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Chili Lime Chicken Wings & Dipping Sauce

4.80
/5
49 mins
4 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 02/19/2021Updated: 10/22/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Wings in a white dish, text overlay reads "chili lime chicken wings"
Wings in a white dish, text overlay reads "chili lime chicken wings"
Wings in a white dish, text overlay reads "chili lime chicken wings"
Wings in a white dish, text overlay reads "chili lime chicken wings"

Glazed with a sweet and tangy sauce, oven baked chili lime chicken wings are crispy and sticky, just the way they’re supposed to be! This recipe comes with its own sour cream dipping sauce, too!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: The wings are so tasty!

How long it takes: 50 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, sheet pan with wire rack, oven, saucepan
Servings: 4 (3 lbs. wings)

Wings on a white plate, garnished with green onions and lime wedges.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About these wings
  • 3 What You’ll Need
  • 4 Cooking Tip
  • 5 FAQs
  • 6 Make It Your Own
  • 7 Make-Ahead Ideas
  • 8 Reheating Suggestions
  • 9 More Finger-Licking Recipes
  • 10 Get the Recipe: Chili Lime Chicken Wings

While crispy chicken wings are pretty irresistible, the sauce on these wings makes them really special. Butter, honey, lime, garlic, and chili powder simmer while the wings bake; then this incredible glaze is slathered on the wings, and wow! Wait til you try them!

Serve chili lime chicken wings as an appetizer at your next big shindig or enjoy them for dinner time. They’re easy to make (you can even make them ahead) and everyone loves them. 

Looking for a dipping sauce to serve with the wings? This recipe includes a great sour cream dip that’s perfect for dipping these wings. (Psst…the dip is great! You’ll want to use it for everything!)

Overhead view of glazed wings, carrots, celery, and dipping sauce.

About these wings

Oven baked chicken wings are prepared in a two step process. First, the wings are coated with seasoned flour and baked until they are crispy and thoroughly cooked.

Wing on a baking sheet, unbaked on left, baked on right.

You’ll notice that the recipe includes baking powder. The baking powder aids in the crisping process, drawing out excess moisture. Don’t, don’t, don’t substitute baking soda. It will give your wings a bitter nasty taste. If you don’t happen to have baking powder, just skip it. Your wings will still turn out fine. 

Once the wings are baked, they get coated with a super good glaze. This is totally the best part! Either brush the sauce on or dump the wings and sauce in a big bowl and toss them around until each wing is coated. 

Wing glaze in a pan on left, glazed wings on right.

Here’s where you have a choice: Either serve the wings freshly glazed, stick them back into the oven for 5 minutes, or run them under the broiler for a few minutes to set the glaze. This one’s totally up to you.

Broiling caramelizes the glaze ensuring that the wings are finger lickin’ good. If you choose to broil the wings, reserve a fourth cup of the glaze so you can brush just a little more on the wings after they come out of the broiler. We like them good and sticky!

Watch these tasty chili lime wings fly off the platter! Serve them garnished with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, green onions, or parsley. And don’t forget  the sour cream dipping sauce! And LOTS of napkins!

Glazed wing being dipped into sauce.

What You’ll Need

Wings

  • Wings! We recommend either chicken wings or wing portions. You could also substitute chicken drumsticks if you prefer, keeping in mind that legs will take slightly longer to cook.
  • Coating for the wings: You’ll use a flour coating for the wings, with baking powder and seasonings including garlic powder, chili powder, lime zest, salt.
Raw wings in a bowl, small bowls of other ingredients also visible.

Glaze

  • For the glaze, you’ll need butter, honey, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt.
  • If you like spicy wings, add a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Glaze Ingredients in small white bowls.

Dip

  • For the dip you’ll need: Sour cream, lime juice, green onions, garlic powder, paprika, and lime zest.
Ingredients for sour cream dip in small bowls.

Cooking Tip

You’ll notice that the flour mixture for the wings, the glaze, and the dip have many of the same ingredients. I recommend making them all at once. Get out a large bowl for the seasoned flour, a small saucepan for the glaze, and a small bowl for the dip. Measure out ingredients for each. It takes a little focus but it’s nice to get it all done at once. Refrigerate the dip until you’re ready to use it.

FAQs

Do you need to flip chicken wings when baking?

Baking them on a wire rack eliminates the need to flip them. If you don’t happen to have a wire rack that fits inside a rimmed sheet pan, it’s a good idea to flip them halfway through the baking time so that they bake evenly and crisp on both sides.

How do you know when chicken wings are done in the oven?

The best way to tell is by inserting an instant read thermometer into the meatiest part of the wing. The temperature should be at least 165° F. If you don’t have a thermometer, pierce a wing with a fork. The juices should run clear, not pink or bloody.

Do I put sauce on wings before or after baking?

Usually the sauce is put on after baking when the wings are crisp and dry. The sauce will stick to the exterior of the wings and coat them beautifully.

Sour cream dip with chili powder, green onions, lime zest.

Make It Your Own

  • Some like ’em hot! If you like spicy wings, add cayenne pepper or hot pepper flakes to the sauce. How much you add depends on how hot you like them. I’d start with a pinch and work up from there. 
  • Make them in your air fryer. Here’s the easy recipe. I love using an air fryer for wings.
  • Prefer drumsticks to wings? Drummies are fine in this recipe but bake them a bit longer, about forty minutes.
  • For an Asian style sauce, try these baked Spicy Asian Chicken Wings.
Close up of chili lime wings on a white plate garnished with green onion.

Make-Ahead Ideas

While they won’t be quite as crispy, you can make a bunch of chicken wings ahead. Buy a big package, bake the wings, cover them with the sauce , as directed, but don’t broil them. Cool the wings down, wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to a month. 

The sour cream dip can be made up to three days in advance. Refrigerate in a tightly covered container. Stir well before serving.

Reheating Suggestions

For refrigerated leftover wings: Reheat in the microwave, or see method below, reducing baking time slightly.

For frozen cooked wings: Line a large baking pan with foil for easy cleanup. Arrange the frozen wings in a single layer and bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven (400°F) for  13-16 minutes or until heated through (140-145°F).  

Wing being dipped into sour cream sauce.

More Finger-Licking Recipes

Forget the forks, some foods are just made to eat with your fingers! I mean, can you imagine eating wings with a fork? Try:

  • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
  • The Best Cauliflower Nachos
  • BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Nachos
  • Pickle Roll Ups with Ham (Pinwheels)
  • Candied Bacon
  • Crostini — find out how to make crostini and what to top them with
  • Bacon Wrapped Dates or Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
  • Cool Ranch Popcorn Recipe (like the Doritos!)
  • Popcorn Snack Mix {full of surprise ingredients}
  • Air Fryer Chickpeas

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Glazed wings in a white dish with lime wedges.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Chili Lime Chicken Wings

4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Additional Time: 4 mins
Total Time: 49 mins
4 main dish servings
Print Rate Recipe
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Glazed with a sweet and tangy sauce, oven baked chili lime chicken wings are crispy and sticky, just the way they're supposed to be! 

Ingredients

For the Wings/Coating

  • 3 pounds chicken wings, with tips trimmed off, or chicken wing portions
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • Cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes, if desired (see note)

For the Dip

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel. Combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, lime zest in large bowl. Add the wings in batches (3 or 4 at a time) and toss to coat.
  • Arrange the chicken wings on a wire rack lightly sprayed with cooking spray, set into a large rimmed sheet pan. 
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until crisp and the internal temperature reaches at least 165° F. 
  • Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients (butter, honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, lime zest, and salt) to a small saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the honey has melted and the sauce is starting to bubble and thicken.
  • Stir together the dip ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • When wings have finished baking, put them in a large bowl, pour the sauce over, and toss until the wings are coated with sauce.
  • OR: Brush each wing with sauce. Reserve about ¼ cup of sauce to brush on after broiling. 
  • Place the wings about 6 inches away from the broiler. Turn the broiler to high and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the wings start to caramelize. Don’t walk away– they can burn very quickly! 
  • Brush with the remaining sauce. 
  • Serve hot, garnished with green onions or parsley, if desired. Serve sour cream dip on the side.

Notes

  • Nutrition information includes wings, sauce, and dip.
  • These are mild wings. If you would like to add some heat, add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the sauce (to taste).
  • Make them in your air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack. You’ll have to do them in batches. Fry for 9-10 minutes, flipping once. Keep cooked wings warm in a low oven (200°F), arranged on a wire rack in a sheet pan so they stay crispy.
  • Prefer drumsticks to wings? Drummies are fine in this recipe but bake them a bit longer, about forty minutes.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 4wings, Calories: 657kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 173mg, Sodium: 1190mg, Potassium: 485mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1027IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 172mg, Iron: 3mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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  1. Jared K Smith says

    May 11, 2021 at 11:38 am

    Update. This recipe is a keeper in our house hold. The glaze and the dipping sauce. 100% recommend.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      May 18, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      So glad to hear it was a hit!

      Reply
  2. denise says

    February 19, 2021 at 10:11 pm

    party at home time (with just the family)!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 21, 2021 at 7:56 am

      Yes, definitely!

      Reply

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