Description
Delicious and flavorful Hot Honey Florida Orange Juice Chicken Wings combine the sweetness of honey and fresh Florida orange juice with a spicy kick of red pepper flakes and cayenne. These crispy baked wings are coated in a tangy and spicy sauce made with orange zest, apple cider vinegar, and a cornstarch-thickened glaze. Perfect as a snack or appetizer for gatherings, these wings offer a perfect balance of sweet, citrusy, and spicy notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Hot Honey Orange Juice Sauce
- 1¼ cups Florida Orange Juice
- ½ cup honey
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, to garnish finished wings (optional)
Chicken Wings
- 3 pounds chicken wing sections
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Rack: Preheat the oven to 425°F. If using an air fryer or convection oven, reduce the heat to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack over it to catch grease during cooking.
- Season Wings: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Drizzle with olive oil and season evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and optional red pepper flakes. Toss well to ensure even coating.
- Arrange Wings: Lay the wings in a single layer on the cooling rack atop the baking sheet, making sure not to crowd them to allow proper crisping rather than steaming.
- Bake Wings: Bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the wings are crispy and reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- Make Sauce Base: While the wings cook, combine Florida orange juice, honey, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, orange zest, and apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water until smooth with a milky appearance.
- Thicken Sauce: Gradually whisk the cornstarch slurry into the boiling sauce a little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Continue adding until the sauce thickens to your preferred consistency, not necessarily using all the slurry.
- Season Sauce: Remove the sauce from heat and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss Wings with Sauce and Serve: Once the wings are cooked, toss them in the hot honey orange sauce until well coated. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra crispy wings, make sure they are thoroughly dried before oiling and seasoning.
- You can adjust the heat level by modifying the amount of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper to your taste.
- Use fresh Florida orange juice for the best flavor, or substitute with any fresh orange juice available.
- If you don’t have a cooling rack, you can place the wings directly on a baking sheet but flip more often to prevent sticking.
- The sauce can be made ahead and reheated gently before tossing with wings.
- Serve the wings with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing for a classic accompaniment.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 wings (about 150g)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: hot honey chicken wings, orange juice chicken wings, spicy honey wings, baked chicken wings, Florida orange juice recipe, sweet and spicy wings
