Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings are tender and juicy, packed with cajun flavor smothered in a homemade gravy. Oven-baked turkey wings are made with minimal effort and a handful of ingredients. They are falling off the bone tender and are super easy to make for Sunday dinner or during the holidays. Enjoy this ultimate comforting dinner served with steamed rice, Blue Corn Cornbread Muffins, or Southern Turnip Greens with Turkey Bacon.
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Turkey often gets a bad rap for being dry(rightly so sometimes!), but it doesn’t have to be. These smothered turkey wings are anything but dry! They are first baked with cajun spices, onions, and bell peppers until tender, then the turkey pan drippings are combined with a rich and flavorful homemade gravy. These wings are moist and juicy and so full of flavor!
Why This Recipe is So Good
- It’s so full of cajun flavor! Feel free to use a homemade or store-bought cajun seasoning mix. It gives these turkey wings a lot of savory flavor and a hint of spice.
- They are fall-off-the-bone tender! Turkey can be dry when improperly cooked but not with this recipe! The wings are covered and then cooked with the turkey drippings and homemade gravy to ensure that the meat remains moist and juicy.
- This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Oven-baked turkey wings will last in the fridge for several days. It reheats really well, and you can pair it with steamed rice, cornbread, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, or Baked Macaroni and Cheese for the best dinner.
- Great Thanksgiving or holiday alternative to cooking a whole turkey. If you are cooking for a small crowd during the holidays are just want to make something simpler than cooking a whole turkey, turkey wings or BBQ Turkey Legs can be an excellent choice. It cooks faster, and because you are working with smaller turkey parts, you can ensure that the meat is juicy throughout. No more dry holiday turkey!
Recipe Ingredients
- Turkey wings – You’ll need about 4 whole wings or 8 split wings(flats and drums).
- Cajun seasoning – This is a spice blend made with black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground paprika and oregano or dried thyme. It’s bold and savory and can be spicy. This is what gives these wings a bold cajun flavor, use store-bought seasonings or homemade.
- Vegetables – You can’t smother anything without onions and green bell pepper, it’s simply a staple.
- Broth – I used my Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth. If you use store-bought broth, make sure it’s low-sodium otherwise, your dish will be too salty. Using chicken or turkey stock is a great option since it doesn’t contain any additional salt.
- Flour – Used to make a roux so that gravy will thicken up.
How to Make Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To a baking dish, add chopped onions and green bell peppers, then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, rub your split turkey wings with olive oil and spices. I like to wear plastic gloves and use my hands to make sure the wings are evenly coated.
- Place the wings on top of the vegetables in the baking dish, then cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Make the gravy. In a medium sauce pot, heat olive oil, then stir in flour and seasonings. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes, then whisk in cold chicken broth, turkey broth, or stock. Allow your gravy to cook and thicken, then pour over the turkey wings. Bake for another 30 – 40 minutes uncovered until the gravy is bubbly and the meat can easily come off the bone and the skin is browned and crispy.
- Allow to cool slightly, then serve with your favorite Southern side dishes. Enjoy!
What to serve with smothered turkey wings
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Southern Turnip Greens with Turkey Bacon
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Red Potatoes
- Naturally Sweetened Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
Frequently Asked Questions —
Absolutely! During the first part of the cooking process, the wings should be covered. This allows the wings to become tender without drying out. Once you take off the foil, there will be plenty of turkey drippings and juice in the pan, which will keep the meat juicy as it bakes. If you bake your wings uncovered, they will be tough and dry, which isn’t what we want!
I find that they take about 2 hours to bake. Turkey wings reheat really well so this is an excellent make-ahead dish!
Looking For More Recipes?
- Smothered Turkey Necks
- Smothered Chicken Wings
- Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Grandpa’s Southern Turkey Cornbread Dressing
- Baked BBQ Turkey Wings
- Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken with Potatoes
- Blue Corn Cornbread Muffins
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
- Jalapeno Honey Cornbread
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Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- 1 Medium sauce pot
- Aluminum foil
- whisk
Ingredients
- 3 lb turkey wings split into flats and drums, fully thawed, about 4 whole wings or 8 split wings
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 medium pepper
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 small onion
Gravy
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 2 cups low-sodium turkey broth or chicken broth*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and pat turkey wings dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cajun seasoning until completely coated.
- To a 9×13-inch baking dish add chopped green peppers and onions, then place the wings on top. Cover the pan with foil then bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- While the wings are baking make the gravy. Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once hot, whisk together olive oil, flour, dried thyme, and cajun seasoning. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth, then allow the gravy to cook for a couple of minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Pour gravy over the turkey wings. Return the baking dish to the oven uncovered to bake for another 30 -40 minutes or until the meat can easily fall off the bone and the skin is browned and crispy.
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
- Store baked turkey wings in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an air-tight container.
- Reheat turkey wings in a 400-degree oven until hot.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in freezer-safe storage containers.
- Reheat from frozen covered until heated through then uncover in the last few minutes of the cooking time to crisp up the skin again.
Tips and Tricks
- Turkey wings: Ask your butcher to split your whole wings into flats and drums, and keep the wing tips if you want to make homemade turkey broth or stock. Wings can vary in size, so you might need to cook them for a longer or shorter amount of time. Once done, the meat should easily fall off the bone when using a fork.
- Make it gluten-free: Swap all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour.
- Broth: If you don’t have any chicken/ turkey broth or stock on hand, water can be used. It won’t be quite as flavorful but just as delicious! If you are using store-bought broth, make sure it’s low in sodium so your wings don’t become overly salty.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
