Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings

Perfect party chicken wings! With a tasty glaze made with Bourbon whisky and maple syrup.

Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings
Elise Bauer

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

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 3 to 4 servings

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 tablespoon butter

  • 2 tablespoons grated onion (use small hole grater)

  • 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey

  • 3/4 cup maple syrup (grade A)

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2-inch sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dry)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons 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.

    bourbon-maple-chicken-wings-1
    Elise Bauer
    bourbon-maple-chicken-wings-3
    Elise Bauer
  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.

    Elise Bauer
  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.

    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer
  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.

    Elise Bauer
Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
686 Calories
24g Fat
43g Carbs
60g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 686
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 30%
Saturated Fat 8g 39%
Cholesterol 272mg 91%
Sodium 1041mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 60g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 797mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.