Baked tequila lime chicken wings are marinated in Tequila, lime juice and harissa paste for a slightly sweet and spicy appetizer. Great for game night! Switch up your favorite wings and enjoy the unique flavor tequila adds to chicken.

While bacon wrapped munchies may be the number one favorite appetizer for March Madness, chicken wings are a close second. But of course we can’t just have plain Jane ones, we need tequila lime chicken wings.

Try using a good quality Tequila so that you really get the flavor from the Tequila. The alcohol is important because it helps tenderize the chicken wings before they’re baked There are so many great things going on with this recipe that your fellow sports fans are going to love you for serving them.

These chicken wings get a lot of their flavor from Harissa paste. If you like more of a buffalo taste, then try some buffalo wings, or if you don’t like sauce at all then you’ll love parmesan chicken wings.

If you’re going to serve this at a party, get some helpful tips along with 25 delicious game day appetizer recipes to choose from.

A platter of baked chicken wings with Buffalo sauce. — Baked Buffalo Wings

Why you’ll love tequila lime chicken wings

You can never have enough appetizer recipes
If you like tequila, you’ll love the subtle flavor it adds to the wings
You can serve them baked with the marinade or create a simple glaze to top them off with
You can prepare the marinade and place the chicken ahead of time and take them out about 30 minutes before you want to serve them, bake and they’ll be ready.
The tequila makes them so tender on the inside, no dried out wings

A platter of chicken wings with dipping sauce.

What you’ll need

Chicken wings – drumsticks will work too
Tequila – grab a quality tequila to get the best flavor in your marinade. If you aren’t a fan of tequila, grab the mini’s from the store.
Lime – you will use both the zest and the fresh juice
Harissa paste – see below for what it is but this adds a great smoky flavor and some heat for those who enjoy spice on their chicken
Agave nectar – this is actually a syrup that comes from blue agave plant and can be a healthy sweetener. Maple syrup is a simple substitute if you can’t find this.

How do you make tequila chicken wings

Step 1: Start with a marinade of tequila, lime juice and harissa paste, to add a little heat, and just a touch of agave nectar to sweeten things up a bit. Let them marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Step 2: Place the wings on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, flipping half way through.

Chicken wings on a rack in a rimmed baking sheet.

How to finish the wings with a simple glaze

If you want to go the extra mile, you can take the marinade and cook it down a bit on the stove to form a glaze while they’re baking. When they come out of the oven you can drizzle the glaze over the top. I thought these were pretty awesome without the glaze and not as messy to eat. You choose, messy or not so messy.

A pile of wings on a platter with a glaze on top.

What is harissa paste

Harissa is made of dried chilies that have been rehydrated. The flavors can vary quite a bit from hot to mild. Some have a smokey flavor and some have more of a vinegar base. Give it a taste before adding to make sure it’s not too spicy. You can use it anytime you would use a hot sauce.

If you still want something bacon wrapped to go with your wings, try chicken bites, or bacon wrapped potatoes, or last weeks post, stuffed dates.

A bacon wrapped potato being dipped in sauce — Bacon Wrapped Potato Bites

If you find yourself cooking with chicken a lot and want to know for sure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly, head to my informational page on ways to make sure your chicken is cooked all the way but still remains juicy and delicious.

Need more party appetizers

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

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