Baked Chicken Wings with Thai Peanut Sauce

About These Crispy Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce

• Baked instead of fried. My Thai peanut wings are so much lighter than your typical deep-fried, sports bar chicken wings. Since they’re roasted in the oven instead of fried, they’re cooked with much less oil.
• Low-effort cooking. It takes 5 minutes to prepare your wings and sauce, and the oven does most of the work! Making perfect chicken wings has never been simpler. I’ll share all my tips for the BEST wings.
• Easy clean up. With one bowl used to season the chicken and another to make the sauce, you won’t have to worry about a mountain of dishes to wash.

What You’ll Need

These are the simple ingredients that make these saucy Thai peanut wings possible. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list, measurements, and recipe details.

• Chicken Wings – I like to use a combination of drumettes and wings. You can use bone-in or boneless wings (note the cooking time will be shorter with boneless wings).
• Oil – This recipe includes a tablespoon each of sesame and canola oil to help the wings crisp up in the oven. Sesame oil is key to that unmistakable Asian-style flavor.
• Garlic Powder – In addition to salt and pepper, I like to season the wings with garlic for depth of flavor.

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

• Creamy Peanut Butter – Use your favorite brand. It can be regular peanut butter or the no-salt, no-sugar-added kind.
• Fresh Cilantro – If you dislike cilantro, freshly chopped parsley or basil is a good substitute.
• Unsalted Peanuts – Chopped. If you only have crunchy peanut butter on hand, use that and omit the extra peanuts.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – Adds great flavor. Red or white wine vinegar works, too.
• Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed is best.
• Tamari Sauce – Or soy sauce.
• Garlic Chili Sauce – To add some heat. You can use another chili sauce, like Sriracha, if needed.
• Fresh Ginger – Freshly minced. The small holes on a box grater work well!

How to Make Baked Thai Chicken Wings

Crispy Thai wings slathered in peanut sauce are always a crowd-pleaser, whether it’s a weeknight dinner or game day! And they’re so easy to make. Here are the steps.

• Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, rinse the chicken wings with filtered water and pat them dry with paper towels. Make sure they’re well-dried, or they won’t be as crispy when baked.
• Season the wings. Next, combine the chicken wings, sesame oil, canola oil, and seasonings in a large bowl. Toss the chicken thoroughly to coat. Arrange the chicken on wire racks set on top of two baking sheets. For easier clean-up, line the pans.
• Bake. Bake the chicken wings at 400ºF for 45-50 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.

Make the Wing Sauce

While the wings bake, follow the steps to prepare the sweet-and-spicy Thai peanut sauce.

• Combine the ingredients. Combine the peanut butter, hot water, and the other sauce ingredients in a bowl. It’s important to use hot water so the peanut butter melts. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add more hot water, one tablespoon at a time.
• Coat the wings. When the chicken comes out of the oven, pour the peanut sauce over the freshly baked wings and toss until well coated.
• Garnish and serve. I like topping off my Thai peanut chicken with diced red pepper, fresh cilantro, diced green onions, and more chopped peanuts. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips and Tricks

• Bake on a wire rack. I recommend baking your chicken on a wire rack set on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. This way, any excess liquid drips down into the pan, helping your chicken get extra crispy.
• Use tongs. I encourage you to flip the chicken with tongs so that you don’t have to stick your hands into the oven. If you don’t have tongs, line your oven mitt with foil and use that instead.
• Adjust the sauce consistency. You may need to thin out the peanut sauce a little after everything is combined. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until you’re happy with the consistency.
• Make it spicier. I love topping my wings with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce to add an extra kick of spice! You could also sprinkle chopped chilies on top if you really crave the flame.

Serving Suggestions

Baked Thai peanut chicken wings make a delicious starter for any meal, and they’re a perfect party snack served with more finger foods. Try these crispy zucchini fries and bang bang shrimp, or add these spicy Thai chicken wings to a game day charcuterie board along with bacon-wrapped jalapeños.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Once cooled, leftover wings should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge. Enjoy leftovers within 4 days.
• Reheat. To reheat your chicken, place the wings on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them at 350°F until they’re warmed through
• Freezing. If you’d like, you can prepare your wings and peanut sauce ahead of time and store them in separate airtight containers in the freezer. The sauce will last up to 6 months, and the chicken will last up to 4. Thaw everything out in the fridge before reheating the chicken and adding the sauce. While the wings are in the oven, bring the peanut sauce to room temperature. Stir it well and thin it out again if needed. Toss it with the reheated chicken and enjoy!

More Easy Chicken Wing Recipes

• Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
• Honey Barbecue Wings
• Chili Lime Baked Chicken Wings 
• Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Wings