This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Enjoy sweet and savory in one bite with these crazy delicious and incredibly easy to make ginger lime sticky wings recipe!

Thank you Karo® Syrup for sponsoring this post. Celebrate sweet moments together with Karo®!

Sticky wings are a go-to favorite at bar tops, but what about at home for the next game day menu? It seems that chicken wings, while incredibly easy to make, aren’t something I often create at home. I had to pause and wonder why. With chicken wings often going on sale for a reasonable price at the market, and it being the right season for game day menus with lots of messy finger foods, I decided it was time to create a sticky wings recipe the balanced out spicy and savory without being just another wing recipe. 

To create that signature ‘sticky’ sauce, I went with a quick sauce to marinate and baste the chicken in, and tried both grilling and baking to see what produced the best chicken wings. 

What is Karo® Syrup? 

Essentially, yes, Karo® Syrup is corn syrup. And I remember a bottle of both light and dark always being in my family’s baking pantry. 

Karo® Syrup is typically used in baking to keep things moist. It is also used in candy making and controls how sugar crystallizes and can be used in ice cream to prevent ice crystallization.  Karo® Syrup is a corn syrup that comes in dark and light. Karo® Light Syrup is often used in baking and has a subtle vanilla flavor where Karo® Dark Syrup has more of a molasses flavor. 

Often, people think of Karo® Light Syrup for marshmallows, fudge, candies… but it’s is a great secret ingredient for sauces, too. 

For these wings, I wanted something sweet to offset the hot sauce and soy sauce, so I chose Karo® Light Syrup to help thicken and create that signature sticky wing sauce, and to balance out the sweet and savory on this easy wing recipe.  

To grill or bake sticky wings

I tested these sticky wings out both on the grill and in a hot oven. The grill produced a drier texture on the skin, with that classic grilled char. Using Karo® Syrup in the marinade actually helps because normal sugar would burn from the heat over a grill. 

When finished grilling, I brushed the wings with the reserved marinade to add the flavor back in. The wings were amazing, but lacked the ‘sticky’ that I wanted. 

For the baked version, I arranged the marinated chicken wings on a baking rack under 400 degree heat. The chicken wings cooked evenly and remained sticky, but the skin didn’t get the same texture as with grilling. 

After baking, I quickly tossed the wings again in the reserved sauce. 

Both produced great wings and will be a matter of personal choice and ease. If you have a grill handy, I say use it. But on the days when a grill isn’t an option, the oven did just as well. 

What to serve with chicken wings

Chicken wings are a fun finger food. These, in particular, go great with simple white rice and sliced scallions. However, for a game day menu, I would bake up some Furikake Fries, some bacon-wrapped chorizo-stuffed jalapeno poppers, and maybe even some slow cooker meatballs so that everyone could pile up their plates. 

I’d also make sure to have ample napkins laying around. Just cuz. 

Want more fun game day inspiration? Try some of my favorite recipes

• Leftover Smoked Chicken Nachos
• Cheeseburger Bombs
• Smoked Sausage Stuffed Artichokes

If you’ve tried my Ginger Lime Sticky Wings Recipe or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on  Twitter and Facebook.