This easy maple chipotle chicken wing recipe combines the succulent crispiness of fried chicken wings with a vibrant yet easy to make sauce. The smoky heat of canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce melds perfectly with the natural sweetness of real maple syrup (please no corn syrup here). Add a touch of white vinegar to balance out the sweetness and heat, and you’ve got a dish that’s irresistible and crowd-pleasing.
This recipe is one of my favorite fall appetizers! Whether you’re feeding a party or just indulging in a savory treat, these wings are a surefire hit that bring both flavor and flair to your table. While I fry my chicken wings, I also provide instructions for baking below if that’s more your speed.
Maple Chipotle Chicken Wings
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Chicken wings – You can serve a lot of people cheaply with chicken wings. They are such an inexpensive cut of meat. While there isn’t much meat on chicken wings, the flavor of the skin more than makes up for the small amount of meat! I recommend planning about 4 wings per person as an appetizer.
- Chipotles – Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are the main flavor profile. They add the spice and complement the sweetness of the maple syrup. Since you typically only ever need one or two chipotles, I store the rest refrigerated in an airtight container for later use.
- Maple syrup – I love the natural sweetness and slight nutty flavor the maple syrup adds to the chipotle sauce. Be sure to use real maple syrup and not pancake syrup (which is mainly corn syrup). Maple syrup is a labor intensive product which is why it’s so expensive.
- Vinegar – A bit of white vinegar adds an acidic element to balance the spice of the chipotles and the sweetness from the maple syrup.
How to Make Maple Chipotle Chicken Wings
Step 1: Simmer maple chipotle sauce.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the maple syrup, chipotles and adobo, tomatoes, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard to the pan. Simmer until the sauce starts to come together, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Blend sauce.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Step 3: Prep wings.
Preheat oven to 250ºF (130ºC). Let the wings stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, so that the wings cook evenly.
Step 4: Season wings.
Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with enough oil to reach 2” (5cm) up the side of the pot. Heat oil to 375°F (190ºC). In a mixing bowl toss the wings with the cornstarch and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Fry wings.
When the oil is hot, work in batches and dredge the wings in cornstarch, shaking off the excess. Lower the wings into the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the outside is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Drain wings.
Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Place the rack in the oven to keep warm and repeat with the remaining wings.
Step 7: Toss with sauce and serve.
Add the fried wings to a large mixing bowl and toss with the sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a platter or plate and serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks for The Best Chicken Wings
Swaps and Substitutions
- Try serving this maple chipotle sauce over another cut of chicken like these chicken nuggets for a boneless version.
How to Prep This Recipe in Advance
- The maple chipotle sauce can be made up to a week in advance and stored, refrigerated in an airtight container, until ready to use.
- Wait to dress the wings in the sauce until just before serving.
How to Bake Chicken Wings
Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Arrange the wings in an even single layer and bake until cooked through, about 35 minutes, turning halfway through baking. Broil until crispy, about 1 minute on each side. Toss with the sauce as directed below.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this maple chipotle chicken wing recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram:
Maple Chipotle Chicken Wings
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Serves 4
For the maple chipotle sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the wings:
- 3 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed
For the maple chipotle sauce:
-
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the maple syrup, chipotles and adobo, tomatoes, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard to the pan. Simmer until the sauce starts to come together, about 10 minutes.
-
Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
For the wings:
-
Preheat oven to 250ºF (130ºC). Let the wings stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, so that the wings cook evenly.
-
Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with enough oil to reach 2” (5cm) up the side of the pot. Heat oil to 375°F (190ºC). In a mixing bowl toss the wings with the cornstarch and season with salt and pepper.
-
When the oil is hot, working in batches, lower the wings into the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the outside is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
-
Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Place the rack in the oven to keep warm and repeat with the remaining wings.
-
Add the fried wings to a large mixing bowl and toss with the sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a platter or plate and serve immediately.
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