Guava BBQ Glazed Chicken Wings (Printable Version)

Crispy wings glazed with sweet guava BBQ sauce for a tropical twist on a classic favorite.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.5 lbs chicken wings, split at joints, tips removed
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Guava BBQ Glaze

05 - 0.5 cup guava paste or guava jelly
06 - 0.5 cup BBQ sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons honey
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
12 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and position 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 - Combine guava paste, BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until guava melts and glaze reaches smooth consistency, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Transfer roasted wings to a large bowl. Pour half the glaze over wings and toss until fully coated.
06 - Return glazed wings to the wire rack and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until glaze caramelizes.
07 - Toss wings with remaining glaze and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh cilantro or sliced green onions if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like you've been slaving over these for hours, but honestly, you're done in under an hour flat.
  • That crispy-sticky glaze finish is addictive—guests always ask for the recipe and look genuinely surprised when you tell them how simple it is.
  • The guava-BBQ combination feels fancy enough for impressing people, but casual enough that you won't stress about getting them perfect.
02 -
  • If your glaze looks too thin, it will slide right off; if it breaks when the guava melts (seems grainy), you've overheated it—stay patient with medium heat and whisk constantly.
  • The broiler step is where the magic happens, but thirty seconds too long turns your beautiful glaze into burnt char, so watch them like you're responsible for their wellbeing.
  • Air-drying the wings uncovered in the fridge for an hour or two before roasting elevates them from good to restaurant-level crispy, so do this step if you have the time.
03 -
  • If guava paste seems hard to find at your regular grocery store, check the international or Latin foods aisle, or order it online—it keeps for months once you have it, so it's worth stocking.
  • Make the glaze ahead of time and let it cool; it'll thicken up and actually coat the wings better than warm glaze, which can slide right off.
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