I have a real affinity for chicken wings. Whether you have them as an appetizer or as your entrée for a meal they can be perfect. I like to try all different types of wings and sample them in different places when we go out to eat. While I may not like them fiery hot like some people do, I do like them with some heat sometimes. Sean, on the other hand, is not a big fan of spicy hot wings or even wings that are medium hot so when I make them for just the two of us when Michelle is away, I usually have to find another way to cook them. I have tried barbecued wings and teriyaki wings in the past, but this time I thought some nice honey mustard wings would be a good compromise for the both of us. We get a little bit of heat for me, the sweetness for him, and we are both happy. I came across this recipe from Food52 for honey mustard chicken wings and it seemed simple to make, so I thought I would give it a try.

Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

3 pounds chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats

Salt and pepper

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha (add more for extra spice)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Put a cooling rack (usually used for cakes and cookies) onto the cookie sheet. This allows the heat to circulate better and helps the wings to develop a crispy skin. Lay the chicken wings out on the rack and season them with a bit of salt and pepper and a quick spray of cooking oil.

Put the wings into the oven, cook for about 20 minutes, flip them over, and cook the wings for another 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook the wings another 5 minutes on each side. This will give them a nice, rich brown color and crispy skin. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.

Return the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the butter, honey, mustard, bourbon, soy sauce and Sriracha. Simmer the mixture for just 2 to 3 minutes so that all the flavors come together. Brush the chicken wings with the sauce and put them back in the oven for about 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the wings over, brush them with more sauce, and cook them for another 5 to 8 minutes. The chicken should be pulling away from the bones and the sauce should have a great glaze going. Serve the wings garnished with scallions and additional sauce on the side.

The honey really shines through in this recipe. It seemed like a lot to me when I was making the recipe, but the sauce was not as sweet as I had worried about. The combination of the Dijon mustard, bourbon and soy sauce really help to set it off and the hot sauce gave the wings just that hint of heat that I liked and Sean did not even notice. He remarked to me several times that I needed to remember this recipe and make them again as he really liked them. He even had the leftovers for lunch the next day to polish them off. It is a great alternative for wings for those that may not like hot or Buffalo-style wings.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I will be vacationing in the Outer Banks starting tomorrow through next Sunday the 24th so I’ll be posting some links to other sites for recipes you might like. Until the next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!