Guava BBQ Glazed Chicken Wings (Printable)

Crispy wings glazed with sweet guava BBQ sauce for a smoky, tropical twist on classic game day fare.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, split at joints, tips removed
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Guava BBQ Glaze

05 - ½ cup guava paste or guava jelly
06 - ½ cup BBQ sauce, gluten-free if needed
07 - 2 tablespoons honey
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss wings with salt, black pepper, and vegetable oil until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine guava paste, BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat while whisking until guava melts and glaze becomes smooth, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour half of the glaze over wings and toss to coat evenly.
06 - Return glazed wings to the wire rack and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the coating caramelizes.
07 - Toss wings with remaining glaze before serving. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped cilantro or green onions if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The guava glaze is surprisingly forgiving, so even if you rush it, the sweet tropical flavor carries the whole dish.
  • These wings stay crispy on the outside while staying juicy inside, which honestly feels like winning the lottery in wing cooking.
  • They're naturally gluten-free if you grab the right sauces, making them a crowd-pleaser for almost any gathering.
02 -
  • If you skip the wire rack and place wings directly on the pan, the bottoms steam instead of crisping—learned that the hard way and wasted an entire batch.
  • Don't overfill the broiler; if wings are piled too high, the bottom layer stays soggy while the top burns, so work in batches if needed and brush extra glaze on anything that looks dry.
03 -
  • For wings that stay crispy even after sitting out for 20 minutes, air-dry them uncovered in the fridge for 1–2 hours before roasting—the fridge moisture will evaporate, and that fridge air does wonders for skin texture.
  • If guava paste is hard to find in your area, apricot or mango preserves work beautifully as substitutes and give you a slightly different but equally delicious flavor profile.
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