Chicken Wings with Roasted Pepper Hot Sauce
Oven-roasted chicken wings are lightly coated with a vibrant homemade hot sauce made from roasted red bell peppers, tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. The wings remain crisp beneath the sauce, with plenty left on the side for dipping.
Serves: 6 as an appetizer | Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
High-heat roasting produces beautifully browned wings without frying.
The homemade sauce relies on roasted vegetables rather than bottled hot sauce.
Red bell peppers and tomatoes balance the jalapeño heat, which is easy to adjust.
The sauce can be prepared ahead and served with more than just wings.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings
3 pounds split chicken wings, tips removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt-free garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Roasted Pepper Hot Sauce
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
2 medium plum tomatoes, cored and halved
1 small yellow onion, cut into thick wedges
1–2 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup salt-free chicken broth, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, optional
Instructions
1. Prepare the Oven and Pans
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place a wire rack inside one large rimmed baking sheet. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Season the Wings
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Place them in a large bowl and add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
Arrange the wings skin-side up on the wire rack, leaving space between them.
3. Prepare the Vegetables
Arrange the red bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
For moderate heat, remove the jalapeño seeds and use one pepper. For a hotter sauce, retain some of the seeds or use two jalapeños.
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and turn them until lightly coated. Position the bell peppers and jalapeños cut-side down.
4. Roast the Wings and Vegetables
Place both baking sheets in the oven.
Roast the vegetables for 25–30 minutes, turning the onion once, until softened and browned around the edges and the pepper skins are blistered in places. Remove the vegetables and let them cool slightly.
Continue roasting the wings for a total of 45–50 minutes, turning them after approximately 25 minutes, until deeply browned and cooked through. The thickest wings should reach at least 165°F without the thermometer touching the bone.
5. Make the Hot Sauce
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from their skins.
Transfer the roasted garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño to a blender or food processor. Add the balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, and black pepper. Blend until smooth, adding more broth 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to create a thick but pourable sauce.
Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley or cilantro and optional lime juice.
Taste and adjust with additional balsamic vinegar, lime juice, or black pepper if desired.
6. Coat and Serve
Transfer the roasted wings to a clean large bowl.
Add approximately ½ cup of the roasted red pepper hot sauce and toss until the wings are lightly coated. Add only enough sauce to flavor the wings without saturating their crisp exterior.
Arrange the wings on a platter and serve immediately with the remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Cook’s Notes
Jalapeños vary considerably in heat. Begin with one pepper and add more after tasting if needed.
Drying the wings thoroughly and leaving space between them encourages even browning.
A wire rack promotes crispness, but the wings may be roasted directly on parchment and turned several times.
Lightly coat the wings rather than pouring all the sauce over them.
The roasted red pepper sauce is also delicious with grilled chicken, turkey burgers, roasted cauliflower, or potato wedges.
Make Ahead
The roasted red pepper hot sauce may be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat it gently before serving, adding a little salt-free chicken broth or water if it becomes too thick.
The wings may be seasoned, covered, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours before roasting. Pat them dry again if moisture collects on the surface.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover wings and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Reheat the wings in a 400°F oven for 10–15 minutes or in an air fryer at 375°F until hot and crisp. Warm the sauce separately and coat the wings immediately before serving.
The sauce may be frozen for up to 2 months.
Complete the Meal
Serve the wings with our Grilled Corn in the Husk and Classic Tabbouleh Salad for a relaxed late-summer cookout.