Spicy Peanut Butter & Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings – Gimmicky, But No Gimmick

On the surface, it may seem as though this gimmicky-sounding peanut butter and jelly chicken wings video is nothing more than a cheap attempt to get a recipe to go viral right before the Super Bowl. Sure, the semi-shocking name will probably generate some added buzz, but I promise you, this is no gimmick.

I was thinking of doing some kind of chicken wing glazed with an Asian-style peanut sauce, but texturally wanted something a little stickier. That brought thoughts of a possible peanut butter and jelly collaboration, which came into final focus after a brilliant suggestion by Michele to use pepper jelly.

The result was a spicy, sticky, and, thanks to the peanut sauce base, quite unusual chicken wing-eating experience. If you're a fan of satay, you should enjoy this approach. As I mention in the video, this recipe can be easily adapted, and finding unique brands of pepper jelly would be just one way to tweak it.

I’m also excited to share a method I’ve been working on for getting oven-baked wings with a texture closer to something that comes out of a deep fryer. By adding a thin layer of potato starch to the wings, a nice crusty exterior is forged in the hot oven, which not only adds some great texture, but really helps grab on to the sauce.

With the NFL playoffs in full swing, it’s time to raise your game when it comes to the snack table. Have your Buffalo wings become too predictable? Has that ranch dip lost a step? Then I hope you consider shaking up the roster with these spicy peanut butter and pepper jelly wings. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 40 pieces of Peanut Butter & Pepper Jelly Chicken Wings:

For the wings:

5 pounds chicken wing sections, thawed, patted very dry

toss with…

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

cayenne to taste

1/4 cup instant mashed potato powder or flakes

*Bake at 425 for about 50 minutes, turning once

For the sauce:

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup pepper jelly

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tbsp fish sauce

sriracha hot sauce to taste

4 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil