Our family recipe for sticky Chinese Chicken Wings! Tossed in a savoury, sweet, garlicky Asian marinade, then baked in the oven and basted until deeply golden and very, very sticky…..
As with ribs, there’s no way to look elegant when you annihilate a plate of wings. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
These Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings are so moorish, once you start you won’t be able to stop!
This is my family recipe for Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings which has been tweaked and perfected over years, with input from everyone (mother, brother, sister and me) and many heated debates! We finally agreed this is The Recipe and have been loyal to it for years and I don’t see it changing soon. After all, why tinker with perfection?
The marinade for this recipe is a perfect balance of slightly spicy (very mild), salty, sweet with a touch of tang, and the subtle fragrance of Chinese Five Spice from hoisin sauce as well as five spice powder.
Chicken Wing Marinade
Here’s what you need for the Chinese chicken wing marinade.
We have a rule that it is acceptable to omit one ingredient from the marinade, but if you are missing more than one, then don’t bother making it……. 😂 However, it IS acceptable to substitute with similar ingredients, and I’ve provided a fairly lengthy list of “acceptable” substitutions in the recipe!
(PS If you’re querying the inclusion of ketchup in this marinade – yes, it really is used in Chinese cooking and you’ll find it used in other Chinese recipes you know and love like Sweet and Sour Chicken!)
Chinese Cooking Wine
* Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing / shaoshing wine) is, as with many Chinese recipes, the “secret ingredient” that takes this marinade from “tasty” to “NAILED IT!!” It’s an essential ingredient in all your favourite Chinese restaurant recipes, from Fried Rice to Beef and Broccoli, Chow Mein to Cashew Chicken. It adds complexity to the flavour as well as seasoning (it’s salty).
I use it so often, I even wrote an entire post about it! If you’ve ever followed a recipe for a Chinese takeout copycat recipe but found it just wasn’t quite as good as the real deal, the missing ingredient was probably Chinese cooking wine.
You can get a bottle for $2 (sometimes less!) from Asian stores, though it’s sold in grocery stores in Australia nowadays. It lasts “forever” in the pantry, and I use it in virtually every Chinese recipe.
I try to include substitutions in every recipe and in this case, the best substitutes for Chinese Cooking Wine are (in order of preference):
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Mirin
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Dry sherry
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Drinking sake or other drinking rice wine
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Chicken broth/stock
The chicken wings
I typically make my wings recipes using wings that have been cut into drumettes (the mini chicken leg / drumstick looking part) and wingettes (the other part). Most grocery stores sell them pre cut, otherwise, follow the steps here for how to cut up whole wings OR cook them whole.
How to make it
The making part is very simple:
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mix the Chinese chicken wing marinade and pour over wings;
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marinade for a mere 10 to 15 minutes – don’t marinade for longer otherwise it will make the wings too salty and also makes the marinade watery (from drawing moisture out of the wings) which makes it harder to baste;
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Spread wings out on tray lined with foil and paper. Yes, use both. You’ll thank me later – when you’re sleeping tonight instead of scraping super-glued marinade off the tray; and
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bake for 50 minutes until golden and sticky, basting 2 – 3 times with reserved marinade and tray juices.
How to serve these Chinese wings
I must admit, the times I have enjoyed this the most have involved a few glasses of wine….this is the ultimate midnight snack. Forget kebab stands, we need chicken wing carts outside pubs and clubs, and definitely at every taxi queue! 😂
So they really do make fabulous finger food for sharing, whether passing around as a starter or a casual grazing-platter style gathering.
Or serve these chicken wings as a meal with a side of Fried Rice and a fresh, crunchy Asian Slaw.
However you serve it, be sure to have plenty of napkins handy – or to suck each an every finger clean!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg /3 lb chicken wings , cut into drumettes and wingettes (Note 1)
Chicken Wing Marinade (Note 2 for substitutions)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil , toasted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine, sub Mirin, dry sherry)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all purpose
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup or Aussie tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce or sambal oelek (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
Garnishes (optional)
- Finely sliced shallots/scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Coriander/cilantro leaves
- Finely sliced fresh chili
Instructions
- Mix Marinade ingredients.
- Place wings in large bowl, pour over Marinade and toss well. Set aside for 10 minutes - do not marinate for longer than 1 hour. (Note 3)
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Line baking tray with foil then greaseproof paper (you'll thank me later).
- Shake excess marinade off wings (but reserve the marinade) and spread on baking tray - can be fairly snug but not super squished (use 2 trays if needed).
- Bake 45 - 50 minutes, basting with a brush at 25 minutes and 35 minutes, using the reserved marinade and juieces on the tray.
- The meat should be able to be pulled off the bones quite easily, they should be just starting to char on the edges and a sticky, dark red/golden colour all over.
- Sprinkle with garnishes - coriander/cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, chilli, sliced shallots/scallions - then serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Sesame oil - use toasted (dark brown, not yellow oil). In Australia, toasted is the norm, untoasted is hard to find.
- Lemon juice can be substituted with rice vinegar - or any white / clear plain vinegar (not balsamic)
- Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine) best subs are Mirin (reduce sugar by half) or dry sherry. Next best - cooking sake, drinking sake or other rice wine. No alcoholic sub - chicken broth/stock.
- Soy sauce - use light or all purpose. Do not use dark soy sauce - it's far too intense!
- Hoisin Sauce can be substituted with oyster sauce but then you should add an extra 1/4 tsp of Chinese Five Spice Powder
- Oyster Sauce can be substituted with Hoisin Sauce but if you do so then do not add the 1/2 tsp of five spice powder.
- Chilli Garlic Sauce or Sambal Oelak - sub with any other Asian chilli sauce or paste, such as Chilli Bean Sauce or Sriracha.
- Garlic and ginger - fresh is best! But in an emergency, can sub with 1/2 tsp dried powder
- Five Spice Powder - a Chinese mix of five spices sold in everyday grocery stores!
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2014, updated September 2019 with new photos, brand new video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Oi! Back off dog!!!
Nawww Nagi, i am so excited to have this in my arsenal of starter recipes for guests! Wow. The taste and ease of this recipe is incredible. What a beauty! I can baste and chat and then we all devour!!
Very nice! I will omit soy sauce next time (way too salty), sub sesame chili oil (for extra heat), added sesame seeds to marinade. I air fried for 25 minutes at 400 F, flipping and basting after 15 minutes. Thanks for a flavorful recipe!
Sorry if I missed it; but I looked through the recipe, video, and several pages of comments & didn’t see which type of chili’s were recommended for the garnish…appears to be thin, red chili but so many to choose from – is one in particular recommended…Big fan of many of the recipes on this site…thx…
Used your recipe and the wings came out DIVINE… and thanks for sharing.
I happened to have every ingredient on hand so I gave these a try! Overall, I wasn’t a huge huge fan of them. I think the oyster sauce was too powerful for me. Next time I will use less of it. My SO loved them.
Substitute cut up chicken breast for wings? Would love that.
I made this with bone in chicken thighs.My so said it was the best chicken I ever made and he is very picky!Thanks I love all your recipes!
That sounds delicious! How long did you bake the thighs for?
Hi, Nagi. I love your recipes, including this one. I have a comment though about “treating your dog” to chicken wing tips. I have a Golden Retriever too and adore her. I have always read that one should never give dogs chicken bones, which can shatter and stick in their throats. Just sharing. Keep sharing great recipes!
It’s cooked chicken bones that will shatter. The tip of a raw chicken wing is fine for them as a treat. I wouldn’t feed a bowl full all at once as you might upset their tummy with a new food. Raw chicken, bone and all (wings, necks, backs) are a normal item for dogs fed raw. 🐶
While I’m not a big raw feeder fan feeding raw chicken wing tips and necks is not a major concern. They tend to splinter into shards more if they are cooked than raw.
Raw bones are good!! Just not cooked
Dogs can never be given cooked chicken bones. Very dangerous. However, dogs can eat raw chicken bones. If you think about it, it is definitely something they would eat in the wild. Many dogs or dog-like species (coyotes, e.g.) eat raw birds, such as raiding a chicken coop.
This was football weekend in Canada and now upcoming football for US Thanksgiving and World Cup football for the world unless boycotting so Chicken Wings are required! I’ve been following your recipes so had all the ingredients and my Grey Cup watchers thoroughly approved. Thanks! I might be making them again next weekend…
Nagi, just bought your book cant wait to start, looks great. Alan
Can these Wings be made inside the air fryer instead of oven and would anything needs to be changed from the recipe?
Made this today subbing hoisin for teriyaki . Yum. Served with rice and red cabbage. I did wack up the temp to 200 for the last 10mins as I was in a hurry but after the total 35mins my wings and drumsticks were cooked perfectly and were very juicy inside.
Made this today subbing hoisin for teriyaki . Yum. Served with rice and red cabbage.
can i fry the chicken instead of baking it since i dont have an oven, then coat it with the supposed marinade?
I want to make these the night before tailgating, are they good cold? Or could i throw on the grill to warm them up ?
Made these, only thing I was missing was the wine but it didn’t even need it, it was delicious. Instant favorite!
These are amazing. They’ve quickly become a favourite mid week dinner. Kids absolutely love them. I serve them with jasmine rice and an Asian salad.
This has become my go-to wings recipe. Great flavour, so nice and sticky!
would these go ok on the BBQ?
Absolutely Fantastic wings, so glad I have found your site !