Savory Turkey Wings With Homemade Cranberry Sauce

These savory turkey wings are one of those comforting dinners that feels special without being complicated. They’re bigger and meatier than chicken wings, slowly roasted until tender, and finished with a simple homemade cranberry sauce that makes the whole meal feel complete. If you’re a wings lover, you’ve got to try these juicy turkey wings.

These savory turkey wings with their wonderfully crispy skin and tender juicy meat are destined to be a new favorite dinner choice. The homemade cranberry sauce takes them to a whole new level of amazing flavor.

John loves my crispy gluten free chicken wings, but we had never tried turkey wings before. When he spotted these turkey wings in Whole Foods the other day, we were excited to see how they would compare to chicken wings. I immediately began thinking about how to come up with a tasty dish.

What could go better with turkey than an extra special cranberry sauce? Cranberries simmered in the juice of the turkey wings with a half cup of sweet balsamic vinegar and a touch of butter.

Since fresh cranberries aren’t available until the fall, I used organic dried cranberries. I love watching them plump up as they simmer in the sauce. For the balsamic vinegar, I recommend Bionaturae that is gluten free and made in a dedicated gluten free facility.

If you want comfort food that doesn’t require constant attention at the stove, this is one of those easy oven dinners I come back to again and again right up there with my Easy Sheet Pan Roast Chicken And Potatoes and Country-Style Pork Ribs.

Ready to cook up some savory turkey wings? Here we go.

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Place the turkey in an oiled baking dish. Drizzle the turkey with the juice of one lemon and rub with a combination of spices: paprika, garlic powder, parsley and salt. Add minced garlic and diced onion. Then cover the dish.

Letting the wings marinate in the fridge for one to two hours gives you tender meat and deeper flavor later. It’s one of those small steps that makes dinner feel comforting instead of rushed.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350℉. Pour chicken broth over the wings and bake for an hour and a half. Then transfer the wings to a broiling pan and brush them with some extra virgin olive oil. Turn up the oven to 500℉. Bake them for just ten minutes more. 

The metal roasting/broiling pan handles the higher heat better than a baking dish and helps the wings crisp during the final 10 minutes.

The internal temperature of the wings should reach at least 165°F (74°C).

There you go! The wings will have perfect crispy skin on the outside while the meat stays super juicy.

The final step that takes this meal to the next level is the special cranberry sauce. It takes just fifteen minutes to make: simmer the sweet balsamic vinegar and cranberries in the already seasoned broth from the baking dish. Stir in some butter until it’s creamy and then pour that delicious sauce over your wings.

The sauce beautifully complements the turkey and accentuates the medley of spices. You’re not going to be able to wait to sink your teeth into these. 😉

Serving suggestions

Turkey wings pair well with a variety of dishes. Here are some suggestions:

• Mashed potatoes or low carb Creamy Cauliflower Mash
• Rosemary Sweet Potatoes And Mushrooms or Parmesan Baked Sweet Potatoes 
• The Best Roasted Potatoes
• A choice from my vegetables and salad recipes such as Pomegranate Spinach Salad With Vinaigrette
• Grilled Gluten Free Corn Muffin or naturally gluten free Southern Spoon Bread
• Or even gluten free macaroni and cheese. We like Annie’s Gluten Free Macaroni And Cheese and Amy’s Frozen Mac And Cheese

Pro tips and recipe notes

• Turkey wings have three parts: the drumette, the flat middle, and the tips. If your wings come with the tips, cut them off. You can save them to add to homemade soup if you’d like or just discard. Now cut the drumettes apart from the flat portion at the joint. If you don’t feel like wrestling with turkey wings, this is something you could ask your butcher to do for you. One slap with his cleaver and it would be done.
• Low-carb option – Turkey wings have zero carbs. So if you’re following a low-carb way of eating, skip the cranberry sauce.
• Leftover turkey wings can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow them to cool to room temperature (but not for more than 2 hours) before storing. This helps prevent bacterial growth.

Leftovers make the next meal even easier. Cut up the turkey for this Turkey Salad, or shred it and use it to tuck into Arepas con Queso.

And the verdict on how these compare to chicken wings?

Well, they certainly give chicken wings a run for their money. 😉

They’re huge compared to chicken wings and much meatier. Two or three pieces may be enough to satisfy your appetite depending on how hungry you are. They’re pretty inexpensive, too. And they’re so incredibly tasty!

Bottom line, they were amazing! If you’re a wings lover, you’ve got to try these juicy turkey wings with this quick pan cranberry sauce.

This sauce is a good example of how I build flavor without stress. It’s the same approach I show you inside my Savory Sauce Solution, the system I use myself to keep weeknight dinner calm and comforting without feeling like a chore.

Enjoy! Have a happy and healthy week, friends!

What to make next 

Easy Manhattan Clam Chowder: This tomato-based chowder delivers real flavor and an easy win when you want comfort food that still supports your feel-good goals.

Sausage and gluten free noodles in easy Aglio e Olio sauce: Savory sausage, silky garlic-infused oil, and gluten free noodles come together fast, with big flavor and zero stress. It’s proof that gluten free dinners can feel indulgent and effortless at the same time.

Sheet Pan Bone-In Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Potatoes: This is for the nights when you want real comfort without juggling five pans. Everything roasts together for a cozy, satisfying meal with minimal effort.

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs: Let dinner take care of itself. These cook low and slow into rich, fall-apart comfort that feels special but fits right into a busy day.

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5 from 2 votes

Savory Turkey Wings With Homemade Cranberry Sauce

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Turkey wings are huge compared to chicken wings and much meatier. If you’re a wings lover, you’ve got to try these juicy turkey wings.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Calories 221kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

• 4-5 whole turkey wings cut off wing tips (you can save to add to homemade soup or discard.) Cut drumlette apart from the flat middle at the joint.
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth
• For Homemade Cranberry Sauce:
• 1/2 cup reserved broth from baking dish
• 1/2 cup gluten free balsamic vinegar
• 12 ounces cranberries
• 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Add olive oil to your baking dish. Then place wings in the dish. Drizzle with lemon juice.
  4-5 whole turkey wings, extra-virgin olive oil, 1 lemon
• Combine paprika, garlic powder, parsley and salt in a small bowl. Rub seasonings into the wings. Sprinkle garlic and onion around.
  1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 onion
• Cover and set in the refrigerator for one or two hours.
• When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350℉.
• Pour chicken broth over the wings, cover, and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
  2 1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth
• Then transfer the wings to a broiling pan and brush them with some extra virgin olive oil. Reserve the broth for later for sauce.
• Turn up the oven to 500℉.

  Bake for just 10 minutes more until golden. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F (74°C).
• For Homemade Cranberry Sauce:

  Meanwhile, wash your cranberries under cool water.

  Then simply add 1/2 cup of the reserved seasoned broth from the baking dish along with balsamic vinegar and cranberries to a sauce pan.

  Bring it to a rolling boil and then turn down to medium for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally as the cranberries pop and your sauce thickens.

  Stir in butter. Pour sauce over wings and serve.
  1/2 cup reserved broth from baking dish, 1/2 cup gluten free balsamic vinegar, 12 ounces cranberries, 4 tablespoons butter

Notes

• Turkey wings have three parts: the drumette, the flat middle, and the tips. If your wings come with the tips, cut them off. You can save them to add to homemade soup if you'd like or just discard.
  Now cut the drumettes apart from the flat portion at the joint. If you don't feel like wrestling with turkey wings, this is something you could ask your butcher to do for you. One slap with his cleaver and it would be done.
• Low-carb option - Turkey wings have zero carbs. So if you're following a low-carb way of eating, skip the cranberry sauce.
• Leftover turkey wings can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow them to cool to room temperature (but not for more than 2 hours) before storing. This helps prevent bacterial growth.
•  

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Protein: 25g

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