The following is the best example I have of just how much I love hot wings:
I went to a small liberal arts college in the middle of Ohio called The College of Wooster. When I mean small, I mean the general population of the college was 1700 students by the time I graduated in 2002. During my Junior year of high school, my mother informed me that she refused to let me apply to an in-state (Georgia) college or university. She wanted me to get out and explore the world. So I ‘explored’ all the way to Amish Country, Ohio.
About 2 months into my first year of college (us Liberal Arts college attendees did not use the vulgar, gender-specific word of “Freshman”. We were ‘First Years’), the college hosted a Parents Weekend. I feel strongly that my mom had booked her ticket for Parents Weekend before I even started college so needless to say, she would be attending. When my mom arrived, she arrived with a small carry-on bag as well as what appeared to be a cooler. When I asked her what was in the cooler she told me to grab a few friends, find a nice spot to have a picnic and then she’ll tell me.
Well, turns out what was in the cooler were more of her super special hot wings than one could shake a stick at (Southern phrase, y’all. No one’s actually shaking a stick at anything). The woman had flown from Georgia to Ohio with several dozen hot wings nestled protectively in a cooler. My friends and I were beyond thrilled. We also came up with a plan to open a hot wing restaurant in Wooster, featuring my mom’s famous recipe. Sadly (or not so sadly) that dream never came true. But I will NEVER forget that weekend and those wings for as long as I live.
I’ve booked my Parents Weekend ticket for her First Year of college already. That’s normal, right?
I still make mom’s hot wing recipe as often as I can. I’ve even started incorporating them into an annual Simchat Torah Wing Ding. A “Wing Ding” is essentially a dinner of more hot wings than, well, you can shake a stick at. Because really? What says, “YAY! We finished another cycle of reading the entire Torah” more than chicken wings!? This past Simchat Torah I made 4 different kinds of wings, everything from my mom’s original recipe to a savory Italian, Sweet and Sour and these bad boys, Honey Garlic Sriracha wings. For me, wings are all about the marinade and how they’re cooked. We grill a lot but I prefer baking them on a very high heat for roughly 45 minutes. They come out crispy and delicious and without that ‘grill’ flavor that can get in the way of the marinade and sauce. See below for the recipe and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken wings
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tsp paprika
- 1 Tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 Tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 Cup honey
- 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Sriracha (depending on how you handle your heat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash and separate wings into drummettes and the other part (what is that called?).
- Place separated wings into a large bowl.
- In the following order, add the salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix well.
- Next, add the olive oil and garlic.
- Mix with hands or wooden spoon to combined and evenly disperse seasonings.
- Place wings onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
- Flip wings over half way through cook time using metal tongs.
- Combine honey and Sriracha into a bowl. Stir well and taste along the way, adding more Sriracha as you go.
- Pour sauce over fully cooked wings.
- Serve while hot.
