Spicy Asian & Tangy Honey BBQ Drumettes/Wings

Wings are always a popular dish. Perfect for watching the game, great party food and they go great with cold beer! However, I think the chain restaurants charge way too much for something so little. By making these at home, you can make something alot tastier at a fraction of the retail cost.

The recipes below are two that my kids really enjoy, spicy for Paige and sweet for Sam. I don't serve them with the traditional side of blue cheese or ranch dressing, they have enough flavor on their own. For the wings that are coated in flour, I prefer to bake them on a rack so the coating crisps up evenly and use cooking spray for a lighter alternative to deep frying.

Spicy Asian Wings (left)

10 -12 drumettes or wings, tips removed

1 1/2 cups prepared Szechuan sauce

1tbs ground ginger

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey

salt and pepper to taste

sesame seeds 

Preheat oven to 400°

In a ziplock bag combine 1/2 cup Szechuan sauce, ginger and water. Place chicken pieces in bag, seal and refrigerate for an hour. Line a cookie sheet with foil, remove chicken from bag and place pieces in single layer without touching. Season with salt and pepper and bake until done, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, place remaining  Szechuan and honey in bowl and mix. When pieces are cooked through, baste with Szechuan and honey mixture and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, arrange on plate and drizzle sauce over top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm with remaining sauce on side.

Tangy Honey BBQ Wings (right)

10-12 drumettes or wings, tips removed

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 tbs cornstarch

1tsp smoked paprika

3/4 cup milk

1 cup prepared BBQ sauce

1/2 cup honey

1tsp cayenne pepper

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°

Combine milk and paprika in a bowl with lid. Place chicken in bowl, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Combine flours and cornstarch in a second bowl. Remove chicken from bowl and reserve liquid. Dip each piece of moistened chicken in flour mix and set aside. After all pieces are coated, repeat process again. Spray a baking rack* or foil lined cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place pieces in single layer without touching. Lightly spray each piece with cooking spray and bake in oven 20-30 minutes, or til done. Meanwhile, mix in a bowl the BBQ sauce, honey and cayenne pepper. When chicken is done, remove from oven and brush sauce on all sides of each piece. Return to oven and bake for another five minutes. Serve warm with remaining sauce on the side.