Crispy. Sweet. Tangy. Buttery. Garlicky.
Yep, that’s exactly what these Spicy Pineapple and Mango Wings are all about.
They’re a great party food, but if I’m being honest? They’re one of my guilty pleasures. Just ask my hubby. He says it looks like a graveyard of bones when I’m done.
I don’t pull out the deep fryer often, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love something fried. And when I do fry wings, I want them worth it. These definitely are.
This is the sweet and spicy wing recipe I didn’t realize I was missing. It’s buttery, garlicky, has just enough heat, and coated in a pineapple mango sauce that makes you want to lick your fingers and grab some extra napkins.
Some more quick highlights about this one before we start:
- Time: about 45 minutes (plus marinating).
- Spice level: mild to hot – totally adjustable.
INGREDIENT ADVICE
- Mango – Frozen works just fine and fresh is great when in season.
- Pineapple – Crushed pineapple with juice gives the best balance.
- Sweetener – Brown sugar adds depth and keeps the sauce nicely balanced. Lighter sugars make the pineapple and vinegar taste brighter and more tangy.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves are worth it here.
- Wing Batter – When making fried chicken you need a decent amount of seasonings and salt because you want the flour coating to have flavor. Not enough seasoning and you’re just eating card board.
PINEAPPLE MANGO WING SAUCE
This sauce is the star. I make the sauce first so it’s ready when the wings come out hot and crispy.
When to use it
It’s perfect for wings, but I’ve also brushed it on ribs and spooned it over shrimp when I wanted something a little different. This is one of those sauces that disappears fast, so I usually double it if I’m feeding more than a few people.
Make the sauce
The full step by step guide is in the recipe card below. You’ll strain the pineapple, cook the fruit down, and thicken the sauce, then add some of the fruit back in for texture.
Choose your texture: chunky or smoother
- Chunky: Reserve some of the mashed fruit and stir it back in.
- Smoother: Blend part (or all) of the sauce before thickening.
I usually keep it a little chunky, I like the soft pieces of mango or pineapple with each crispy bite – it’s the perfect combination!
Pro Tip – Cornstarch does the job quickly. If you want it thicker, add a touch more slurry, just don’t rush it or you’ll end up with a super thick sauce.
Pineapple buffalo sauce variation
This isn’t a traditional buffalo sauce, but here’s a quick way to give the sauce more heat if you want more of a buffalo style kick.
- Swap part of the butter for your favorite hot sauce.
- Keep the pineapple for sweetness.
- Adjust cayenne to taste.
This gives you that buttery buffalo flavor with a fruity twist that’s fast and easy.
CHOOSE YOUR COOKING METHOD
I usually fry these wings, and that method is fully detailed in the recipe card. But if you’re using what you already have on hand, here are solid alternatives.
Crispy fried wings
This is my go to when I want maximum crunch. Follow the full frying method in the recipe card for best results.
Oven baked option
- Bake on a rack so air circulates underneath.
- Use high heat and space the wings out.
- Sauce right before serving.
Air fryer option
- Cook in batches so the wings aren’t crowded.
- Flip halfway.
- Sauce at the end to keep them crisp.
(Internal temp for all methods: 165°F.)
HOW TO TOSS WINGS SO THEY STAY CRISPY
This matters more than people think.
- Let the wings drain and rest briefly after cooking.
- Warm the sauce separately.
- Toss right before serving and not too early.
SPICE LEVEL ADJUSTMENT TIPS
- Mild: Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne.
- Medium: ½ teaspoon cayenne.
- Hot: Add more cayenne or a splash of hot sauce.
I usually stick to the mild-medium range so the fruit stays front and center and it’s not too spicy.
MAKE AHEAD, STORAGE AND REHEATING TIPS
- Sauce – Store separately in the fridge for several days.
- Freeze – For the sauce, freeze separately and reheat gently.
- Wings – Reheat uncovered in the oven or air fryer to recrisp.
- Toss wings with warmed sauce just before serving leftovers.
MORE WING RECIPES
And if you love these wings, take a look at these Crispy Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Wings. (It’s one of the popular recipes here at Savory Spicerack!) A unique black pepper marinade and dipping sauce makes this one a hit hands down.
Here is another wing recipe. Try these Honey Garlic Chipotle Wings. They’re sweet and smoky with a hint of heat.
I also have a quick crispy air fryer Jerk Wings recipe using everyday ingredients to make an easy jerk style dry rub.
MADE THIS RECIPE?
♥♥♥ Did you make this recipe? If so, please rate this recipe and leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed it. And follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more delicious inspiration! ♥♥♥
Spicy Pineapple and Mango Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds of chicken wings (About 18 wings, and I used all flat wings for this recipe)
- Cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
Chicken Marinade
- 1 and 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Sauce Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple
- 12 ounce bag of frozen mango chunks
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne red pepper
- 5 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
Chicken Breading/Coating
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon season salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Start by marinating the wings overnight. Mix the marinade seasonings and buttermilk together. Place the chicken wings into a food storage container that can be closed. Then pour the buttermilk marinade over the chicken. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 9 hours.
- When ready to cook the chicken, start by making the sauce first.
- Place the butter into a medium saucepan and melt the butter using a medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is blended.
- Strain the juice away from the pineapple fruit using a strainer. Mash the fruit while straining away the juice. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the mashed fruit. Mix the cornstarch with the tablespoon of water, then add this cornstarch mixture to the strained juice and stir until blended.
- Next add the juice/cornstarch slurry, pineapple, mango, apple cider, salt, garlic and cayenne pepper to the saucepan and stir until well blended.
- Cook the sauce on medium heat for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Set the sauce and reserved mashed fruit aside.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, and make the flour mixture that will be the crispy outside crust of the chicken.
- Mix all the flour coating ingredients together in a food storage bag or a large bowl.
- Remove the chicken wings from the buttermilk marinade and dip the wings into the flour mixture.
- Place the floured chicken pieces onto a bakers rack for about 10 minutes. (This helps the flour adhere to the chicken pieces and the helps to bring the chicken to an even temperature. Bringing the chicken to an even temperature helps prevent overcooking the outside of the chicken while trying to cook the inside of the chicken that may be too cold if cooked immediately after removing the chicken from the refrigerator.)
- While the chicken sits, add the cooking oil to a deep fryer or a large pan.. Heat the oil until the temperature of the oil reaches 350 degrees.
- When ready to cook the chicken add a few pieces of chicken to the fryer at a time. (Making sure to not overcrowd the pan of hot grease prevents bringing the temperature down of the cooking grease which could increase the required cook time of the chicken.)
- Cook the chicken wings for about 6 to 7 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165° Fahrenheit when a cooking thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken.
- Place the cooked chicken on a clean cooling rack. (Placing the wings on a cooling rack prevents the chicken from getting soggy and keeps the chicken crispy.)
- When ready to toss the chicken in the sauce, place the reserved fruit into the cooked sauce. Heat the sauce through using medium heat for about 2 minutes if sauce has cooled.
- Place the chicken on a serving dish and then pour the sauce over the chicken and toss gently until the meat is evenly coated with sauce. Serve the chicken immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information is an estimate only. It varies based on the products and brands used.
Thanks for stopping by! Welcome to the Savory Spicerack! In my kitchen, there is no such thing as a bland meal. Each of my creations are just the way food should be – packed with flavor and created with love.
Now this is the type of wings that I keep on a regular rotation… They’re so good!
oh gosh, I”m new here, and CANT WAIT TO TRY THESE BABIES. they sound gorgeous!
Yay! I hope you enjoy! Happy New Year!
Well. . .who doesn’t want to do a little shimmy while they are eating? And I bet your inner skinny girl was shimmy-ing with delight as you devoured each and every one of these beauties. 😉
LOL I couldn’t hear anything the skinny girl was trying to say as I devoured these wings! LOL. Thanks for stopping by!
That sweet/Hot sauce sounds delicious – lots of flavor, there, with all the fruit!
Yes I love the fruit Ms Anne! It makes the sauce sweet. And another good thing about the sauce is that you can adjust all the flavors to your liking because it is so simple! Thanks soooooo much for stopping by!
Love the idea of the spices with the pineapple and mango. Great looking wings.
Thanks so much! I wanted something sweet, spicy, and homemade! Thanks again for stopping by!
LOL “cause damage to these wings”!!!:):):) What an amazing expression! We tried your other wings recipes and we know you do a great job, so we’ll definitely try those as well!:)
Thanx for another sinful and yummy idea dear Sharee!
Sending you lots of hugs from Athens!
xoxoxo
HAHA I know. I think I have a way with words sometimes that just does not make any sense lol. Hope you enjoy! You can adjust all spices and ingredients of the sauce to your liking! xo
I love the sweet and spicy flavors you created with these wings.
Thanks so much Mr. Peter. You can definitely adjust these flavors to your liking if you ever make these wings. Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting!
These wings looks packed full of flavour! I love sweet marinades for chicken and really like the idea of tropical fruit to add sweetness
Yes they have a nice sweet and spicy flavor that I love. I even you this sauce on diced chicken breast. Thanks so much for coming over here to visit me!
I will break my diet anytime for these wingsI love your tropical twist on them, these look killer! I just want to lick that sauce off of them. YUM!
LOL! thanks!
LOL. Thanks so much! You don’t have to break that diet (for the most part) if you bake the wings with one of your favorite crispy oven baked wings. Thanks for stopping by!