Made from scratch, these smothered turkey wings are a true Southern favorite. Seasoned and roasted turkey wings are baked in a rich homemade gravy for a hearty and comforting family meal.
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Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving and Christmas! These Southern smothered turkey wings can be enjoyed all year round, and let me tell you, they are nothing short of delicious!
Seasoned turkey wings are roasted, and then a rich homemade gravy is made from the drippings, for a bite full of flavor.
This recipe takes a little time to make, but the good news is that they actually require very little hands on time, and it’s a really straight forward recipe that’s made with a few simple ingredients.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Turkey Breast and Air Fryer Turkey Burgers too!
How to make smothered turkey wings
- Preheat oven to 375F. Place the turkey wings in a roasting pan and drizzle them with the olive oil.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle the seasonings over the wings making sure to cover both sides of the wings.
- Top the wings with the sliced onions and bell peppers and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- After removing the wings from the oven, pour the drippings into a measuring cup (or a something to make it easier to pour).
- To make the gravy: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter starts bubbling, add the onions and garlic cloves into the skillet. Cook until soft.
- Then stir in the sage, smoked paprika, and flour. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Stir in the pan drippings from the wings, then slowly stir in the stock. Let the mixture simmer for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens a little.
- Then pour the gravy over the wings.
- Bake the wings uncovered for 35-45 more minutes or until they are tender.
- Serve and enjoy.
Can you make it ahead of time?
These smothered turkey wings are best served as soon as they are ready so that the wings are nice and juicy. You can do the first bake of the chicken wings and make the gravy a few hours ahead of time and then do the final cook when you are ready to serve.
If you have leftovers they will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 360F, covered with foil, til warmed through.
Can you make this with other cuts of turkey?
This recipe is delicious with turkey wings, but you can also make it with legs and thighs as well. Cooking times remain pretty much the same, but use an instant read thermometer to check that they are fully cooked through, they should register at 165F.
What do you serve them with?
I love to serve these smothered chicken wings on white rice, and mashed potatoes will work great too. Serve them up with your favorite veggie sides like Instant Pot Green Beans and Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Pat the wings dry before seasoning them to help get the skin nice and crispy.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check that the wings are cooked through. They should register atleast 165F.
- Larger wings will take longer to cook. Cook the wings until tender and the meat falls easily off the bone.
More Turkey Recipes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Ground Turkey Tacos
- Air Fryer Roasted Turkey Legs
- Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili
Smothered Turkey Wings
Ingredients
Turkey Wings
- 3-4 pounds turkey wings split into flats and drums
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large yellow onion sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
Gravy
- 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ⅛ teaspoon rubbed sage
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- Pan drippings from wings
- 2 cups turkey stock or chicken stock room temperature
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Place the turkey wings in a roasting pan and drizzle them with the olive oil.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle the seasonings over the wings making sure to cover both sides of the wings.
- Top the wings with the sliced onions and bell peppers and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- After removing the wings from the oven, pour the drippings into a measuring cup (or a something to make it easier to pour).
- To make the gravy: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter starts bubbling, add the onions and garlic cloves into the skillet. Cook until soft.
- Then stir in the sage, smoked paprika, and flour. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Stir in the pan drippings from the wings, then slowly stir in the stock. Let the mixture simmer for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens a little.
- Then pour the gravy over the wings. It will thicken more in the oven. Bake the wings uncovered for 35-40 more minutes or until they are tender. Serve with rice.
Notes
- Pat the wings dry before seasoning them to help get the skin nice and crispy.
- Use an instant read thermometer to check that the wings are cooked through. They should register at 165F.
- Larger wings will take longer to cook. Cook the wings until tender and the meat falls easily off the bone.
Willette Elder
Thursday 18th of November 2021
This needs to be on my Thanksgiving table! Thank you! In the final picture, what herbs have you used to garnish?
Tanya
Sunday 21st of November 2021
Thanks Willette. That's parsley for garnish but any green herb will work.
LaLah
Tuesday 12th of October 2021
Just tried this for my family and we all loved it! Thank you so much
Tanya
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
Thanks for the feedback LaLah. So glad you all liked it.