Baked Blueberry Chipotle Chicken Wings

We had a wing party for dinner the other night.

I had to develop some recipes for a brand I'm working with, and one of them involved chicken wings. When developing recipes for clients, I always have to make sure that I buy enough ingredients to make the recipe multiple times, which left me with a LOT of extra chicken wings to use up.

I made a few classic spicy Buffalo wings, but also wanted to do something a little sweet and sticky that would be perfect for serving during football season.

Hence, Blueberry Chipotle Chicken Wings!

A little bit sweet. A little bit spicy. These crispy baked wings are delicious, totally addictive, and really (really!) easy to make.

I always bake my wings. Honestly, it's just easier.

You toss the wings with some oil, season them generously and pop them in the oven for an hour.

Poof! Super crispy wings without the mess and fuss and massive quantities of oil used for the deep-fried kind.

Anytime I can let the oven do the work for me, I'm a happy girl.

The sauce is equally simple. Just combine the ingredients in the pot and let simmer for a few minutes, whisking it here and there.

The two key ingredients here are blueberry jam (I used this amazing Blueberry Sage Jam from my favorite Potlicker Kitchen. You can also use it to make Blueberry Jam Mojitos!) and Chipotle-flavored Tabasco (another favorite that is a staple in my pantry).

You can easily substitute another kind of jam--strawberry would be incredible here, as would seedless raspberry (the seedless part is a MUST--but I urge you to seek out the Chipotle Tabasco--the flavors are unbeatable. (Regular Tabasco + a chopped up canned chipotle would be my second choice.)

Dunk those crispy wings inside the sticky sauce and pop them back in the oven for a few more minutes--really just long enough to let the glaze set a bit.

Then you can dig in!

And don't throw out any extra sauce: It would seriously be good on regular cooked chicken breasts or even baked salmon. Oooh...and ribs!

Whether you're entertaining guests or just having a mid-week wing party at home, these will definitely be a hit.  

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Blueberry Chipotle Chicken Wings
This makes about 5-6 appetizer-sized servings

Ingredients
For the wings
4 lbs chicken wings, tips removed and drummettes and flat pieces separated if they don't already come that way
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

For the sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup blueberry jam (substitute strawberry or seedless raspberry, if desired)
1/3 cup Chipotle Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon smoked spanish paprika (optional, but enhances smoky flavor)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top 2 baking sheets with a metal rack. (You can use the same kind you use to cool cakes.) Line a third baking sheet with foil.

Remove chicken wings from package and pat very dry with a paper towel. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and generously season with kosher salt and black pepper, then arrange on the prepared baking sheets, allowing at least 1 inch between each piece of chicken on all sides.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until crisp and golden brown. (You can turn the broiler on for the last 3-5 minutes to give them even more color, if desired.)

While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Combine the butter, blueberry jam, and Chipotle Tabasco in a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk continuously until it starts to boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and whisk in paprika and salt. Let simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

Once the chicken is ready, remove from oven and use tongs to roll each piece in the sauce, then place on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet. Lower oven to 350, and bake 7 minutes to set glaze. Serve immediately with additional sauce on the side for dipping.