Asian Style Spicy Sticky Soy Chicken Wings
- Devaki Das
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
It feels like a lifetime ago that I was in Malaysia for the first time and spent every spare moment I could wandering New Lane in Penang. For anyone who loves food, it is pure magic—an endless procession of sizzling woks, charcoal grills, aromatic broths, and generations-old recipes served from humble stalls. It remains, in my view, one of the greatest street-food walks anywhere in the world.
Among the hundreds of vendors, I found myself returning night after night to the stalls serving chicken wings and chicken quarters lacquered in the classic Chinese master sauce. The wings would emerge from the grill glistening and caramelized, their skin blistered from the heat and coated in a sticky glaze that balanced sweet, savory, smoky, and umami notes all at once. The best versions seemed to achieve culinary alchemy, slowly reducing the sauce until the rendered chicken fat emulsified into it, creating a rich, glossy coating that clung to every bite.
What completed the experience were the tiny local limes served alongside. Similar in size to the key limes we know in the United States, they packed an intense citrus punch. A quick squeeze over the hot wings transformed the dish entirely—the bright acidity cutting through the richness of the glaze and amplifying the smoky flavors from the grill. To this day, whenever I make sticky soy wings at home, I find myself reaching for those little limes, instantly transported back to the bustling streets of Penang, plastic stools spilling onto the pavement, the hum of conversation in multiple languages, and the intoxicating aromas that seemed to drift through the warm tropical night air.
Singapore offered its own version of this obsession. Whether at bustling hawker centers or neighborhood food courts, I was always on the lookout for sticky, soy-glazed wings. They became one of those dishes that anchored my travels—simple, comforting, and deeply satisfying. Between bites, cold Tiger beers, and the constant buzz of life around me, I discovered that some of the most memorable meals are not found in fine dining restaurants, but on crowded streets where recipes have been perfected over decades and shared with anyone lucky enough to pull up a chair.
Today we made these at home as my oldest needed a really yummy dish to carry to a potluck gathering. Older I'm getting, if I don't write down the recipe I can't remember how I made a dish a few weeks earlier! I had made these in the winter and they were so good that I knew I wanted to replicate the dish so here goes. It doesn't disappoint. He returned from the party not a wing left in sight and said everyone was raving about them.
So make them! You're going to love these. Promise.
warmly,
Devaki
Recipe for
Asian Style Spicy Sticky Soy Chicken Wings
Serves 4-6, good size portions
Shopping list:
3 lbs. organic chicken wings, cut and tips thrown away
1/4 cup shaoxing wine or dry Fino sherry
2 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp canola oil
First batch spices:
2 tbsp. ginger and garlic paste
5 dried red chillies
3 whole star anice
1 qty 3 inch cinnamon stick
1 tsp five spice powder
Sauce:
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce, regular not dark
3 tbsp mirin
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup water
Preparation:
Chicken: Dry on paper towels. Toss with 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper for 30 mins. Chilies: Tear in two bit and shake to get rid of loose seeds. Set aside.
First batch spices: In a bowl combine the ginger garlic paste, dried red chillies, star anise whole, 5-spice powder and the cinnamon stick
Sauce: In a bowl, combine the ingredients and whisk to combine.
Green onions: Thinly slice for garnish
Method:
Heat a wok and throw in some water and as soon as it sizzles it is searing hot. On high heat, add the oil and after a few seconds, add the cut-up chicken wings. Spread out in a single layer.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side and then turn over and cook on the other side also for 3-4 minutes until the wings are crispy brown on both sides.
Add the first batch of ingredients and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the wings are nicely coated with the spices.
Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the Shaoxing wine or sherry and deglaze the bottom of the wok. Make sure to get all the sticky bits off the bottom. Simmer for about a minute.
Add all the sauce ingredients, stir and reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the wings. There will be quite a bit of liquid in the wok.
Increase the heat to medium high and evaporate the excess liquid so the sauce is thick and gooey. Add the honey and toss. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Remove to the a bowl, garnish with green onions and serve hot.
Enjoy!
Make ahead tips: Feel free to make these ahead of time and carry them to a pot luck at room temp. Ideally warm in an oven preheated at 300 def F for 10 mins before serving.
