Description
Sweet and Sour ‘Bat’ Wings are a spooky and flavorful Halloween-themed chicken wing recipe featuring whole three-joint chicken wings coated in a unique black barbecue sauce made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, honey, and black gel food colorant. These wings are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with a balanced sweet and tangy flavor, perfect for Halloween parties or festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Wings
- 3 lbs whole chicken wings (3-joint chicken wings)
Sauce
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Black Gel Food Colorant
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp rice or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the Wings: Rinse the whole three-joint chicken wings under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. This helps achieve a crispy texture during cooking.
- Make the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, black gel food colorant, honey, and rice or apple cider vinegar. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and evenly colored.
- Marinate: Place the dried chicken wings in a large bowl or zip-top bag and pour the prepared sauce over them. Toss well to coat all wings evenly. Allow them to marinate for at least 15-30 minutes to absorb the flavors (optional but recommended for better taste).
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top to allow air circulation for crispy wings.
- Bake the Wings: Arrange the marinated wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Reserve the leftover sauce for basting. Bake the wings for 25 minutes.
- Baste and Flip: After 25 minutes, baste the wings with the reserved sauce and flip them to ensure even cooking and caramelization. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the wings are cooked through and crispy on the outside.
- Serve: Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot for a spooky, delicious Halloween appetizer.
Notes
- Sweet and Sour ‘Bat’ Wings are perfect for Halloween parties or potlucks and add a fun, spooky theme to your appetizer spread.
- Using three-joint whole chicken wings ensures the best texture with crispy skin and tender meat inside.
- The black gel food colorant gives the wings their signature ‘bat’ appearance, making them visually striking for Halloween.
- For extra crispiness, pat the wings dry before marinating and use a wire rack during baking to allow air circulation.
- If you prefer, you can marinate the wings overnight for more intense flavor.
- These wings can also be grilled or fried if preferred, but baking is recommended for a balance of ease and crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 181 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 128 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 47 mg
