Sweet and Tangy Baked Wings

These sweet and tangy baked wings are crispy chicken wings coated in a homemade Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Dr Pepper. All opinions are my own. #OneOfAKindFan

Sometimes it’s hard for my husband to be the only male in the house. Although we provide our three girls with plenty of gender-neutral toys they definitely gravitate towards all things pink and princess. That being said, one of our daughters took an interest in football early on and my husband has turned it into a fun father-daughter activity. Of course once one girl got interested the others decided to join in, and Saturdays during college football games have turned into party time at our house. We are definitely one of a kind fans, everyone of all ages gets involved in the action! We typically invite some friends over to gather around the TV and watch the game. But of course it’s not a real party until there are some great snacks involved!

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Everyone around here loves chicken wings and they’re a quintessential game day food. I love my chicken wings extra crispy, but I do NOT love frying. In fact, I avoid frying at all costs. When I make oven baked wings I employ my special trick: a flavorful brine. Brining the wings not only adds flavor but the salt and honey in the brine actually helps to crisp up the skin. The wings get almost caramelized in the oven; I dare you to eat just one.

But what’s even better than crispy oven baked wings? Oven baked wings with a special homemade barbecue sauce. It’s actually really easy to make your own barbecue sauce; it’s a handful of ingredients you probably already have and about 10 minutes of cook time. A lot of barbecue sauces use sugar or honey as a sweetener, which is fine and all, but I much prefer the more complex flavor of Dr Pepper.

I tested the barbecue sauce with both regular and Diet Dr Pepper varieties. I think it tastes best with regular Dr Pepper but the diet version will work too.

After your Dr Pepper barbecue sauce has simmered for a few minutes it’s time to coat the wings. You can pour the sauce on top of your pile of wings or brush it on, depending on how saucy you like them.

These sweet and tangy baked wings are truly the ultimate game day snack. You can toss the wings in the brine the night before and bake up a whole tray of them while you’re waiting for the game to start. They’re also perfect for a tailgating party. Everyone will be so impressed that you made your own barbecue sauce, you don’t even have to tell them how easy it was!

I’ve talked about my love for the Target Cartwheel app before – if you’re now using it, you should be! I check Cartwheel every week before I head over to Target to find great coupons, a lot of times the coupons are for items I was planning to buy anyway. Who doesn’t love a good discount? You can check the Cartwheel app for savings on Dr Pepper products. #CollectiveBias

So tell me, what are your favorite game day snacks and traditions? I’m always looking for more great ideas to add to our parties!

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

5 from 1 vote

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Sweet and Tangy Baked Wings

These sweet and tangy baked wings are smothered in a homemade barbecue sauce.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken wings

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 341 kcal

Author Dinner at the Zoo

Ingredients

• For the wings:
• 2 1/2 pounds party style chicken wings (or whole chicken wings that have been halved crosswise)
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 garlic cloves , smashed
• 1 tablespoon of barbecue , poultry or grill seasoning
• 8 cups water
• cooking spray
• cilantro leaves and lemon wedges for garnish (Optional)
• For the barbecue sauce:

• 1 cup Dr Pepper (I prefer regular but Diet will work too)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 3 tablespoons of steak sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring one cup of water to a boil (I use the microwave) and pour the water into a very large bowl. Add the salt and honey to the water and stir until the salt has dissolved.
2. Add the garlic and seasoning to the bowl. Pour 7 cups of very cold water over everything and stir until combined.
3. Place the chicken wings in the brine, cover the bowl and put it into the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Remove the chicken wings from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the wings in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until wings are a deep golden brown.
5. While the wings are in the oven, make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
6. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat.
7. Serve the wings immediately with cilantro leaves and lemon wedges to garnish if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet and Tangy Baked Wings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 16g 25%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 78mg 26%

Potassium 400mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 28g 9%

Sugars 23g

Protein 19g 38%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.