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–+ servings
White baking dish of smothered turkey wings pictured top down with a glass of wine and blue and white kitchen towel visible just off to the side.

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.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Recipe Makes: 6
Approximate Cost: $2.25

Ingredients

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)

Instructions

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.

Recipe Notes

  • 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.

Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 946mg | Potassium: 139mg | Total Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 4g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg
Cheap Cheap Eats recipe developed by Cheryl Malik