These sweet and sour chicken wings are baked in the oven to create a spooky fun Halloween dinner or appetizer.
The wings are marinated in an easy asian style marinade of pineapple juice, brown sugar, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
A dash of food colouring turns the chicken into 'bat' making these sticky wings an awesome savory addition to your halloween party.
These spooky chicken wings are such a talking point. People either love the idea or hate it, but no matter what they all love the taste!
It took me a while to convince the kids to try them, but once they had they loved the flavor. These are sweet and sticky with a little vinegar tang.
There is the optional addition of hot sauce in the marinade. For the kids I just add a drop or two, but for a adults halloween party I would add a nice tablespoons worth.
Once the wings are cooked they are glazed with honey and apple cider vinegar. This gives them a sticky glossy finish and adds to the sweet and sour flavor. I know everyone hates the basting stage in recipes but don't skip this step, it really does make all the difference.
How do you make 'Bat' wings?
To make bat wings you need to find whole chicken wings. Usually wings are sold as niblets where the whole wings have been jointed. Here you want the whole wing, and if you can get ones that still have the wing tip on as that adds to the bat-ness.
After that it is just a little dash of food coloring. The first time I made these I added far too much and stained our mouths black! But I have paired it back slowly until I got the balance between jet black wing and keeping our teeth white 😉
I tried using squid ink and the color wasn't quite as dramatic, but it is a natural way to go. And the kids didn't notice any difference in taste.
Can I just leave off the black colour?
Oh for sure!!! This marinade is a quick pantry marinade so you can whip this up on a week night! If you don't have time to marinate them overnight that is fine. Just throw the chicken and the marinade into a baking dish and cook everything together. This will help to deepen the flavours.
But if you want the black colour then the wings do need a reasonable stint in the marinade. I like to use an old plastic bowl whenever I am using food colouring. That way I don't have to worry if the coloring stains the bowl.
So far the bowl has come up white again after a wash with hot soapy water.....my fingers aren't always so lucky! I just can't open those gel food coloring bottles without getting it somewhere!
Black food coloring!
Be careful with the black food coloring, it is a killer to get out of your t-shirt (trust me I know!!!) and also if you get it under your finger nail you will be scrubbing for days and still look like you just finished digging up soil with your hands!
That is why Stew had to be my hand model in this photo!! My thumb nail looks rather gross!!! I suppose that fits in with the Halloween theme, but it just looks too dirty for photos.
Once cooked the black doesn't really transfer so you won't have to worry about your guests all ending up with black fingers. But I would provide napkins or a finger bowl as these wings are sticky.
Enjoy x
For more halloween party recipes why not try:
Get the Recipe
Sweet and Sour 'Bat' Wings
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon black food colouring
- 3 lb whole chicken wings see note 1
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and black food coloring in bowl. Add the chicken wings and turn carefully to coat.
- Marinate for 6-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Remove the wings from the fridge and place them in a single layer on the baking sheets.
- Bake chicken 30 minutes.
- Combine the honey and apple cider vinegar.
- Remove the wings from the oven and brush liberally with the honey mixture.
- Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Serve in your spookiest dish
Notes
- Find whole chicken wings (sometimes call 3 joint wings) rather than the chicken niblets. This is what gives these wings their 'bat wing' like shape.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
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LAVINIA M HAASE says
Curious, do you think food gradd activated charcoal would work instead of food dye?
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I have been thinking similar things this year, trying to make some halloween posts but without the artificial colorings.
I think charcoal would work, it might not be as intense a color but I think it would work.
Hope that helps
Cx
Max says
Have you cooked them on the bbq?
Claire McEwen says
I would cook them for about 25-30 minutes on the BBQ and also keep flipping the wings every few minutes to ensure they are cooked evenly.
Hope that helps
Cx
Chris says
Ours are looking green even though we used black food coloring. Any ideas?
Claire McEwen says
Is this while they are marinating or once they are cooked.
I find they have is green blue tinge to the black color when they are raw, but they cook to a deep black.
If it is after they are cooked that isn't something I have ever had before...Maybe they could be mouldy bat wings?
Cx
Christina says
I had the same result even after cooked! Fairly, no one wanted to eat green chicken. 😭🤣
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Sounds like different food colourings must cook up differently.
I have two different brands and they both give me a pretty consistent black color.
Did you use a gel color or a water based color?
I think the gel ones cling and coat a little better.
Cx
Patricia Flores says
I would love to make these! short on time ...How could make this work with pre cooked naked wings ....If possible I will make this recipe with more time later just last minute notice.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Patricia,
I haven't tried this but I wonder if buying a BBQ sauce, adding black food colouring to it and coating the wings before you put them in the oven to heat them up? Sort of like basting them with a black marinade.
It might not be quite as deep a black, but it should give them a really dark finish.
Hope that helps
Cx
Caitlyn says
I'd like to make these for a potluck at work but do not have access to an oven to reheat them. Any thoughts on using a slow cooker or any tips for reheating in a microwave? Would I baste before or after?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Caitlyn,
I haven't reheated these using a microwave or slow cooker before but I think it should work. Or if you have access to a toaster oven? That could be an option.
For the slow cooker I would preheat it with 2 cups of boiling water in it, then place some scrunched up aluminium foil balls in the bottom, this should come up higher than the water level. Put the wings in a dish/foil tray and place it on top of the aluminium foil balls. That way the steam will help to keep the wings warm and juicy still.
I would cook them fully the night before, but save the honey baste for when you are heating them up.
Hope that helps.
Morgan says
Hello! Any recommendations on reheating? I have a work potluck I am bringing them to and need to prepare them the night before. I was considering a crockpot for reheating.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Morgan, I haven't tried a crockpot for reheating, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. The wings aren't super crispy, so sitting in a crockpot to stay warm shouldn't affect them.
What I would do if preheat the slow cooker with 2 cups of water in it. Then place some scrunched up aluminium foil in the bottom, this should be higher than the water level. Place the wings in a dish/foil tray and place that on top of the aluminium foil balls. That way the steam will help to keep the wings warm and juicy still.
I've made them and reheated them (in the oven) and the color is just as vibrant, so they making the night before they will still look bat like for your potluck.
Hope that helps 😀
Claire McEwen says
I also thought a toaster oven could be a good way to reheat them as well. If that is something you have access to at work?
Alysia Duke says
Made these for a Halloween pot luck and they were a hit. Definitely a reusable recipe!
Claire McEwen says
Hi Alysia, thank you for coming back to comment. I am so pleased they were a hit 😀
A couple of people have asked about reheating them without an oven. Just wondering if you needed to reheat yours? And if so what did you use?
Thanks Claire x
Morgan says
Any thoughts or recommendations on coking these a day before, for a work party? Specifically about how to heat them and should I wait to base them?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Morgan,
I would cook these for 35 minutes to ensure they are cooked through. Then on the day you want to serve them baste them with the honey and vinegar mix and reheat them in the oven (390ºF/200ºC) for 10 minutes.
I haven't ever tried to microwave the wings so I can't say for sure, but I am thinking that it would make them soggy and a little chewy.
Hope that helps 😀
Linda says
What food colouring brand was used?
I'm getting some none black ones on the shopping apps - Going to check out the baking aisle tomorrow.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Linda, I use a brand called Chefmasters Liqua-gel. It is designed to work well with oil and fats so it takes to the skin of the chicken well.
Hope that helps 😀
Whitney dees says
Hello! I am making these for a Halloween party I am catering and I am testing them out today but I am having trouble getting the entire wing to absorb the color. Should I have taken the skin off first? Do you have any other suggestions? It seems that the underside of the wing is the part that isn't taking the color, it just slides right off.
Thanks so much in advance!!
Claire McEwen says
Hi Whitney,
Make sure your wings are dry before you pop them into the marinade, that way they absorb it better.
If they aren't taking the colour well I would also leave them for the full 24 hours.
I wouldn't suggest much more food colouring as it can start to affect the taste and also stain peoples tongues! But you could up it by 1/2 tsp.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Daire says
These are probably my favorite Halloween recipe I've found! Definitely making these for dinner this year if I can find the food coloring (well, I'll make them either way!). I just featured this recipe on my Halloween Foods roundup on my blog!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Daire 😀
Ruby says
These sound fantastic! I would love to include them at my Halloween party.
Can you suggest a substitute for the pineapple juice? I'm allergic to pineapple.
Thanks!!
Claire McEwen says
Hi Ruby,
I haven't tried it, but I think any fruit juice would have the similar affect of adding sweetness and some acidity.
Maybe try apple juice or mango juice.
I hope you enjoy them 😀
Britni says
This recipe is so creative! And a fun twist on chicken wings.
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Britni, I was so happy how these halloween chicken wings came out 😀
Jennifer Farley says
I can't get over how incredible these look! What a brilliant recipe for halloween.
Claire McEwen says
Oh thank you Jennifer, I love how they turned out.