These juicy smothered chicken wings are cooked in a rich gravy made of heavy whipping cream and chicken broth.
They’re also seasoned with a variety of different spices which gives them a more nuanced flavor.
Making them does require a bit of effort, but it’s completely worthwhile at the end.
Juicy Smothered Chicken Wings
I love making these smothered chicken wings whenever I’m longing for a comforting meal after a long day’s work.
They have a deep rewarding flavor and go perfectly when served on top of some mashed potatoes.
They’re also made without any cream of chicken or mushroom soup as I believe this gives the sauce a better consistency.
Another thing that’s worth pointing out is that I remove some of the cooking oil after frying the chicken wings and add some butter instead.
This way the dish has a lighter overall flavor.
Ingredients
For the wings
- Chicken wings – You’ll need about two pounds of chicken wings which typically equal ten medium sized chicken wings.
- Flour – The flour will give the chicken wings a crispy exterior while keeping the meat tender.
- Spices – The chicken wings are seasoned with a mix of garlic powder, dried thyme, dried marjoram, paprika, black pepper and salt.
For the gravy
- Vegetable oil – Vegetable oil serves as a medium where you’ll saute the onions and garlic.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is used as a base for the sauce. If you have only salted butter at hand, you should skip the salt for the gravy.
- Onions – You’ll need one large onion cut into thin wedges.
- Garlic – Garlic will enhance the overall flavor of the gravy and give it a sharper taste.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream will thicken the sauce and add depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth – Chicken broth will enrich the taste of the gravy and give it a slight umami flavor.
How to Make
Check out the recipe card at the end of this article for detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Start by combining all of the dry ingredients for the chicken wings in a large bowl and tossing the chicken wings in the mix.
Continue by heating the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and frying the chicken wings on both sides until they’re golden brown.
Follow this by arranging the chicken wings on top of a wire cooling rack and scooping the excess oil with a spoon.
Melt the butter in the same pan and use it to saute the onions and garlic.
Once the garlic and onions are cooked, gradually add the chicken broth, black pepper and salt to the pan.
Continue by adding the heavy whipping cream and lowering the heat to medium-low.
Finish by adding the chicken wings and cooking them under a closed lid for half an hour.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcrowd your pan – Using a smaller pan or overcrowding your pan with too many ingredients will decrease the temperature of the oil and increase cooking time.
- Gradually add the chicken broth to the sauce – Dumping the chicken broth into the sauce will alter its texture and create lumps. That’s why it’s a better idea to gradually stir the broth into the sauce.
- Serve on top of some rice or mashed potatoes – Even though these chicken wings are a complete meal you can serve them on top of some boiled rice or mashed potatoes for a fantastic combo of flavors.
Storage
If you have any leftovers, you can safely store them in the fridge for up to four days.
Make sure you place them in an airtight container to reduce the exposure to bacteria and increase their shelf life.
You should also allow the wings to cool off before placing them in the container to minimize the amount of humidity.
When you’re ready to consume the leftovers, you can reheat them on the stove top for a few minutes over medium-low heat.
Try These Out Next
If you want to check out more chicken wings ideas then I recommend giving this dry rub for crispy chicken wings a try.
They’re made with a special dry rub which gives them a nice smoky flavor.
Naturally, you’ll probably want to serve them with a dipping sauce, which is why I’ve made a round-up of the best Buffalo Wing Sauces.
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Juicy Smothered Chicken Wings
Ingredients
For the wings:
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram dried
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For the gravy:
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion large; cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Mix the flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram and paprika in a large bowl. Set aside three tablespoons of the mixture for later.
- Pat the chicken wings dry and coat them with flour mix, then place them on top of a wire cooling rack.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan or a wok over medium heat. Fry the chicken wings on both sides until they become golden brown. Place the chicken wings back on the wire cooling rack.
- Lower the heat and scoop the oil until there are roughly four tablespoons left. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt.
- Turn the heat to medium and saute the onions. Add the finely chopped garlic once the onions become translucent and cook them for a minute or two.
- Add the leftover flour mix to the saucepan and stir until it completely disintegrates into the butter. Add the chicken broth, salt and black pepper and stir until they're evenly combined into the mixture, then stir in the heavy whipping cream.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low when the sauce starts simmering and add the chicken wings. Cook the chicken wings under a closed lid for half an hour while occasionally turning them over.
- Serve while the wings are still warm.
Notes
- I recommend cooking the wings in several batches. This way there's less of a chance to overcrowd your pan and undercook them.
- Make sure you add the chicken broth gradually and keep stirring it until it's evenly combined into the sauce. Otherwise, there will be lumps.
- You can serve these chicken wings on top of some rice or mashed potatoes.
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Nutrition
I do my best to provide you with the nutritional information for recipes but I'm not a certified nutritionist. The nutritional information provided should only be treated as an estimate since it will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.