Honey BBQ Chicken Wings with Jaca

By Jaca Kitchen · · Updated

These honey BBQ chicken wings swap the brown sugar in the glaze for Jaca allulose, so you get the same sticky, caramelized honey-barbecue flavor with a fraction of the added sugar. They bake crisp in the oven — no deep fryer — then get tossed in a quick homemade honey BBQ sauce and broiled until the glaze blisters.

This is a Jaca-adjusted, healthier version of a classic. We replaced the brown sugar in the sauce with Jaca allulose at twice the amount. Jaca is 100% pure allulose, a rare sugar that caramelizes and tastes like the sugar we grew up with, but with about 90% fewer usable calories and no blood-sugar spike — so the glaze still turns glossy and sticky. That one swap cuts roughly 12 grams of added sugar per serving.

Ingredients

For the wings:

  • 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, patted very dry
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder (aluminum-free)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the honey BBQ sauce:

  • 1 cup ketchup (use no-sugar-added ketchup to keep it lower in sugar)
  • 1/2 cup Jaca allulose (replaces 1/4 cup brown sugar, doubled)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on top, and lightly oil the rack.
  2. Pat the wings very dry. In a large bowl, toss them with the baking powder, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until evenly coated.
  3. Arrange the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the rack, not touching. Bake for 40–45 minutes, flipping once halfway, until deep golden and crisp (internal temperature 165°F or higher).
  4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the ketchup, Jaca allulose, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. The Jaca dissolves fully as the sauce warms.
  5. Let the baked wings rest 5–10 minutes, then toss them in about two-thirds of the warm honey BBQ sauce until fully coated.
  6. Switch the oven to broil. Return the wings to the rack and broil 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze caramelizes and blisters.
  7. Toss with the remaining sauce and serve hot.

Prep time: 15 minutes  |  Cook time: 45 minutes  |  Total time: 1 hour  |  Servings: 4

Tip: For the lowest-sugar version, use a no-sugar-added ketchup and serve with celery and a light ranch or blue cheese dip. The Jaca glaze re-crisps well under the broiler if you make the wings ahead.