Smothered Turkey Wings
You’re going to love this Smothered Turkey Wings recipe. Tender, fall-off-the-bone turkey is covered in a rich, creamy, smoky gravy everyone will love! Serve this simple dinner with a side of rice or mashed potatoes, and your choice of greens for your new favorite turkey dinner!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- With simple, classic flavors these simple wings are sure to be a hit with the whole family! Don’t worry that they take 2 hours to make, less than half of that is hands-on time!
- These Southern-style Smothered Turkey Wings are made totally from scratch with two layers of flavor from the delicious spice rub on the wings to the blanket of creamy brown gravy they’re baked under.
- These baked turkey wings are so versatile, they work with practically any Southern-style side dish. Our picks would be to pair them with smoked sweet potatoes, black eyed peas and rice, cornbread, collard greens or red skin mashed potatoes!
Chef’s Tips
- The size of turkey wings can really vary, so keep an eye on your wings in the oven. When they’re fork tender but still juicy, they’re done! 165°F is the safe internal cooking temperature for turkey wings, but it won’t be until they reach 180–190°F that they’re fall-apart tender.
- Before rubbing them with oil, pat the wings dry with kitchen towel if they look a little moist to ensure they crisp up well in the oven before you smother them with gravy. No one wants flabby skin in their smothered wings!
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven covered with foil until the wings are heated through.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
- Hobo Casserole with Ground Beef and Potatoes
- Chicken Cannelloni with Pink Sauce
- Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole Recipe
- Baked Potato Lasagna
- Hamburger Potato Soup Recipe with Ground Beef
- Vegan Rasta Pasta with Coconut Milk
Smothered Turkey Wings
Don't just enjoy turkey over the holidays, these next-level Smothered Turkey Wings make a delicious Southern-style family dinner year-round paired with simple sides like rice and greens.
Wings
- 3 pounds turkey wings legs
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil ( like avocado or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Gravy
- ½ cup butter
- 2 celery ribs (chopped)
- ½ medium onion (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 5 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups broth (1 carton) + 1 cup water)
- 1 cup milk (or half and half)
For the Wings
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat the wings with vegetable oil and place in a large roasting pan; stir together salt, smoked paprika, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and onion powder in a medium bowl and sprinkle over the turkey wings to fully coat.
Bake until browned, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
For the Sauce
Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven. Add the celery and onion, and cook over medium-low heat until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the thyme and pepper. Cook for 1 minute then add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until light brown, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth.
Heat liquid to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
Strain the sauce through a sieve and return to the saucepan; slowly whisk in the milk and stir constantly until the sauce returns to a simmer.
Pour sauce over the turkey wings; cover and cook until tender, about 30-45 minutes more.
- The size of turkey wings can really vary, so keep an eye on your wings in the oven. When they’re fork tender but still juicy, they’re done! 165°F is the safe internal cooking temperature for turkey wings, but it won’t be until they reach 180–190°F that they’re fall-apart tender.
- Before rubbing them with oil, pat the wings dry with kitchen towel if they look a little moist to ensure they crisp up well in the oven before you smother them with gravy. No one wants flabby skin in their smothered wings!
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven covered with foil until the wings are heated through.
