Part of our comprehensive guide
The Complete Guide to Sugar Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know →Sticky Chinese Chicken Wings with Jaca
Irresistibly sticky, sweet-savory Chinese chicken wings baked until golden and caramelized — made with Jaca (allulose) instead of brown sugar for all the addictive glaze with zero glycemic impact. Adapted from RecipeTinEats.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wingettes
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing) (substitute mirin or dry sherry)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup Jaca sugar (replaces 2 tbsp brown sugar at 2x ratio)
- 1½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek (adjust to taste)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon five spice powder
- sliced scallions, for garnish
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- fresh cilantro, for garnish
Sweetener Used
¼ cup Jaca sugar Allulose
Replaces: 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, lemon juice, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, Jaca sugar, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and five spice powder until the Jaca sugar dissolves.
- 2
Add the chicken wings to the bowl and toss well to coat. Let marinate for 10–15 minutes (do not marinate longer than 1 hour or the wings will get too salty).
- 3
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then top with parchment paper (trust us — this saves serious cleanup).
- 4
Shake excess marinade off each wing (reserve the marinade!) and spread them out on the prepared baking sheet. They can be snug but shouldn't overlap — use two trays if needed.
- 5
Bake for 45–50 minutes total, basting with the reserved marinade and pan juices at the 25-minute mark and again at 35 minutes.
- 6
The wings are done when the meat pulls easily off the bone, the edges are starting to char, and they're a gorgeous sticky, dark golden color all over.
- 7
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with sliced scallions, sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and sliced fresh chili if you like heat.
- 8
Serve immediately with plenty of napkins. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version — all the sticky, caramelized sweetness with zero glycemic impact from the sugar.
Pro Tips
- Don't skip the Shaoxing wine — it's the secret ingredient that takes the marinade from good to restaurant-quality. Find it for a couple dollars at any Asian grocery store.
- Jaca sugar dissolves into the marinade and caramelizes beautifully during baking, giving you that signature sticky glaze with zero blood sugar spike.
- Keep the marinating time under an hour — longer draws moisture out of the wings and makes the marinade watery, which prevents proper caramelization.
- Line your baking sheet with both foil AND parchment paper. The sticky glaze will fuse to anything else and you'll be scrubbing for hours.
- These wings are incredible as a game-day appetizer, a casual dinner with fried rice and Asian slaw, or a midnight snack with a glass of wine.