Red Pepper Chicken Wings

What makes chicken wings delicious? It's all about how you dress them up. The meat itself usually tastes the same. Unlike braised meats that can vary in the degree of tenderness or seafood that can have different natural flavors, chicken wings taste almost the same no matter what. So it really just comes down to the marinade and seasonings. So far I've explored a Korean chicken wing version, an Indian version, and an American version. Now it was time to explore an Italian-inspired version. These red pepper chicken wings use red pepper sauce to create the marinade and glaze, yielding a delicious wing. Pair it with Greek yogurt ranch for a fun appetizer or lunch!

Recipe

Print Recipe

Red Pepper Chicken Wings

Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 2

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Red pepper chicken wings

• 2 red bell peppers quartered
• 2 Roma tomatoes quartered
• 3 shallots quartered
• 2 garlic cloves skin on
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb chicken wings
• salt and pepper

Greek yogurt ranch

• ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place bell peppers, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic on a baking sheet pan and roast for 35-40 minutes or until charred. Flip vegetables over halfway through. Remove from oven and remove garlic peel.
• Place all vegetables in a blender along with basil, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth and let cool completely.
• Season chicken wings with salt and pepper. Pour half of the bell pepper marinade, tossing to coat. Reserve remaining bell pepper sauce. Marinate chicken for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Meanwhile, make Greek yogurt ranch. Combine yogurt with buttermilk, parsley, dill, garlic powder, lemon juice, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Pour remaining reserved bell pepper marinade in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Set aside.
• Lay chicken wings on prepared baking sheet in an even layer and roast for 15 minutes. Flip chicken over and baste with reduced sauce. Roast for another 15 minutes. Flip chicken over again and baste once more. Roast for another 5 minutes or until caramelized.
• Remove red pepper chicken wings from oven and serve with Greek yogurt ranch.

Watch how to make this:

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

I happened to be making a jar of roasted red pepper sauce for pasta one night when I pondered, "What else can I use this sauce for?" With Superbowl around the corner, I wondered if I could use the sauce as a component for chicken wings. Well, I'm here sharing the recipe with you so you can guess that the end result was a success. And the best part? It's easy to prepare.

To make the chicken wing marinade, first, roast the vegetables including bell peppers, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic.

Cut the bell peppers, tomatoes, and shallots into quarters and place them on a baking sheet with garlic cloves with the peel on. Then, pop the tray into the oven and roast the vegetables for about 35-40 minutes or until lightly charred.

Remove the garlic skin and blend the vegetables along with basil, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. If you want a mild version, omit the red pepper flakes.

Let the red pepper sauce cool completely; you can prepare the sauce the day before. Once cool, reserve half of the sauce for glazing and use the rest to marinade the chicken. Let the wings sit in the delicious sauce for at least one hour or overnight.

While the chicken is marinating, make the Greek yogurt ranch. This healthier dip uses plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and sour cream. For best results, let the dip sit for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors meld. You can also prepare it the day before.

Lay the chicken wings in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. You want to line the baking sheet so that the wings don't burn and create a mess on the baking sheet.

Roast the wings for 15 minutes, then flip them over and glaze them with reduced sauce. Continue cooking the wings for another 15 minutes, flip them over again, and glaze them once more. Finish them in the oven until lightly charred and caramelized, about 5-8 minutes.

Transfer the red pepper chicken wings to a serving platter and serve them with the Greek yogurt Ranch dip.

With my first bite, I took a pause and thought long and hard about what these wings reminded me of. It tasted a bit like buffalo sauce without a tang and bbq sauce without the sweetness. So in short, the best of both worlds! The flavors are subtle but present, making it easier to gobble up a batch. Pair them with Greek yogurt Ranch for a delicious pairing!

For more chicken wings inspiration check out these Korean sticky sesame chicken wings!