil.
Refrigerator
They keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. I meal prep these on Sunday and eat them through Wednesday with no drop in quality.
Freezer
For longer storage, I freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan first, then transfer to a freezer bag once they’re solid. This keeps them from sticking together. They last up to 3 months. You can also freeze the raw wings in the marinade (bag them flat so the sauce covers everything), then thaw overnight in the fridge and bake straight from there.
Reheating for maximum crispiness
I always reheat mine in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-6 minutes. The skin crisps back up and the glaze gets tacky again. If you don’t have an air fryer, the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes works, but I finish them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to get that crispiness back. If they’re frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first.
In a large bowl, combine avocado oil, soy sauce, ¼ cup sugar free honey, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic and ginger powder. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade to use for later.
For this step
⅓ cup avocado oil
⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
¼ cup sugar free honey
¼ cup chili garlic sauce
4 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2
Marinate chicken
Add wings to bowl with the chicken marinade. Toss the wings to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
For this step
2 lb party chicken wings
3
Bake the wings
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top of the foil-lined tray. Spray the wire rack with cooking spray. Evenly space the marinated wings on the wire rack. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. Flip wings, then return to the oven to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
4
Make chili garlic glaze
Add the reserved marinade to a small saucepan along with remaining sugar free honey (about 1 tablespoon). Heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer until thickened (3-5 minutes).
For this step
¼ cup reserved marinade
1 tablespoon sugar free honey
5
Glaze and broil
Once wings are done baking, remove the baking tray from the oven and brush chili garlic glaze all over the wings. Return to the oven but place under the broiler on the top rack and broil on high for 1-2 minutes to caramelize the sauce. Keep a close eye on the wings while broiling to make sure they don’t burn.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/6 of recipe
Calories
465
Fat
36.5g
Protein
29.3g
Total carbs
13.2g
Net carbs
2.4g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chili garlic sauce, and where can I buy it?
I use Huy Fong chili garlic sauce (same company that makes Sriracha) for this recipe. It's a thick, chunky sauce made from red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt. I find it in the Asian food aisle at my regular grocery store, usually right next to the Sriracha. It's spicier and chunkier than Sriracha, which is why I prefer it for this glaze. The chunks of garlic and chili add texture that you just don't get from smoother hot sauces.
How do I make the sauce extra sticky?
I reduce the reserved marinade a little longer than the recipe says, usually 5-7 minutes instead of 3-5, until it coats the back of a spoon. If you want it even thicker, I've whisked in about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum while the sauce is simmering. It thickens fast, so go easy. That gives you a thick, sticky coating that clings to every wing without sliding off.
Can I use drumsticks instead of wings?
I've made this with bone-in chicken thighs and it works great, and drumsticks are the same idea. They're thicker than party wings, so add about 10-15 minutes to the bake time, flipping halfway, and check that the thickest piece reads 165°F inside before you glaze. The glaze step stays the same. I actually prefer thighs when I'm cooking for just myself because there's more meat per piece.
How do I adjust the spice level?
I've made these at every spice level depending on who's eating. For less heat, I cut the chili garlic sauce in half and add an extra tablespoon of honey to compensate. For more heat, I stir in a teaspoon of Sriracha or a pinch of cayenne into the glaze right before brushing. My husband likes his spicier, so I usually brush his wings with the boosted glaze separately.
How do I get the crispiest skin on baked wings?
I pat my wings completely dry with paper towels before marinating. That's the biggest factor. Some people toss wings in baking powder before cooking, and I've tested that too. It works, but with this recipe the marinade is wet enough that it doesn't make a huge difference. What really crisps the skin is the wire rack (air circulates underneath) and that final broil step. I watch them closely under the broiler because they go from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds.
Can I make these gluten-free?
I use tamari instead of soy sauce when I'm cooking for friends who need it gluten-free, and the wings taste identical. Tamari has the same salty, fermented depth without the wheat. I list it as an option right in the ingredients. Double-check your chili garlic sauce label too (most brands like Huy Fong are already gluten-free, but I always verify before serving to someone with a sensitivity). This is one of my easiest keto recipes to adapt for anyone avoiding gluten.
Someone at the table was convinced these came from a restaurant. I’d doubled the batch for a birthday dinner and let the wings marinate overnight, and when they came out from under the broiler the glaze had this dark, sticky set that looks like something you’d order. The chili garlic heat builds slowly enough that people keep reaching back in. Next time I’m tripling the glaze to have extra for dipping.
Brought a batch to a neighborhood dinner where I was the only one eating low-carb. Good stress test. The people who skip anything labeled ‘chili’ kept coming back, which says something about how the heat is handled. It builds, doesn’t peak too fast, so no one got scared off.nnBaked them an hour ahead, broiled right before we sat down. Edges were still getting color. The glaze held at room temp better than I expected, so I didn’t have to hover.nnTwo people asked specifically about the sweet-heat balance. Made me think harder about what the avocado oil and soy are actually doing. Under heat those two build more of the sauce body than the chili garlic alone, which I wouldn’t have guessed.
The slow build is what makes it crowd-safe. I didn’t fully clock how much work the avocado oil and soy are doing until I tested it without them, and the sauce goes flat without that emulsification.
Braced for notes when my sister tried these (she has strong, documented opinions about Asian wings). She texted me the next day asking specifically about the chili garlic to honey ratio, and for her, that’s the actual five stars.
A critic texting the next day asking for the ratio is better than five stars. Took a few tries to land on that 1/3 cup honey to 1/4 cup chili garlic. Too much heat kills the sweetness, too much honey and it just goes sticky.
Sesame oil under the broiler does something I can’t fully explain. I’ve been adding a teaspoon since a reader mentioned it and haven’t made these without it since.
Switched to a wire rack for the broil step and bumped the chili garlic sauce to 1/3 cup in the glaze, and the edges came out with this sticky-crispy caramelization I kept going back for.
I’ve made a lot of Asian wing recipes chasing the thing my favorite takeout spot does, and most of them get the sweet right but not the heat. This one actually has both. The broiling step at the end is what does it, you get those caramelized almost-charred tips that no oven recipe I’ve tried before has managed to pull off. Haven’t ordered takeout wings since.
My oldest won’t go near anything labeled ‘chili’ as a rule, so when she started spooning the leftover glaze over her rice I just watched and didn’t say anything. The caramelized edges from the broil are the real selling point for me. Four stars, mostly because I want to try doubling the garlic next time.
Made these on Sunday and my husband walked in asking what I ordered from because the smell when the broiler hits the glaze is something else. I’ve made wings before but I’ve never had someone think I called a restaurant. He didn’t believe me when I said they were mine.
The glaze caramelized really well under the broiler, got that sticky coating I was hoping for. One thing I’d flag for other beginners: the chili garlic heat builds up more than I expected, so starting with a little less sauce might be worth it if you’re not used to spicy.
Cutting to 2 tablespoons and adding an extra tablespoon of honey keeps the glaze sticky without the heat. That’s what I do when I know the crowd can’t handle much.
Added a tablespoon of sesame oil to the marinade and the whole thing got noticeably deeper, like there’s a toasted layer underneath all the chili heat. The glaze still caramelizes the same way under the broiler, but something about it just works better. Also, let the wings air-dry in the fridge uncovered for an hour after marinating. The skin gets crispy instead of just glazed and sticky. Won’t go back to skipping either step.
One trick if you haven’t tried it yet: pat the wings completely dry before they go into the marinade. Sounds backwards when you’re about to soak them anyway, but the glaze actually grips and the broil step caramelizes instead of just steaming. Had a batch where the sauce slid right off and figured out that was why. The edges get a real char at the end instead of going soggy.
I’ve made a lot of Asian wing recipes and nothing has come close to what the chili garlic glaze does here once it hits the broiler. That caramelization on the edges is freaking insane. This is the one.
My mom used to order wings from this Chinese takeout place every Friday when I was growing up. Haven’t thought about them in years until I made these. Something about the chili garlic sauce caramelizing under the broiler brought it all back. Was not expecting that.nnI’ve been keto about two years now and made peace with wings just being a wing thing, but these taste like a memory. The soy sauce and sugar free honey together get sticky in a way I genuinely didn’t think was possible without actual sugar. Giving it 4 stars because I let the glaze reduce a little too long and it got thick (totally my fault, not the recipe’s), so next time I’m watching it. Making these again soon.
Takeout Friday is a real thing. The soy and honey together under the broiler do something I still can’t fully explain, and I’ve made these probably 50 times.
Coconut aminos instead of soy and an extra tablespoon of chili garlic sauce, and the glaze ended up stickier and more caramelized than anything I’ve made with this wing style before (still dialing in my heat tolerance, hence four stars).
Coconut aminos have more residual sugar so that caramelization tracks. For heat, I’d go 3 tablespoons of chili garlic instead of 4 and a little extra honey to compensate.
Added a drizzle of sesame oil to the marinade and honestly I think it made the whole thing. The nutty note cut right through the chili garlic heat in a way that kept me picking at wings long after I was full. Edges caramelize really nicely under the broiler too. Already planning the next batch and bumping up the ginger to see what happens.
Sesame oil in the marinade. I’m doing this next batch. Nuttiness against the chili garlic heat makes complete sense. On the ginger, try 1.5 teaspoons before jumping higher.
I held off on making these because I was sure oven-baked wings couldn’t get a sticky glaze to actually caramelize without frying. Wrong. The broil at the end with the reserved marinade does something I wasn’t expecting from a home oven, those edges come out lacquered and almost charred in the best way. The chili garlic sauce keeps it from going cloying, which is my usual complaint with sugar-free glazes. Double batch next time.
The reserved marinade glaze is where everything happens, just FYI. I almost skipped the saucepan step because I thought the baking marinade would be enough, and it really would not have been. That sticky caramelized finish from the chili garlic glaze is the whole point.
