Learn how to make juicy and tender smothered turkey wings! Seasoned to perfection and served with a delicious gravy. Baked turkey wings are so easy to prepare, you will want to serve them year round!

Looking for more holiday entrees? Try my Honey Glazed Spiral Ham, Juicy Cajun Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast, and Baked Smothered Chicken with Gravy next.

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Why You Will Love This Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe:
Ingredients you need:
How to Cook Turkey Wings:
How Long to Bake Turkey Wings:
Alternatives and Variations:
Pro-Tips:
What goes with Smothered Turkey Wings?
Storing and Reheating:
FAQ:
More Dinner Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this Baked Turkey Wings recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!

Everyone knows that turkey wings are the best part of the bird, and now everyone gets to enjoy it! Smothered turkey wings are baked until tender and basted with a savory gravy.

Ditch the whole bird this Thanksgiving and make these amazing baked turkey wings instead! This mouthwatering main course is fall-apart tender and packed with flavor so it is bound to become a family favorite.

Why You Will Love This Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe:

Ideal for Intimate Holiday Meals! Why roast a whole turkey when you are having a small Thanksgiving? Skip all the prep work and opt for something easier.

Time Saver! Cooking wings takes a fraction of the time it takes to roast turkey. So the next time you get a craving for juicy turkey, make this for Sunday supper. It does not have to be a holiday to make a special meal!

Delicious Comfort Food! This soul food dish is generously seasoned and smothered in gravy for a southern-style dish. It is a hearty treat for the taste buds that will leave you feeling more than satisfied.

Ingredients you need:

Prepare the Turkey Wings:

Turkey wings: Use full turkey wings (they include the drummette, middle wing, and wing tip). They are like chicken wings, only bigger. Clean and dry the wings before applying any seasoning.
Olive oil: This ensures the skin browns and gets crispy.
Seasoning: I use a blend of cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper.
Veggies: Thinly sliced yellow bell peppers, red bell peppers, and onions slowly caramelize in the oven. They add color and taste amazing.
Unsalted butter: The butter mingles with the aromatics and seeps into the turkey for depth of flavor.

For the Gravy:

Chicken broth: This is the liquid base of your turkey gravy. You can use chicken stock or turkey stock as substitutes.
Cornstarch: This naturally thickens the gravy so it has some body and sticks to the surface of the turkey.
Browning seasoning: This enriches the overall flavor, adding smoky depth and a subtle sweetness. It also darkens the color of the gravy.
Seasoning: Add cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.

How to Cook Turkey Wings:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375ºF then spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, and set it aside.

Step 2

Clean and thoroughly dry turkey wings, then add them to a large bowl, or place them on a clean surface. Drizzle them with olive oil, and rub it in until they are completely coated. Then sprinkle seasonings over each wing.

Use clean hands or tongs to ensure each turkey wing is fully coated with the seasoning mixture. Once the seasoning coats each wing, place the seasoned wings in a baking dish, spreading them out so they cook evenly.

Then add sliced peppers and onions directly on top of the wings. Place 2 tablespoons of butter on each wing.

Prepare the gravy mixture:

Add your chicken broth to a large glass or bowl, then add in the cornstarch, browning seasoning, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.

Whisk this together until everything is blended well.

Step 4

Gently pour the gravy mix around the edges of the dish, not directly over the turkey wings as you don’t want to remove the seasonings.

raw, seasoned turkey wings topped with pats of butter in a baking dish

Then cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, and then remove it from the oven.

Step 5

Spoon the gravy mixture over the turkey wings. Baste them very well, then cover the dish back up with foil and place it back in the oven.

a spoon pouring gravy over half baked turkey wings

Bake for another 30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and serve right away. Enjoy!

How Long to Bake Turkey Wings:

It takes about 1-2 hours to bake turkey wings. It depends on the size of the wings and the temperature of the oven. These smothered turkey wings have a cooking time of 1½ hours when baked at 375ºF.

Alternatives and Variations:

Creamy Gravy: Enrich the gravy by adding heavy cream.
Fresh Herbs: For herbaceous flavor, consider adding herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Add Veggies: The turkey wings are swimming in gravy. Add vegetables for some extra nutrition and a one pan meal. Carrots and potatoes taste even better drenched in gravy and turkey drippings.

Pro-Tips:

This recipe does not require a marinade but if time permits, you can marinate the wings overnight in the fridge.
Do not season and cook the turkey straight out of the fridge. Allow them to come to room temperature before baking so they cook at an even rate.
Remember to thoroughly dry the wings with paper towels before applying seasoning. Excess moisture on the surface of the wings prevents the skin from getting crispy in the oven.
Keep the smothered turkey wings covered with aluminum foil for most of the cooking time. Then remove it in the last 10 minutes for crispy skin.
The wings are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check. If you do not have one, cut a small slice into the turkey meat. The turkey wings are ready when the juices run clear.

close up view of a smothered turkey wing

What goes with Smothered Turkey Wings?

Serve turkey wings with gravy over white rice or mashed potatoes. Southern Collard Greens complement this turkey wing recipe too. Sop up that savory gravy with sweet cornbread.

a fork holding a hunk of turkey wing meat over a dish full of more

Storing and Reheating:

Once the turkey wings have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store the gravy separately if you prefer.

For the best results, reheat turkey wings in the oven until warmed through.

close up view of smothered turkey wings in a baking dish

FAQ:

Why are my turkey wings tough?

If your wings are tough, they are either overcooked or undercooked. Use an instant-read thermometer to determine which (turkey is cooked when it reaches 165ºF). If they are undercooked, check them every 10 minutes until they are tender.

How do you keep turkey wings from burning?

Cover the wings as they bake to prevent them from burning. Toward the end of the baking time, you can remove the foil to brown them up.

Do you rinse turkey wings before cooking?

According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) poultry does not need to be rinsed. However, I rinse and dry the turkey before applying oil and seasoning.

close up view of a forkful of render turkey wing meat

More Dinner Recipes to Try

📖 Recipe

4 servings

Tender Smothered Turkey Wings

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

This Thanksgiving, skip the whole turkey and learn how to make smothered turkey wings instead. Baked turkey wings are so easy to prepare, you will want to serve them year round!

Ingredients

Prepare the Turkey Wings:
2 whole Turkey wings
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
½ Tablespoon Seasoned salt
2 teaspoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Garlic powder
2 teaspoons Onion powder
1 teaspoon Poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Black pepper
½ Yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ Onion, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons Butter, unsalted

For the Gravy

2 ½ cups Chicken broth
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Browning seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, and set it aside.

Clean and thoroughly dry your turkey wings, and add them to a large bowl, or clean surface. Drizzle the turkey wings with the olive oil, and rub it around so that they are fully coated.

Now sprinkle your seasonings all over each wing, including the: cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper.

Use your clean hands, or tongs to make sure that each turkey wing is fully coated with the seasoning mixture. Once the seasoning is coating each wing, add the wings to your baking dish, spreading them out so they cook evenly.

Now add your sliced peppers and onions right over the top of the turkey wings. Place 2 tablespoons of butter on each wing.

Prepare the gravy mixture:

Add your chicken broth to a large glass or bowl, then add in the cornstarch, browning seasoning, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Whisk this together until everything is blended well.

Gently pour the gravy mix around the edges of the dish, not directly over the turkey wings as you don’t want to remove the seasonings.

Cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, remove it from the oven and use a spoon to spoon the gravy mixture over the turkey wings. Baste them very well, then cover the dish back up with foil and place it back in the oven.

Bake for another 30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and serve right away. Enjoy!

Notes

Refer to the post above for pro-tips and detailed instructions about baking turkey wings.

Tender Smothered Turkey Wings

Why You Will Love This Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe: