Mango Habanero Hot Wings

Written by Katerina

Published Mar 10, 2022

These Mango Habanero Hot Wings are an appetizer that’s bursting with flavor. Sweet, complex notes of mango complement the wings perfectly, while spicy habanero adds the perfect amount of heat. Everyone will devour these easy, addictive chicken wings!

overhead shot of Mango Habanero Hot Wings arranged on a white serving plate with celery sticks and carrots set alongside the wings. Two Jars of hot sauce and ranch dipping sauce are also set on the plate.

Sweet and Spicy Mango Habanero Wings, Perfect for Game Day

Oh, hot wings, how I love you. 💕 Around here, there are a few foods that bring out cheers and smiles, and wings are definitely one of those foods! They’re especially welcome on game days, family nights, and other chill occasions – but honestly, make these whenever you want. Everyone loves them!

These aren’t just any wings, oh no. These wings are made with a mix of buttery hot wing sauce, mango nectar, and habanero pepper hot sauce. Spice-eh! 🌶 The combination of sweet, tropical mango nectar and fiery habanero hot sauce is a mouthwatering, finger-lickin’ combination!

Don’t worry – you can add the habanero sauce to taste. Make these wings tear-jerkingly hot, or give them just a teeny sizzle. It’s up to you!

What You’ll Need

So just what goes into this recipe for sweet, spicy wings? It’s actually just a handful of simple ingredients – mostly spices and seasonings. You’ve probably already got most of them on hand.

For the Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings: You can use fresh chicken wings, or thaw out frozen raw chicken wings the night before. If you use frozen wings that you’ve thawed, I recommend patting them dry with paper towels before breading them.
Flour: All-purpose flour works just fine.
Baking Powder: Adding a little baking powder helps the wings crisp up in the oven.
Spices: A trio of onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder give the wings a perfectly-balanced flavor.
Salt and Pepper

For the Mango Habanero Hot Sauce

Mango Nectar: You can often find mango nectar and other nectars on the international foods aisle at the grocery store. OR at Costco. Amazon, too.
Butter: A little melted butter makes this sauce irresistible!
Hot Sauce: Frank’s Hot Sauce is my go-to, but you can use any regular tabasco-style hot sauce.
Chile Habanero Hot Sauce: This gives the sauce its special habanero taste and kick.
Sugar: Just a spoonful, to enhance the natural sweetness in the mango. You can omit this if you feel your sauce is sweet enough.

raw wings set on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Is a Habanero Hotter Than a Jalapeno?

Yes, habaneros are much hotter than jalapenos – up to 100 times as hot! 🔥 For a while, a particular type of red habanero was considered the hottest pepper on record. Since then, a couple of others have taken that spot, but you can see that habaneros are no joke.

That’s one reason that I prefer to make these wings with store-bought habanero sauce. It’s easier to use than raw habaneros, which have to be cut using gloves and handled with care. Additionally, the habanero hot sauce contains other flavorful ingredients, which boost the flavor in the finished wing sauce.

overhead shot of cooked hot wings arranged on a parchment lined baking sheet.

How to Make Mango Habenero Hot Wings

Baking hot wings couldn’t be easier, which is great – who doesn’t love a simple recipe with spectacular results? You’ll notice that for this recipe, I cut my wings into drums, flats, and tips. However, you can also get wings that are pre-cut, making this even easier!

Prep the Oven, Baking Sheet, and Wings. First, set your oven to preheat to 425˚F. Next, line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spritz it lightly with cooking spray, or rub it with a small amount of oil on a paper towel. Set the baking sheet aside. Finally, cut the wings into three pieces: drums, flats, and tips. Discard the tips (or pack them into a freezer bag for making stock/broth).
Bread the Wings. In a big bowl, mix together the breading ingredients: flour, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. You can also do this in a big zip-top bag, and give it a shake. Add your wing sections to the mixture, and toss to coat evenly in the seasoned flour.
Bake. Arrange the wings in a single layer, preferably not touching, on your baking sheet. Bake them for 20 minutes, turn them over, and bake for 20 minutes more.
Make the Mango Habanero Sauce. To make the sauce, take out another large mixing bowl and whisk together the mango nectar, the butter, the hot sauce, the chile habanero sauce, and the sugar. Taste the sauce, and adjust the amounts as needed. If you like, you can reserve a small amount of sauce (½ cup or so) in another dish for dipping the baked wings.
Toss the Wings in the Sauce, and Serve. Once the wings are done, take them out of the oven and add them to the mixing bowl with sauce. Toss them to coat, and then place them on a serving platter.
Enjoy! Serve your wings warm with your choice of dipping sauces and sides.

habanero hot wings on a baking sheet with a jar of buffalo dipping sauce set right next to the wings.

Helpful Tips

Before you start baking, hold on one second! I’d love to share a few easy tips and tricks for making this recipe.

Go Flourless: You can make delicious wings with no flour at all – just toss the wings in the rest of the breading ingredients. They won’t be quite as crunchy, but they’ll taste amazing and the skin will still be crispy.
Double Up: This is a great recipe to double, so that you can freeze half (see freezing instructions below). An easy appetizer stashed in your freezer? Perfect!
Start Small: Since habaneros are so hot, try adding just a small amount of the habanero sauce to your wing sauce mixture, and work your way up until it tastes right to you.

Easy Serving Ideas

Definitely serve your wings with additional mango habanero sauce for dipping! You can also serve some bleu cheese or ranch dressing, and maybe some raw veggies. 🥦 Other tasty serving ideas include…

Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Balls: These addictive snacks have all of the flavor of jalapeno poppers, but with no need to stuff the jalapenos or deep fry anything. Instead, these Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Balls are made with diced jalapenos, cheese, and bacon, rolled into balls and cooked in the air-fryer. Yum!
Crab Dip: This indulgent recipe for classic Hot Crab Dip is full of tender, sweet crab meat, Old Bay seasoning, and cheese. Serve with all your favorite dippers.
Potato Wedges: I love potato in all its forms, but these seasoned Grilled Potato Wedges might just be my favorite! They are flavorful, crispy, and satisfying. Wings and potato wedges practically make a meal!

close up overhead shot of Mango Habanero Hot Wings arranged on a white serving plate with celery sticks and carrots set alongside the wings.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store the wings in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge, for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350˚F until heated through.

Can I Freeze Mango Habanero Hot Wings?

Yes, baked chicken wings freeze well! I recommend flash-freezing them first, and then storing.
To do this, place the wings on a tray or baking sheet and put that in the freezer until the wings are fully frozen. Then, transfer the wings to a freezer bag or airtight container, and store in your freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat directly from frozen.

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5 from 1 vote