Harissa Chicken Wings with a Sticky Date Glaze

Harissa chicken wings with a wonderful glaze that complements the North African chilli paste with a sweet date glaze and red wine vinegar.

Like most of my chicken wing recipes, this one includes instructions for cooking in the oven, in an air fryer and on the BBQ or grill!

Sticky Sweet, Spicy and Sour Chicken Wings

I love chicken wings, my site is littered with everything from spicy mango and habanero wings to classic fried chicken wings and Korean influenced chicken wings to lemon pepper wings and honey and sriracha glazed chicken wings.

My latest offering is some wonderful North African-influenced harissa and date chicken wings.

The wings are cooked in a mix of zaatar and dried mint until crispy. Whilst they are cooking, a glaze made of rose harissa paste, sweet dates and red wine vinegar is made.

Once the songs are ready to rock and roll, they get coated in the glaze and flashed through a bit more cooking.

Just like most of my wing recipes, how you cook them is up to you. I have given options for the oven, air fryer and even an al fresco option for the barbecue!

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to cook these wings?

I always say that the best way to cook something is the way that works for you!

I have three methods listed: BBQ, oven and air fryer. Nine times out of ten, I cook them in the oven. This is because I can throw in whatever I am having as a side, and it is all done and dusted.

The air fryer delivers marginally better results in less time, but I need to fire up the oven if I want to bake a side.

Hands down the best way to cook these wings for flaovur is on the BBQ. But let's be honest, outdoor cooking is not a day-to-day task for most.

Do I have to use rose harissa paste?

No, you can use your favourite harissa. I use rose harissa paste in most of my harissa recipes because it is my favourite.

Is there a substitute for red wine vinegar?

If I were to substitute red wine vinegar for something, my first choice would be cider vinegar.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these sticky, sweet and sour harissa chicken wings with a salty potato side.

They are pictured here served with some air fryer cooked French fries, but there are so many options that work just as well!

Some wonderful fried crispy straw potatoes would be wonderful, as would my crispy fried potatoes.

You could even throw some sweet potato fries in the oven with the wings, although that really does turn up the sweetness level of the meal.

Other than that, grab yourself an ice-cold beer and a serviette and tuck in!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• Blender.
• Oven, BBQ (Grill) or Air Fryer.
• 18cm or 7" saucepan.
• A large bag or Tupperware dish to coat the wings.
• Stirring spoon.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Quick-read meat thermometer (optional, but recommended if cooking on a BBQ).
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.