Smothered turkey wings are a southern classic dish of turkey wings smothered and slowly simmered in a rich gravy until tender and flavorful, so comforting.
Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe
Who's ready for delicious, comforting Smothered Turkey Wings? I am! Turkey wings a wonderful alternative to roasting a whole turkey, particularly for those cooking for fewer people, and those who love dark meat.
I often enjoy roasting or smoking a whole turkey, even though there are only 2 of us, as we both enjoy the leftovers.
Turkey wings, though, are a great option for when you want to switch things up, particularly around the holidays.
With this recipe, the turkey wings are rubbed down with a mix of piquant spices, then browned before they're smothered in a delicious gravy and slowly cooked until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
They're so good, you'll want to add this to the top of your list of turkey recipes.
Let's talk about how to make smothered turkey wings, shall we?
Smothered Turkey Wings Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Turkey Wings. Separated and wing tips removed.
- Seasonings. Smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne, salt and black pepper.
- Vegetable Oil. Olive oil or your preferred blend.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Vegetables. Onion, bell pepper (I love swapping in jalapenos), celery, garlic.
- Chicken Stock.
- For Serving. Fresh parsley, hot sauce.
How to Make Smothered Turkey Wings - the Recipe Method
Season the Turkey Wings. Season up your turkey wings with the spice mixture. Get it nicely rubbed into the turkey meat.
Brown the Wings. Sear the turkey wings in an oven-safe skillet to brown them. I like to use my Dutch oven for this.
Set the wings aside into a plate.
Make a Roux. Make a quick roux in the same skillet or pot with flour and the oil and pan drippings still in the pan.
Cook the Vegetables. Add the veggies and cook them to soften them up.
Add the Stock. Swirl in the chicken stock and thicken to a delicious gravy.
Add Turkey Wings and Bake. Add the turkey wings over the top of the gravy mixture. Cover, then bake for 90 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Use a baking dish or roasting pan if you prefer.
Second Bake. Remove the cover and bake another 30 minutes, or until the turkey wings are cooked through. The internal temperature should measure 165 degrees F (74° C) when measured with a meat thermometer.
The meat will be fall-off-the-bone tender.
Serving. Garnish and serve with lots of homemade gravy spooned over them!
Boom! Done! Your smothered turkey wings are ready to serve. Don't they look delicious? I love these around the holidays, but honestly, I'll make these anytime of year. So good!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Browning the turkey wings before smothering and baking adds depth and richness to the final dish, so do not skip this step.
- Season up your turkey wings with the spice mixture, or you can use your favorites. I'm using a simple mix, but consider a great turkey rub seasoning.
- This recipe works with chicken wings, too! Be sure to adjust your cooking times, as chicken wings are much smaller and don't need as long to cook.
- You can usually buy turkey wings from the grocery store around the holidays, when they are more available, but you can also ask your local butcher to acquire them so you can enjoy them any time of year.
Serving Smothered Turkey Wings
Serve smothered turkey wings with creamy mashed potatoes or over rice. Spoon the gravy from the pot over them and enjoy.
You can also serve them alongside your favorite vegetable side dish, like green beans, corn, or a combination. Here are a few suggestions:
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover smothered turkey wings will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily warm them up in the oven or stove top to enjoy again.
You can also freeze them for 2-3 months. I usually prefer to pick the meat from leftover turkey legs and freeze it for other uses.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my smothered turkey wings recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 turkey wings separated
- 1.5 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for spicy
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish and hot sauce!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Clean the turkey wings and dry them with paper towels. Season them with paprika, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, and cayenne.
- Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet (oven-safe skillet) over medium heat. Sear the turkey wings 2-3 minutes per side to get a nice brown color on them. Remove and set aside.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes to form a roux.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Ad the garlic and cook another 1 minute, or until you can smell the gorgeous garlic.
- Slowly stir in the chicken stock and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens up a bit. Remove from heat.
- Add the turkey wings on top of the gravy mixture and cover (use an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil).
- Bake the turkey wings for 90 minutes.
- Remove the cover and continue to bake for 30 minutes, or until the turkey wings are cooked through. The internal temperature should measure 165 degrees F (74° C) when measured with a meat thermometer.
- Garnish and serve with lots of gravy spooned over them!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Barbara Hilow says
I'm getting ready to make this and have a question. I don't want to heat up my kitchen during this miserable heat wave. Can I brown on saute in my instant pot and then slow cook? I love the slow cook IP function. How would this affect the second cooking with the foil off? I've never gone wrong with a Chili Pepper Madness recipe. They're always a big hit.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Barbara. Yes, this will work in a slow cooker. You can brown them and make the roux, etc, then slow cook to temp. I haven't tested this so don't know the exact time for sure, but should be about 2 hours. Just cook to temp. I would keep the lid on for moisture. Let me know how they turn out for you. Enjoy.
Lou says
This was so good, so good, so good! I used a turkey breast which I broiled a few minutes until it was a little brown. Then poured the sauce on top and baked it in the oven for the required time. Definitely making this for our Dinner Club!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Thanks, Lou!
Jay says
This was delicious! Fall off the bone good comfort food!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed them, Jay! I love turkey wings! So good. Thanks.
Carmel says
I used chicken wings it come very good thanks for the recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it!
dave says
Looks brilliant,going out to get some wings today.Love ya work Mike.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Dave!
Virgil says
You’re recipes are great
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Virgil!