Description
Pineapple glazed chicken wings come together when you toss crispy wings in a sweet and tangy sauce that balances juicy pineapple with savory seasonings. Your kitchen fills with an irresistible aroma as these sticky, glazed wings bake until caramelized and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 5 pounds fresh chicken wings
Marinade and glaze:
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 18 ounces pineapple juice, divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon zest of lime
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup light oil such as sunflower or grapeseed
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Seasonings and garnish:
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro with stems
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup canned pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Rinse your chicken wings under cold water and pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- If your wings aren’t already separated, hold the drumette upright and cut straight down at the joint between the drumette and wingette to divide them, then remove and discard the wing tip.
- Combine 1/4 cup dry sherry, two 6-ounce cans of pineapple juice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, zest from one lime, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 2 tablespoons ginger, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 cup cilantro with stems, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Place your 5 pounds of chicken wings into a gallon-sized zip lock bag and pour in 2 cups of the blended mixture, seal it, and let your wings marinate for exactly 30 minutes at room temperature.
- While your chicken sits, heat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan along with the third 6-ounce can of pineapple juice and the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.
- Bring your glaze mixture to a slow boil over medium heat and let it reduce for 15 to 20 minutes until you have about 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
- Mix 1 tablespoon corn starch with a few teaspoons of water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then stir it into your hot glaze and cook for another minute until your glaze thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, then set it aside.
- Line a sheet tray with foil, place a rack on top, and spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Drain your marinated chicken in a colander and discard the liquid.
- Arrange all your chicken pieces skin side down on the prepared rack, then cover the entire pan tightly with parchment paper followed by foil.
- Bake your covered chicken at 325 degrees F for exactly 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and increase your oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
- Brush both sides of each chicken piece generously with your prepared glaze, arrange the pieces skin side up on the rack, and reserve about 1/4 cup of glaze for later.
- Once your oven reaches 425 degrees F, place your uncovered chicken back in and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the exterior becomes sticky and develops light brown spots.
- Take your wings from the oven, brush them one final time with the remaining 1/4 cup of glaze, and serve hot alongside pineapple chunks if desired.
Notes
- Drying the wings thoroughly after rinsing helps the skin crisp up beautifully during the high-heat finishing phase.
- Don’t marinate longer than 30 minutes because the citrus juice will start breaking down the meat texture and make it mushy.
- When you reduce the glaze, keep the heat at a gentle boil rather than a rolling one so you maintain better control over the final thickness.
- Reserve some glaze before baking to brush on at the end, since the reserved portion stays fresh and glossy while the glaze in the pan concentrates further from the chicken’s juices.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes-1 hour
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg