Sticky Orange Balsamic Baked Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are getting a tangy citrusy makeover in this Sticky Orange Balsamic Wings recipe.

Update: This recipe was originally published in 2018 and has been republished with all new photos and updated recipe instructions.

Growing up if there was a game on tv you could be confident that my dad would be making wings. I can still picture him in the kitchen prepping his flour (he usually fried his wings) with the loud cheers from a football field (insert almost any sport here because he loved so many kinds) in the background. I’m not sure if he was more excited about whatever game he was watching or the wings to be honest. So I’ll forever associate crispy wings slathered in any kind of sauce with him.

While you can order wings to go or get them delivered to your house, they really do lose their crispiness en route don’t they? Thankfully wings are actually kind of fun to make at home. I like to bake mine to keep them just a bit healthier. And there are so many ways to make them interesting with a variety of fun flavor combinations!

Today I’m sharing a nontraditional flavor combo that I especially love. No buffalo sauce happening here, folks! These Sticky Orange Balsamic Wings are instead very tangy and a little citrusy. They’re not overly sweet (the balsamic helps with that) and they’re just so very good.

Sticky Orange Balsamic Chicken Wings Ingredients

• Chicken wingettes, wings, or split wings: You’re welcome to use wingettes, wings, or split wings. Split wings are separated into drumettes and flats. Often packs labeled “wings” include a combination of all of the above.
• Orange juice: Orange juice adds a kick of citrus that balances out the tangy flavor of the balsamic vinegar beautifully.
• Balsamic vinegar: I love using balsamic vinegar to flavor all kinds of savory dishes. It has a rich flavor that makes it so unique from other vinegars.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds some richness to our sauce and helps it cling to the wings.
• Orange zest: Orange zest adds more orange flavor to our wings.
• Butter or ghee: You can use butter or ghee in the sauce. It works to make our sauce smooth and creamy.
• Seasonings: To maximize the flavor of these wings we’re using lots of simple seasonings in our dry rub.

How to Make Sticky Orange Balsamic Chicken Wings

First you coat the chicken wings in an easy dry rub for maximum flavor. The dry rub I’m using here isn’t crazy spicy but it does have a little heat.

Next you pop the wings in the oven to bake (grilling also works great if the weather is nice). I like to use a baking rack on top of an aluminum foil covered baking sheet. This helps get some crispiness on the wings and it makes for easy clean up.

Once those wings are cooked through it’s time to slather on the sticky sauce. Oh yes. My favorite part.

This sauce uses just a few simple ingredients to achieve a really complex taste. Orange juice and orange zest give it some sweetness. Balsamic vinegar prevents that sweetness from getting out of hand and brings a big tangy punch of flavor.

While your wings are baking you’ll let the sauce simmer on the stove. It reduces until it’s nice and thick so it can cling beautifully to your chicken.

That’s it, friends! That wasn’t hard at all, was it?

What Part of the Chicken to Use

Next time you’re in the grocery store grab a pack of chicken wings and a pack of chicken wingettes and hold them side by side. Chicken wings are quite large! The middle part of the wing is actually called a wingette or a flat. When you see chicken wings at a restaurant what you’re really getting are usually wingettes or split wings. They’re cut smaller and easier to eat. I typically purchase wingettes in my grocery store when making wings at home. You’re welcome to use wings, wingettes, or split wings.

Tips for the Crispiest Baked Wings

Anyone who says baked wings can’t be crispy isn’t do it right! Here are five simple things you need to do for crispy baked wings.

• Pat your wings dry with a paper towel.
• Don’t add any sauce until the end.
• Spread the chicken wings on an oven safe wire rack over a baking sheet. I use the cooling rack that’s intended for cookies. Really. You don’t want your wings touching the bottom of the pan so this keeps them elevated.
• Bake at high heat. I do my wings at 450 degrees.
• Flip the wings at around the halfway point so both the top and the bottom get crispy.

Are These Wings Whole30 Compliant and Dairy Free?

Yes! Just be sure to use ghee instead of regular butter to keep them Whole30 compliant. Use vegan butter instead of ghee or regular butter to keep them dairy free.

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