Marinated Spicy Chicken Wings

4.38 from 8 votes
Made with fish sauce and spices, these marinated spicy chicken wings are packed full of flavor and can be baked in the oven or cooked on the grill.
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These mouthwatering marinated spicy chicken wings are a party-pleasing, finger-licking recipe that are perfect for a summer BBQ, football party or anytime you want an easy appetizer recipe. Made with fish sauce, garlic and some spices, these wings are truly one of a kind and can be baked or grilled.

grilled or baked marinated spicy chicken wings

If you’re looking for an easy but incredibly flavorful appetizer to spice up your next gathering, then you’ve come to the right place.

Made with fish sauce, garlic and a bunch of spices, these marinated spicy wings have a bit of an Asian flair that’s a little different than your usual chicken marinade.

You can adjust the amount of heat to your taste. And because of all the other spices, they’ll have lots of flavor even if you choose to go without the hot sauce.

Plus, they’re super easy to make (don’t let the list of ingredients fool you into thinking otherwise).

And since they’re marinated, they can be prepped a day in advance. With the added bonus that they’ll have even more flavor.

I love to cook them on the grill for summer parties.

But they’re also delicious when baked in the oven.

Ingredients

marinated spicy chicken wings ingredients - fish sauce, cumin, garam masala, ground coriander, vinegar, vegetable oil, garlic, salt, hot sauce, red pepper flakes

This recipe makes about 30 party wings (wings that have been separated).

Here is your shopping list:

  • chicken wings – about 3 pounds fresh wings. I like to buy “party wings” that are already separated, but regular wings will also work. This is about 30 separated wings.
  • dried spices – 1 Tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • garlic – 4 cloves fresh garlic
  • seasoning – 1 teaspoon salt
  • flavoring – 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • hot sauce – ½ teaspoon of your favorite kind such as Tabasco.
  • marinade wet ingredients – 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Substitutions

  • If you are using frozen wings, make sure to thaw them completely before marinating. Otherwise, the extra liquid that comes out of the wings can water down the marinade.
  • You can omit the garam masala if you don’t have it available.
  • Substitute 4 teaspoons pre-minced garlic for the fresh garlic if you prefer.
  • You can use 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce instead of the fish sauce. Eliminate the salt in this case.
  • To make it gluten-free, make sure the fish sauce you are using is marked as such. Or substitute with 2 Tablespoons coco aminos.
  • Adjust the hot sauce to taste. Reduce to ¼ teaspoon or eliminate it for less heat. Increase it to 1 teaspoon for more.

How to make marinated spicy chicken wings

marinated spicy chicken wing being dipped in a bowl of blue cheese dressing surrounded by more wings

Prep work

If you didn’t buy party wings, separate the wings at the joints and discard the tips (or save to make chicken stock).

Mince 4 cloves of garlic.

Make the marinade

spicy chicken wing marinade in a bowl

In a small bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons fish sauce, 2 Tablespoons white vinegar, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon hot sauce.

I like to use a whisk for this since it distributes the spices more evenly throughout the marinade.

Marinate the wings

Put the wings in a Ziploc bag.

Marinade being poured over chicken wings in a Ziploc bag

Pour the marinade over the top. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like a lot. It will be enough to cover the wings.

Close the bag, making sure to squeeze out all of the air.

marinated wings in a Ziploc bag

Move the wings around inside the bag until they are all coated with the marinade.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate them, the more flavor the wings will have.

Flip the bag over occasionally to make sure all sides of the wings are covered.

How to grill

a stack of grilled marinated spicy chicken wings

Warm up the grill on medium heat for a few minutes.

Wipe off any excess marinade, leaving a little for extra flavoring. This will help to reduce flare-ups on the grill.

Spread the wings out on the grill, skin side down first.

Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping occasionally. 

Make sure to check on them frequently to make sure the skin doesn’t burn.

How to bake

Pre-heat the oven to 400℉.

Cover a baking sheet with foil and place a wire baking rack on top of it (if you have one). The baking rack allows heat to circulate evenly around the wings, which helps them get crispier.

marinated wings on a baking sheet with a baking rack

Arrange the wings skin side up in a single layer on the baking rack.

If you don’t have a baking rack, start with the wings skin side down on the baking sheet. Then turn them over half way through the baking time.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 400℉.

baked marinated spicy chicken wings on a baking sheet after they have been cooked

For extra crispiness, broil for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. But watch carefully because the wings burn easily.

Serve

overhead view of marinated spicy wings on a plate with a bowl of blue cheese dressing

Although these wings have lots of flavor all on their own, I like to serve them with blue cheese or ranch dressing.

As with most wings, they are at their best when served immediately after cooking. Otherwise, they will be less crispy (although they will still taste great).

Marinated spicy wings on a plate with blue cheese dressing

Storage

Wings can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

They will not be as crispy after being re-heated, especially in the microwave.

To get back as much crispiness as possible, re-heat in the oven at 350℉ for about 10 minutes or until warmed all the way through.

Frequently asked questions

How long can chicken wings sit in marinade?

The USDA recommends that chicken should not be marinated for more than 2 days. In my experience, the chicken doesn’t pick up much more flavor after about 24 hours.

Do you rinse off marinade before cooking?

If you’re grilling the wings, wiping most of the marinade off can help reduce flare-ups. For baking, I leave it on.

Other wing recipes you might like

a plate of marinated spicy chicken wings with blue cheese dressing on the side

Marinated Spicy Chicken Wings

4.38 from 8 votes
Servings: 30 party wings
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
  • 3 pounds chicken wings separated at the joint

Equipment

  • 1 Small bowl
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 whisk or mixing spoon
  • Large ziploc bag
  • Baking sheet with foil and a baking rack if you are baking the wings

Instructions
 

Marinating the Wings

  • Mix all of the ingredients except for the wings in the small bowl.
  • Put the wings in the ziploc bag.
  • Add the sauce to the bag and seal it, while squeezing out any air.
  • Flip the bag over a few times in all directions to distribute the sauce over the wings.
  • For best flavor, marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours. If you are marinating for longer than an hour, flip the bag over once in a while to make sure all of the wings are evenly covered. You can also skip this step if you are in a hurry.

To Grill

  • Warm up the grill on medium heat for a few minutes.
  • Spread the wings out on the grill, skin side down first.
  • Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping occasionally.

To Bake

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.
  • Cover a baking sheet with foil and place a baking rack in it.
  • Place the wings skin side up on the baking rack.
  • Bake for 45 minutes at 400ºF.
  • To make the skin extra crispy, cook the wings under the broiler for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Watch carefully since they can burn easily.

Notes

  • Replace the fresh garlic with 4 teaspoons of jarred pre-minced garlic if desired.
  • You can substitute 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce and eliminate the salt if you are not looking for a gluten free option.
  • Adjust the hot sauce to your taste. Reduce to ¼ teaspoon or eliminate it if you like less heat. Increase to 1 teaspoon for more heat.
  • If you are baking the wings and don’t have a baking rack, cook the wings on the baking sheet skin side down for 25 minutes. Then flip them over so the skin is facing up and bake for the rest of the time.
  • If you are grilling wings, make sure to monitor them closely since the fat from the skin causes a lot of flare ups and they burn easily.
 
 
Nutrition Facts
Marinated Spicy Chicken Wings
Serving Size
 
1 party wing
Amount per Serving
Calories
65
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
19
mg
6
%
Sodium
 
192
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
47
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
0.3
g
0
%
Fiber
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sugar
 
0.1
g
0
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
47
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
0.4
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
6
mg
1
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

authorWanda Simone
courseMain Course
cuisineAsian
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Have comments or questions on our Asian spice chicken wings recipe? Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on July 7, 2016 but was updated with new content on March 19, 2024.


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4 Comments

  1. Wow, these look yummy. I cannot wait to give this a try.

    1. Thanks, Ivory! I think they are yummy, and really easy to make 🙂

  2. Michele Flores says:

    3 stars
    Wayyyyyyy too salty, the fish sauce should be cut in 1/2. I air fried them,they looked beautiful but were, as I said, too salty. I use Red Boat Fish sauce.

    1. Wanda Simone says:

      I’m sorry they didn’t turn out for you, Michele. I haven’t had a problem with them being too salty, but I used the Thai Kitchen fish sauce so maybe that’s the difference?