Fall means holiday entertaining AND tailgating parties. Here’s a cranberry pomegranate sticky chicken wings recipe that is elegant, delicious, and satisfying enough for all fall/winter occasions!
This is my favorite time of year. I love when the weather cools down, the crisp air brings forth the need for cozy sweaters and scarves, and there are so many reasons to gather with friends and family.
Football. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Hanukkah.
With so many different holidays and fun gatherings happening, you could be making a lot of different dishes to bring to share with friends and family. Well, today, I have an awesome recipe that is super simple that you can bring to ALL of these great gatherings: Cranberry Pomegranate Sticky Chicken Wings.
Sticky Chicken Wings
Let’s talk about sticky wings versus fried wings for a second.
I love fried chicken wings, but there’s something about sticky wings that instantly elevates the meal. That’s right: you have the right to elevate your tailgating parties, my friends! This recipe is elegant enough to serve at your next holiday dinner party, and it feeds a crowd of 8-10, depending on how hungry your guests are.
To make the wings, I use the ol’ tried and true method to achieving crispy salt & pepper chicken wings. Basically, rinse and pat dry the wings, then place onto a roasting rack fitted on top of a baking sheet, lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Salt and pepper each side of the wings, then bake at 400 degrees for approximately 50-55 minutes. I also turn the baking sheet around halfway to ensure even cooking.
Cranberry Pomegranate Glaze
The glaze used for these sticky chicken wings sings of the flavors of the season: tart cranberries, pomegranate, and balsamic vinegar. While the chicken is baking up to a crisp in the oven, make the glaze. Simply place all glaze ingredients into a saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until thickened. So easy!
Once the chicken is nice and crisp, take it out of the oven and brush the glaze over each wing. I usually do 2-3 coats of glaze; I allow one “coat” to set for a minute before adding another layer of glaze. This helps add richness to the flavor of the sticky chicken wings and also adds a richer color. Then simply plate and garnish with pomegranate seeds and sliced green onions.
Doesn’t it make such a gorgeous presentation? It LOOKS so fancy, but you’ll know how easy it was to make!
You can serve this at any Game Day party, at Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Christmas, or any weeknight family meal.
Draper Valley Farms
The chicken used for this recipe and in the photos shown here are RANGER® The Free Range Chicken wings from Draper Valley Farms. Being an Oregon girl, you know how much I love using fresh, local ingredients, and Draper Valley Farms has farms in Oregon and Washington. RANGER® Chickens are Northwest grown free-range chickens with access to the outdoors and are 100% vegetarian fed with no animal by-products. They are also Non-GMO Project Verified, have no hormones or antibiotics added, and are Salmon-Safe. Draper Valley Farms pretty much fits the laundry list of the good things I look for when purchasing meat for my family, and I am proud to be working with them on this recipe! You can find RANGER® The Free Range Chicken from Draper Valley Farms at your local Safeway, New Seasons Market, QFC, Zupan’s Market, Grocery Outlet, and more.
Cook’s Notes
A few details to note:
- I used a Cranberry Pomegranate juice as the base for the glaze, but you can use just straight pomegranate juice if you want.
- You can easily omit the thyme leaves if you don’t want an element of herb flavor in the wings.
- Instead of placing the chicken on a greased roasting rack on top of a baking sheet, you can also use foil coated with cooking spray.For any method, be sure to watch the wings carefully during the last 15 minutes to ensure they do not burn.
Have you made sticky chicken wings before? What flavors did you use?
Cranberry Pomegranate Sticky Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
For the glaze
- 3 cups pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Garnish: pomegranate seeds thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease a roasting rack over a shallow baking pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Add chicken and coat with the flour mixture. Shake off excess flour mixture and place chicken skin-side up on the rack.
- Bake for about 45-55 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked and skin should be slightly crispy.
To make the glaze
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together pomegranate juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, then add the cranberries, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened into a nice glaze.
- Strain the liquid out into a bowl; discard the onion, garlic, and cranberries. Toss the cooked chicken into the glaze, coating each chicken wing completely.
- Plate chicken and sprinkle a garnish of pomegranate seeds and sliced green onions.
- Serve and enjoy immediately, or keep warm in a 225 degree oven until ready to serve.
I’m proud to be partnering with Draper Valley Farms to create recipes that are fresh and delicious. As always, all opinions and photos are my own. I think you would love Draper Valley Farms chicken too!
Oh these look so delicious! Am so going to try them soon!
Let me know how it goes if you do, Vaishali! Thank you for stopping by!
Oh my goodness! Where has this recipe been hiding all my life?!?! Seriously, this sounds absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to make this for the family in a few days.
Ha ha Ref you are wonderful! Thank you for stopping by :)
I never thought of using cranberries for sticky wings! Looks tasty! And you are right, the presentation is gorgeous!
Thank you, Sara!
Oh my. These look heavenly. I bet they would be fantastic with some spice added to them too.
I went easy with the thyme but bet they would be good with some subtle spice too. The cranberry and pomegranate are a pretty strong and solid flavor team though, so if you do try this with some added spice, I’d love to hear what you used and how it tasted! Thanks, Monica!
I was sold as soon as i read “wings.” This looks so yummy, I am getting hungry. Can’t wait to try it.
I’m pretty much sold anytime I see “wings” too, Mytha :) Thank you! Hope you get to try it someday!
Love chicken wings. Never thought of the combination of chicken and pomegranate, but it really look nice :)
I love wings too! Thanks, Jeanette!
The flavor combination in these sticky chicken wings is too good to resist!
It’s soooo tasty. I think you’d enjoy it! Thanks, Ashley! :)
What a great way to make a party favorite have a holiday twist. These wings look incredible!
Thank you, Amy! :)
I’m going to be craving these all day now! They look amazing!!
:) I admittedly wanted to make another batch when I was editing the photos! Thanks, Rachel!
This looks really good! I’ll have to try this at home!
One Awesome Momma
Thanks so much, Belle!
I”m not really a turkey person.If I were hosting Thanksgiving I would go with an Asian twist and serve these. NOMNOMNOM
I’m really only a turkey person on Thanksgiving, too, Meredith :) Thanks!
Yum! I’ve never thought to incorporate pomegranate with chicken wings but this sounds delicious!
The pomegranate adds a great flavor depth. I think you’d like it! Thanks, Ryan!
What a gorgeous take on wings! I’m sure this would make quite an impression at a football game watch party! And the presentation is just too pretty.
Thanks so much, Catherine!
This looks gorgeous with the pomegranate!
whoa! these look so tasty! i love wings, i will definitely have to make them soon! pinning this recipe for a rainy day :)
Love how easy these are and that they’re baked and not fried. You are so right, the presentation is gorgeous with the pomegranate! I’m sure these will disappear fast and be a real crowd-pleaser!
While I’m not eating chicken anymore, I’m thinking this could be one really tasty glaze for tempeh! (Don’t be too mad I’m making vegetarian substitutions here :) ) Plus my work is giving out free pomegranates lately, so this would be a great use for them! Ha!
Love these flavors! These wings would disappear in a hurry at our house!
This recipe certainly looks delicious, and the combination of flavors sound wonderful. However, when I try this, I’m going to swap, (as I do with EVERY “wing” recipe), the wings for drumsticks. I’ve always found wings to be too much work for way too little meat.
These look so festive! What a wonderful app for our next holiday party.
What a festive recipe! I have actually never cooked wings. I’m not the biggest fan (I know, I’m a weirdo) but I would try these. I love the idea of using pomegranate on chicken dishes.
Oh my gosh! I just want to run right over to your house and steal a plate of these when your aren’t looking! (Pomegranates make everything pretty!)
These look delightful! I love serving wings since they’re always a party favorite.