Baked BBQ Turkey Wings
Baked BBQ Turkey Wings are sweet, smoky, and sticky and falling-off-the-bone tender. These turkey wings are first baked low and slow with spices until the meat is fork tender. From here they’re brushed with BBQ sauce and then broiled until sticky and charred. BBQ Turkey Wings in the oven are perfectly seasoned, moist and tender and so easy to make and require minimal effort. Enjoy with a side of Homemade Creamy Coleslaw with Homemade Dressing and a warm slice of Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread for Sunday dinners.
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Why This Recipe is So Good
- What’s not to love about turkey wings slathered in homemade BBQ sauce? These wings are incredibly flavorful, tender, and not dry or tough! They are addictively delicious.
- It’s super easy to make in the oven. This recipe is pretty much hands-off. After rubbing the wings with a little bit of oil and spices they are baked for 1 ½ hours. From here the broiler does the work of crisping up the skin and charring the BBQ sauce.
- This recipe is perfect for holidays or during BBQ season. If you are looking for another turkey alternative to baking a whole turkey for the holidays or just something to eat instead of BBQ Chicken Wings, this BBQ turkey wing recipe is perfect. It comes together in the oven with just a few minutes, little prep work, and minimal effort on top of being totally delicious. #winwin
Recipe Ingredients
- Turkey wings – Ask your butcher to cut your wings into flats and drums that way they will cook at the same rate in the oven. You can cut them yourself using a sharp chef knife. Angle your knife to cut in-between the joints to separate the wings into parts. Save the wing tips for turkey broth.
- Olive oil – Just enough is used so that the spices stick to the wings.
- Spices – Onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and ground paprika season the meat so it’s perfectly flavorful.
- BBQ sauce – I used my homemade BBQ sauce recipe from this Air Fryer Chicken Wings recipe. You can decide to make your own(since the wings take a while to cook you can make it while they’re baking) or use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce. Either one works fine!
How to Make BBQ Turkey Wings
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Rinse your turkey wings then pat dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil and spices then place turkey wings into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil then bake until the wings are tender.
- Uncover the baking dish, then cook under the broiler for 3 – 4 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
- Brush the wings with BBQ sauce, then broil for another 3 – 4 minutes or until the BBQ sauce is sticky and slightly charred.
- Enjoy hot with your favorite southern side dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions —
Turkey wings can be tough if cooked improperly. Make sure the wings are cooked covered so they don’t dry out and become tough and chewy. Don’t cook them at a high temperature without covering the pan and/or baking them with water or broth.
Turkey wings take about 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook and become tender.
By baking the turkey covered. As it cooks, the juices from the turkey will keep the meat moist and tender until it just falls off the bone. Also, make sure to cook the meat for long enough; if your turkey is tough and it was covered, you just might need to cook it for longer. Most of the time, turkey takes at least 1 – 1 ½ hours to become tender in the oven.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings with Homemade BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Turkey Sandwiches with Coleslaw
- Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
- Smothered Turkey Necks
- Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties
- Southern Turnips Greens with Turkey Bacon
- Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Grandpa’s Southern Turkey Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Smoked Turkey Salad Sandwich
- Ground Turkey Enchiladas
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Baked BBQ Turkey Wings
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking dish or 2(8-inch) baking dishes
- Pastry brush
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 3 lb turkey wings split into flats and drums, fully thawed, about 4 whole wings or 8 pieces
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ – ¾ cup BBQ sauce homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Rub wings with olive oil and spices. Place into a 9×13 baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, then bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the foil, turn on the broiler, then broil the wings for 3 – 4 minutes to crisp up the skin. Brush over BBQ sauce, then broil for 4 minutes or until sticky and charred. Note: If you are using homemade tomato sauce-based BBQ sauce, it won’t char under the broiler.
- Serve and enjoy with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
- Store baked turkey wings in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees until hot and heated through. I sometimes like to reheat the wings with a splash of water or broth so they don’t dry out when reheating. Serve with more BBQ sauce if desired.
- To freeze- store baked wings in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen until heated through, covered so the meat doesn’t dry out.
Tips and Tricks
- Turkey wings: Ask your butcher to cut your whole wings into flats and drums. You can cut the wings yourself using a sharp chef’s knife and cutting in between the joints. Make sure to save the wing tips to make turkey broth.
- BBQ sauce: Homemade tomato-based BBQ sauce won’t char under the broiler. Use a store-bought or homemade ketchup-based BBQ sauce if you want charred sticky wings.
- Season your wings: Since we are adding the BBQ sauce after the wings have finished cooking, seasoning the meat is important. You don’t want the meat to be bland and flavorless before topping it with BBQ sauce.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
