Perfect party chicken wings! With a tasty glaze made with Bourbon whisky and maple syrup.
These are sticky.
These are messy.
These are the best darn chicken wings I’ve ever had.
As in keep them away from me or I’ll eat them all. As in protect your wings or I’ll take them when you’re not looking.
As in you’ll need more napkins because these wings really are finger-licking awesome.
I don’t really drink (half a glass of wine and I have a hard time stringing together a sentence), but I always keep a bottle of good bourbon whisky in the cabinet because I love to cook with it.
Bourbon imparts a subtle smoky flavor when used in cooking, and when paired with maple syrup? Oh my. Perfect.
For those of you concerned about the alcohol level in this wings, almost all of it boils away. It is not remotely discernible in the taste.
So are they kid-friendly? Yes. Though as I mentioned they are sticky and messy and you certainly don’t want to give them to a four-year old sitting on a white couch. Enjoy!
ONE WING RECIPE IS NEVER ENOUGH!
Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings Recipe
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Makes 15 to 20 pieces
If you buy whole chicken wings, cut away and discard the wing tips (or save for stock), and separate the drumettes from the rest of the wing with a cleaver or a sharp knife. Single segment wing pieces are much easier to eat as finger food.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp grated onion (use small hole grater)
- 1/2 cup bourbon whisky
- 3/4 cup maple syrup (grade A)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2-inch sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dry)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco (more or less to taste)
Method
1 Make the bourbon maple glaze: Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the bourbon whisky, the maple syrup, tomato paste, rosemary, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
2 (Optional) Marinate the wings in the glaze: If you want you can marinate the wings for an hour, or overnight in the glaze. Just let the glaze cool for a few minutes, then toss half of the glaze mixture in a bowl with the wings, cover with plastic wrap and chill. Reserve the remaining half of the glaze mixture to glaze the wings at the end.
3 Coat wings with glaze and arrange on roasting pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. If you haven’t marinated the wings, place them in a bowl and pour half of the bourbon maple sauce over the wings, returning the remaining sauce to the stovetop.
Toss the wings with the sauce to coat.
Arrange the wings on an oiled, foil-lined baking pan, with space between each wing.
4 Roast the wings: Roast the wings at 350°F for 20 minutes, then turn the wings over and roast them an additional 15 to 25 minutes, or until nicely browned. Lower the heat or remove from oven if the wings start getting too dark.
5 Boil remaining glaze until thickened: While the wings are roasting, boil the remaining sauce until it thickens slightly and can coat the back of a spoon, then remove from heat.
If it is taking too long for the sauce to reduce, pour it into a wide shallow pan and bring to a boil. The wider pan will make sauce evaporate more easily.
6 Coat cooked wings in glaze: When wings are done, remove them to a bowl and toss with the remaining sauce.
