Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings

Are you familiar with sriracha? If not, then let me introduce you. It’s a type of hot sauce made from chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. There are some that seem to obsess over the substance and were in quite a panic when the threat of a factory shutdown first arose.  It has amassed an almost cult-like following. Why? Because it’s good! The sauce packs quite a punch. I add some honey and vegetable oil to help mellow it slightly and balance the flavors. A few minutes in a really hot oven and the chicken wings are cooked to a sticky perfection. These are the perfect appetizer to sit down with and watch your favorite sports game this weekend. They seem to magically taste better when you root for my hometown Chicago teams.

Ingredients:

• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup Sriracha
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsps. salt
• 1 3/4 lbs. (or so) chicken wings, cut into sections
• black and/or white sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 500˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup) and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix together honey, sriracha, oil, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Toss wings in sauce and spread out on tray.
3. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes. The sugar in the honey will likely burn—this is okay. Just check every few minutes to make sure the chicken isn’t too burnt.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and allow to cool before serving.