With just a few simple ingredients, you can elevate your favourite pepper sauce to create something that is luscious, velvety and bursting with flavour! This Sauce Recipe for Hot Wings is ready in a matter of minutes and is the perfect wing sauce for those who love a bit of a kick.
It shouldn’t be too much of a secret at this point – I love both chicken wings and anything hot and spicy. So, really, does it come as any surprise that I love hot chicken wings? That are SAUCY AF, might I add (obvs). Cause I’ve ALWAYS lived by the rules – the saucier the better – and when you have a sauce recipe for hot wings as good as this one, you’re gonna want as much of it in your piehole as you can get. Trust me. Maybe it’s just me, but I could seriously drink this thing by the jarful.
Other than my non-negotiable rule that chicken wings MUST BE HELLA SAUCY (yup, I’d shout it off the rooftops if I could!), I have a few others I like to stick to both when ordering at the local pub or when making them from scratch myself at home. I am a self-proclaimed chicken wing connoisseur, afterall. I like them to be crispy (which should go without saying) and either creamy or hot or both creamy and hot. Sorry boring ol’ BBQ sauce, but there just ain’t no other way for me!
When it comes to this recipe for wing hot sauce, we like to keep things as easy as they get cause why complicate something that doesn’t have to be? We use Frank’s Original Hot Sauce as the base then balance it out with different flavours you probably already have lurking around your pantry. If you know anything about Frank’s, I’m sure you could agree that it was pretty much made for chicken wings. So there’s no surprise here when this elevated sauce recipe for hot wings is as delicious as it is simple to whip up.
How many pounds are you starting with?! Cause I guess now is a good time to warn ya… This hot wing sauce is incredibly addicting!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS SAUCE RECIPE FOR HOT WINGS
The simplest ingredients (that you might even already have on hand!) come together to create a sauce recipe for hot wings that is both easy to make and flavourful to eat. Let’s discuss each one in a little bit more detail down below:
- Frank’s: A popular cayenne pepper based hot sauce which is the primary flavour component of this hot wing sauce recipe. It adds heat and tanginess and pairs perfectly well with the crispy chicken wings. If you don’t have any Frank’s RedHot on hand, you can always use Sriracha or Tabasco instead.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps to balance out the heat from the hot sauce. You can also use olive oil as a dairy-free or vegan alternative. The butter or olive oil serves as a base for the sauce and helps to bind the other ingredients together.
- Honey: Adds sweetness to the sauce, which helps to mellow out the heat from the hot sauce. It also adds depth of flavour and complexity to the sauce. You can use maple syrup instead, if you prefer. PRO TIP: You can adjust the amount of honey or maple syrup based on your preference for sweetness.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: Add additional flavour to the sauce. Garlic powder provides a savoury, garlicky flavour, while onion powder adds a subtle onion flavour. These seasonings enhance the overall taste of the sauce without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Salt and Pepper: Added to taste, helping to balance out the flavours and enhance the overall seasoning of the sauce. You can adjust the amount of salt and pepper based on your preference.
HOW TO MAKE HOT SAUCE FOR CHICKEN WINGS (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this elevated recipe for wing hot sauce in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Use quality hot sauce. The hot sauce you choose will heavily influence the flavour of your final sauce. Opt for a high-quality hot sauce with a flavour profile you enjoy. Popular choices include Frank’s RedHot, Sriracha or Tabasco, but feel free to experiment with different or your favourite varieties.
- Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together once you add them to the pot. This will not only evenly distribute the flavours but it will also prevent clumping and ensure a smooth and velvety hot wing sauce.
- Taste as you go. Throughout the cooking process, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Everyone’s preference for spice, sweetness and tanginess differs, so it’s important to tailor the sauce to your liking before saucing the wings and serving.
- Be cautious not to overheat the sauce, especially once you’ve added the butter or olive oil. Overheating can cause the sauce to separate or become greasy. Keep the heat low and stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Let the sauce cool for a few minutes before using it to coat your wings. This allows the flavours to meld together and prevents the sauce from being too runny or thin.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Several hot sauces work well for making hot wings, but some popular choices include:
Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce: This classic hot sauce is a favourite for Buffalo-style wings. It has a good balance of heat and tanginess, making it perfect for coating wings. It’s the one I used in this recipe and the bright orange-y sauce you see in the photos.
Sriracha: Sriracha adds a unique twist to hot wings with its garlicy, tangy flavour. It’s a bit thicker than traditional hot sauce, so you may want to adjust the consistency of your sauce accordingly.
Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce: Tabasco offers a bold, vinegary kick that pairs well with chicken wings. It’s a bit hotter than some other options, so use it sparingly if you prefer milder wings.
Cholula Original Hot Sauce: Cholula has a well-rounded flavour with a moderate level of heat. It’s made with a blend of arbol and piquin peppers, along with vinegar and spices, which adds depth to your hot wing sauce.
Butter is a key ingredient in hot wing sauce for a few reasons. It has a distinctive flavour that complements the tanginess of the hot sauce. It adds depth and complexity to the sauce, enhancing its overall flavour profile. Butter adds richness and creaminess to the sauce, balancing out the heat from the hot sauce. This richness helps to coat the wings evenly and provides a smooth texture to the sauce. And finally, it acts as a binding agent, helping to bring together the other ingredients in the sauce.
If you prefer a dairy-free option, you can use olive oil as a substitute, although it will impart a slightly different flavour to the sauce.
This sauce recipe for hot wings is generally pretty thick and coats the chicken wings perfectly, IMHO. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken up a bit as it cools so it’s okay if it seems slightly thinner while still warm.
If you prefer a thicker sauce from the get-go, slightly increasing the amounts of butter and honey should help. You can also mix equal parts of cornstarch and water to make a slurry and then stir it into the sauce over low heat until it thickens.
To make hot sauce stick to wings effectively, follow these tips:
Dry the wings thoroughly. Pat the wings dry with paper towels before coating them with sauce. Moisture on the surface of the wings can prevent the sauce from adhering properly.
Heat the sauce. Warm the hot sauce slightly before tossing the wings in it. This helps to thin out the sauce slightly, making it easier to coat the wings evenly.
Double-dip method. For extra saucy wings, you can try the double-dip method. After tossing the wings in the sauce once, let them cool slightly, then toss them in the sauce again for an extra layer of flavour.
Thicken the sauce. If you prefer a thicker sauce that sticks better to the wings, you can add a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour to the sauce before tossing the wings in it.
Hot wings are delicious on their own but if you want to serve them up with something, consider these tasty options: blue cheese dressing who’s coolness helps balance out the heat from the wings, ranch dressing who’s creamy texture and mild flavour provide a nice contrast to the spicy wings, celery or carrot sticks for a crunchy and refreshing accompaniment, pickled jalapeños for an extra kick of heat, sliced cucumber or pickled onions for a refreshing and cooling contrast or garlic bread, dinner rolls or french fries on the side to soak up any extra sauce.
And, if you know me, you might already know that this goes without saying in my house! – Pair hot wings with your favourite beer, cocktail or soda for a satisfying beverage to wash them down.
SAUCE RECIPE FOR HOT WINGS
With just a few simple ingredients, you can elevate your favourite pepper sauce to create something that is luscious, velvety and bursting with flavour! This Sauce Recipe for Hot Wings is ready in a matter of minutes and is the perfect wing sauce for those who love a bit of a kick.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Hot Sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter (or Olive Oil for a dairy-free option)
- 1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add the hot sauce, honey (or maple syrup), garlic powder and onion powder. Whisk well to combine.
- Cook the sauce over low heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's heated through and well combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional honey/maple syrup if desired. Once the sauce reaches your desired flavour, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly before using it to coat your wings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 364Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 336mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 2gSugar: 33gProtein: 2g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
SEE THIS RECIPE IN ACTION WITH MY HOMEMADE OVEN BAKED HOT CHICKEN WING RECIPE!
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