There goes April! Last
It took me a few days (ok. Almost a week) to find the fuel to start creating new recipes again but I think I am on the mend now.
I know I said before that I’m very picky when it comes to chicken wings. I always, always, get Buffalo wings. I don’t go for super creative flavors, I like what I like and that is Buffalo wings. Well, I don’t know what possessed me today that I really wanted to make a different flavor of chicken wings, so I opened my pantry looking for inspiration and, that was it…Honey Chipotle!! So, I grab the honey and chipotle peppers, a bunch of spices that I know
Let me tell you, I have no regrets.
Oh, my… they turned out so good!!! They’re sticky and sweet but also spicy and smokey. Love, love, love them.
So, here are some facts about Chipotle peppers in case you didn’t know.
- Chipotle is a smoke-dried ripe chile (Jalapeño)
- You can buy them dry. They’re normally in the bulk aisle of your grocery store. You would need to soak them in warm water before cooking with them.
- Canned Chipotle peppers. In my opinion, these are the best but they can pack some heat. If you want the smokiness but not so much the heat, I suggest to buy the can of “Chipotles in adobo sauce” and use just the sauce for this recipe.
- Jared Chipotle Peppers. These come already chopped for you, they’re more like a paste and in my opinion, these are very, very mild. I don’t know why they just are. This is probably the easiest option. You can use a little at a time, store the jar in the refrigerator and it will last forever. Well, not forever but you get the idea.
And now, lets jump to the recipe, shall we?
Place the oven rack in the top position and preheat your oven to 400 Degrees.
While the wings are cooking, make a sauce. Place a small skillet on low-medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter, the rest of the spice mix, 1 tablespoon of chopped chipotle peppers (about 1 big one or use 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce) and 2 tablespoons of honey. Stir.
Simmer for a couple of minutes until it looks smooth and shiney.
After 40 minutes, remove the wings from the oven and brush them with the chipotle sauce. Return to the oven and cook for an extra 10 minutes.
So pretty! So delicious! They are spicy and smoky but you can also taste the sweetness of the honey, they’re perfection. I am so glad I decided to come out of my box and made a different flavor of chicken wings. Now, I won’t turn back. I’m going to be tasting another flavor soon.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Chicken wings (about 12 wings)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 finely sliced green onion
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the top position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl combined the salt, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and ground pepper. Place half of the dry mix into a big zip top bag. Reserve the rest of the spice mix for later. Add 1 tablespoon of olive to the spice mix in the bag and rub the bag with your fingers until it forms a paste. Add the chicken wings, zip the bag closed and move the wings around until they are evenly coated with the spice mix.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleaning and set a wire rack on the baking sheet. Place the chicken wings on the wire rack and bake for 40 minutes.
- While the wings are baking make a sauce. Place a skillet on low-medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter, the rest of the spice mix, the chopped chipotle peppers and honey. Simmer on low until smooth and shiney.
- After 40 minutes take the wings out and brush them with the sauce. Return the wings to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Finish the wings with chopped green onions. Don't skip the green onions! They add a layer of freshness to the wings. Enjoy!
