Snacks · Asian

Chinese Garlic Chicken Wings with a Sweet, Sticky Glaze

Name: Chinese Garlic Chicken Wings with a Sweet, Sticky Glaze
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 lb chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wingettes; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 0.25 cup ketchup; 4 clove garlic, minced; 1 tbsp ginger, finely grated; 0.5 tsp sesame oil, toasted; 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey; 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine; 2 tbsp soy sauce, light or all-purpose; 1.5 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce; 0.5 tsp five spice powder; 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek; 0 Finely sliced shallots or scallions; 0 Sesame seeds; 0 Finely sliced fresh chili; 0 Coriander or cilantro leaves

A thick hoisin and soy glaze clings right to the meat when you bake a large platter of these Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings for your next gathering.

By Ally
Updated August 31, 2026 · Why trust this?

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A plate of deeply golden, sticky Chinese chicken wings topped with sesame seeds and green onions. — Photograph by the CookingMyRecipes kitchen

Total

60 min

Prep

10 min

Cook

50 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Baking a tray of Chinese Garlic Chicken Wings with a Sweet, Sticky Glaze takes 45 to 50 minutes in a 350°F (180°C) oven. The marinade combines ginger, ketchup, and oyster sauce. Basting the chicken with leftover liquid during the bake creates a thick, dark red and golden surface.

The Chicken Wing Marinade

Ketchup adds sweetness and tang to the liquid. Fresh garlic and ginger give the strongest taste. You can use half a teaspoon of dried powder for each if you need a quick swap. Light or all-purpose soy sauce is mandatory here. Dark soy sauce makes the food too intense. Toasted sesame oil has a dark brown color and a distinct taste compared to yellow untoasted sesame oil. Chinese cooking wine brings saltiness and a layered taste to the mixture.

Marinade substitutions

It is completely fine to swap out certain ingredients depending on what you have in the kitchen. Just try to avoid skipping multiple items from the sauce recipe entirely. Leaving out several components will drastically shift the intended taste of the meat.

Swap the Chinese cooking wine for mirin, dry sherry, or drinking sake. Cut the added sugar in the recipe by half if you choose mirin.
Use chicken broth instead of the wine for an alcohol-free swap.
If you need a swap for the lemon juice, plain white vinegar and rice vinegar work beautifully. Simply avoid using balsamic vinegar for this recipe.
Substitute oyster sauce and a quarter teaspoon of extra five spice powder for the hoisin sauce.
Swap the oyster sauce for hoisin sauce, but drop the half teaspoon of five spice powder from the recipe.
If you are out of sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce, a squirt of sriracha makes a wonderful replacement. Chili bean sauce is another excellent option.

Coating the meat

Cut the 3 lb (1.5 kg) of whole wings into drumettes and wingettes. Mix all your liquids and spices in a large bowl. Drop the chicken pieces in and toss them with your hands or a large spoon. Every piece needs a thick coating.

Let the bowl sit on the counter for 10 minutes. You can leave the meat for up to one hour. Do not let it sit longer than an hour. A longer rest draws moisture out of the chicken, waters down the sauce, and makes the meat too salty.

Baking the wings

Line your baking tray with a layer of aluminum foil first. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the foil. This double layer stops the sugar from burning onto your pan and makes cleanup easy.

Lift each piece of chicken from the bowl and shake off the extra sauce. Pour that leftover liquid into a small dish. Spread the chicken across two trays. Leave space between every piece so they sit slightly apart.

Put the trays into the oven. Pull the pans out after 25 minutes. Dip a brush in your reserved marinade and the hot tray juices. Paint the liquid over the meat.

Repeat this brushing step at the 35-minute mark.

What to serve with the wings

The meat is ready when it separates from the bone with almost no effort. The outside turns a dark red and golden color. The edges will begin to char. Move the hot chicken to a serving platter. Scatter thinly sliced shallots or scallions over the top. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, some sliced fresh chili, and whole cilantro leaves.

Keep a large stack of napkins nearby if you decide to offer the chicken as an appetizer or on a grazing platter. You can easily turn the wings into a complete meal by pairing them with Asian slaw as well as fried rice.

The Recipe serves 6 · 60 min

Chinese Garlic Chicken Wings with a Sweet, Sticky Glaze

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 lb chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wingettes

Chicken Wing Marinade

2 tbsp lemon juice
0.25 cup ketchup, or tomato sauce
4 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
0.5 tsp sesame oil, toasted
2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, such as Shaoxing wine, mirin, or dry sherry
2 tbsp soy sauce, light or all-purpose
1.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
0.5 tsp five spice powder
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek, adjust to taste

Garnishes

Finely sliced shallots or scallions
Sesame seeds
Finely sliced fresh chili
Coriander or cilantro leaves

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Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cover a baking tray with foil, then lay a sheet of parchment paper over the foil to catch the drippings.

Combine all the Chicken Wing Marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together well.

Drop the chicken wings into the bowl. Toss the meat with your hands or a large spoon so the sauce coats every piece.

Set the bowl aside on the counter for 10 minutes. You can leave the meat to sit for up to 1 hour to absorb the sauce. Timer 10 min

Lift the chicken out of the bowl one piece at a time and shake off the excess marinade. Pour that leftover liquid into a small dish and reserve it.

Spread the chicken across 2 trays. Leave a little room between each piece so they sit close together but are not packed tightly against one another.

Bake the chicken for 45 - 50 minutes. At the 25 minutes mark, pull the pans out and baste the meat with your reserved marinade and the pan juices. Baste the meat a second time at the 35 minutes mark. Timer 50 min

Check the chicken wings for doneness at the end of the baking time. The meat will separate from the bone with almost no effort. The surface becomes sticky with a dark red and golden color all over. The edges will start to char.

Sprinkle the warm meat with sliced shallots or scallions, sesame seeds, coriander or cilantro leaves, and fresh chili. Serve the hot platter immediately.

Nutritionper serving

362

Calories

50.2g

Protein

Carbs

13.1g

Fat

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving

Calories 362Calories from fat 118

% Daily Value*

Fat 13.1g17%

Saturated fat 3.6g18%

Cholesterol 152mg51%

Sodium 798mg35%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Sugar 5.3g11%

Protein 50.2g100%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet (FDA daily values) and are computed automatically.

Nutrition is estimated and provided for convenience. Source: Edamam.

Cook's notes

Substitutions

Plain white vinegar makes a fine substitute for the lemon juice, and rice vinegar works just as well. Do not substitute with balsamic vinegar.

If you prefer an alcohol-free Chicken Wing Marinade, simply use chicken broth instead of the Chinese cooking wine.

When substituting mirin for the Chinese cooking wine, remember to reduce the added brown sugar or honey by half so the glaze doesn't become overly sweet.

You can replace the hoisin sauce with extra oyster sauce and an additional quarter teaspoon of five spice powder if needed.

Half a teaspoon of dried garlic or ginger powder will work nicely in a pinch if you run out of the fresh aromatics.

Serving

Offer the wings as an appetizer or on a grazing platter with a large stack of napkins. To turn this into a complete meal, pair the chicken with Asian slaw as well as fried rice.

Common mistakes

Try not to let the meat sit in the Chicken Wing Marinade for more than an hour, as this draws out moisture and over-salts the chicken.

Be sure to use light or all-purpose soy sauce, because dark soy sauce will make the flavor much too intense.

Gather every ingredient listed for the marinade if possible, because skipping two or more items completely changes the intended taste of the chicken.

Techniques

Lining your baking tray with foil underneath the parchment paper is a great way to catch sticky drippings and make cleanup a breeze.

Make sure to use toasted sesame oil, which is dark brown and offers a much richer flavor than yellow untoasted oil.

Always try to arrange chicken pieces in a single even layer with a little space between them, allowing the oven heat to circulate perfectly so they roast instead of steaming.

Rotating your baking tray halfway through the cooking time helps compensate for oven hot spots and encourages even browning across all the pieces.

Let roasted meats rest for just a few minutes after taking them out of the oven so the internal juices can redistribute properly.

Frequently asked

Can I leave the meat in the Chicken Wing Marinade overnight?

Keep the marinating time to a maximum of 60 minutes. Letting the chicken soak any longer pulls moisture from the meat, dilutes the sauce, and results in overly salty wings.

I do not have Chinese cooking wine on hand. What are the best alternatives?

Mirin, drinking sake, and dry sherry all work perfectly as direct substitutes for the Chinese cooking wine. If you decide to use mirin, just remember to cut the recipe's brown sugar or honey in half so the glaze does not get too sweet.

Why do I need to use both foil and parchment paper on my baking tray?

The sweet marinade will drip down as the chicken cooks, and that sugar can easily burn onto your pan. A layer of aluminum foil under a sheet of parchment paper catches all those sticky drippings and makes your cleanup incredibly easy.

What should I serve with Chinese Garlic Chicken Wings with a Sweet, Sticky Glaze?

Set the meat out as an appetizer on a grazing platter with extra napkins. You can also build a complete meal by serving the chicken with Asian slaw and fried rice.

Why should I leave empty space between the pieces of meat on the baking pan?

Arranging your food in a single even layer with a little breathing room allows the hot oven air to circulate properly. This ensures the meat roasts and browns beautifully instead of just steaming in its own trapped moisture.

Do I need to rest the meat before eating?

It is incredibly helpful to let roasted meats rest for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven. This brief pause gives the hot internal juices a chance to redistribute evenly so every bite stays tender.

Can I store the leftovers for later?

You can absolutely keep cooked leftovers fresh by storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. When you are ready for a quick snack, gently warm the meat in the oven until heated all the way through.

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