It's hard to get enough of chicken wings, especially in the summer, and especially when there's some major sporting event on. For as long as I can remember I've followed the Olympics religiously. Swimming, track, gymnastics, tennis, diving, you name it. I'll follow prelims as well as finals and ooh and aah over all the heartwarming background stories of athletes I had never heard of two weeks prior.

(And being in Beijing for the 2008 games, in the center of all the action, was such a fun experience!)

This time around I'm watching everything from my couch in Brooklyn. And for watching any kind of sports action from your couch, spicy chicken wings is practically a must-have. It's an easy and filling appetizer or, depending on portion size, full on-dinner. And they're downright delicious.

These Sriracha garlic wings can be made with common pantry ingredients. If you don't have Sriracha chili sauce on hand, you can definitely substitute any regular chili sauce. The key is a long marinating time (at least 3 hours, or overnight) for the spiciness to seep into the chicken. Before you're ready for dinner in front of the TV, just pop the wings into the oven for about half an hour.

And I recommend having some good beer on hand to wash these wings down.

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Sriracha Garlic Wings

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings, tips removed and wings and drummettes separated
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Sriracha
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 scallion, green parts chopped or thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions

Marinate the wings: In a large bowl, combine the garlic, Sriracha, ketchup, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Place the wings and drummettes in a gallon freezer bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal and shake the bag so the wings are coated with marinade. Let sit for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the wings on baking sheets lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and crispy around the edges. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle over with the scallions and chopped peanuts (if using), and serve.