About

this recipe

What's better than crispy wings slathered in your favorite, homemade sauce? Having three homemade sauces to slather them is. Sticky, sweet and spicy, this upgraded sports-bar favorite is designed to please a crowd (or just a couple of heavy hitters.) The dish is served with three bold sauces: Bourbon Sweet Chili, Kentucky White and Maker's Mark® BBQ Sauce. They're great with wings, but you'll find a variety of uses for these homemade sauces. All are prepared with Maker's Mark® Bourbon – as is the succulent marinade the wings are cooked in.

Preparation Time

3 hours 30 minutes, including marinade


Cook Time

25 minutes


Total Time

3 hours 55 minutes


Ingredients

  • 30 high-quality chicken wings

  • 3 oz. (2 shots)

    Maker's Mark® Bourbon

  • 2 tbsp. kosher salt

  • 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

  • 2 tbsp. Tabasco® hot sauce

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Bourbon Sweet Chili Sauce

KY White Sauce

  • 3 oz. (2 shots)

    Maker's Mark® Bourbon

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tbsp. cracked black pepper

  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

  • Salt to taste

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Preparation 
Instructions

Baked chicken wings on a cooking sheet.
  • Step 1

    Mix all ingredients

    Combine all ingredients in a large container and mix well. Let sit covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours for best results.

  • Step 2

    Ready the oven and baking sheet

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spray with nonstick spray to make cleanup even easier.

  • Step 3
    Arrange the wings
    Place chicken wings on tray barely touching and not stacked. If they are piled on each other, it will cause the wings to steam, not caramelize.
  • Step 4

    Bake until ready 

    Bake for 20–25 minutes or until cooked through.

  • Step 5

    Toss well in sauce

    As soon as you remove wings from the oven, toss with one of the wing sauces below or your homemade Maker's Mark® BBQ sauce. To create a glaze, put sauced wings back in the oven to finish for 3–5 minutes and serve.

  • BOURBON SWEET CHILI SAUCE

  • Step 1

    Mix all ingredients

    Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix until fully incorporated.

  • Step 2

    Add to wings

    Toss in a large bowl with wings immediately after taking wings from the oven for best results.

  • KY WHITE SAUCE

  • Step 1
    Mix all ingredients

    Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

  • Step 2

    Add to wings

    Toss with wings immediately after removing from the oven.

A bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon whisky behind a tall glass with a Bourbon Bloody Mary over ice and a pickle, celery, and lime garnish. A small bowl of lime slices is to the left.

TIPS FOR GREAT     
Bourbon Chicken Wings

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Spread your wings

The sauces in this recipe contain full-strength Maker's®. For a family-friendly version, first simmer the bourbon until it's reduced to a syrupy texture and let cool. This method will burn off the alcohol.

Red icon on a cream-colored background, representing a cooked chicken.

Double duty

Bourbon breaks down enzymes in meat, so your marinade will tenderize while also adding flavor. Be careful using higher proof spirits, like Cask Strength, which work quicker and can toughen meat.

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Best practices

A good habit to get into is thoroughly drying meat before seasoning it. And, let it come to room temperature before cooking for a crispy outside and more evenly cooked inside. Wings tend to be forgiving, though.

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Getting saucy

To soften the punch of raw onion and garlic when making sauces, combine both with canola oil in a foil pack. Bake at 350 degrees until soft and aromatic. Let cool and add to your sauce as needed.

Red icon on a cream-colored background, representing a bottle of hot sauce.

Tips, Tools & Techniques

The Maker's Mark® BBQ Sauce used in this dish is a staple in the Star Hill Provisions®' kitchen. The best part is, it's open to interpretation. So, you can add the parts that best suit your palate, the ingredients you have on hand or the dish you're serving it with. The two constants are a bottle of your favorite sauce as the base and Maker's Mark® Bourbon to help make it your own. See recipe.

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A photo of the classic Maker's Mark bourbon whisky bottle.

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