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The Big Game is just around the corner, and everyone’s posting recipes that are perfect to eat while watching Super Bowl commercials. So, I just had to create my own little heavenly appetizer. When I think football, I think wings. Wings! Actually, I call them wing-a-dings, because it just sounds more appetizing. It also sounds better when they are cooked and I announce “It’s time for wing-a-dings!” See? Because I can’t just leave well enough alone, I needed to make a new wing recipe that features something kooky, and wasn’t fried because everyone fries their wings. I dare to be different. Thus, cranberry hot wings were born.

I had 2 cans of cranberry sauce in the pantry, and I knew that I could create something with them. With the last can, I created a delicious no-bake cranberry dessert, so this time we had to go savory. And hot. Cranberry sauce, Sriracha, and wing-a-dings.

*Disclaimer* I will be using the phrase “wing-a-dings” quite a bit in this post. I apologize in advance.

Place your wing-a-dings on a large cookie sheet, skin side down if possible. I was out of parchment paper, so used foil and sprayed it with cooking spray. For less heartache, I would say to use parchment paper so you don’t lose any meat candy pieces on the foil. If you plan on make the whole recipe with 4 pounds of wings, then you’ll need two cookie sheets. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

Here’s the trick to getting them crispy without frying them: baste them with a butter/vegetable oil mixture. I used 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 tablespoons of oil, 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt and a teaspoon of black pepper. I melted the butter in the microwave and just whisked the oil and spices into the butter. Then, I basted the wings with the mixture.

Place the wings in a 400 degree oven and cook for 20 minutes. While the wings are baking. It’s time to make the cranberry concoction. It’s super easy: 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 cup of Sriracha (ha cha cha) and 1 cup of cranberry sauce. If you like things really hot, you can add in another 1/4 cup of Sriracha, and lower the cranberry sauce to 3/4 cup. Whisk the items together under medium low heat, for 2 minutes or until they look like this:

Don’t taste it. It’s hot!

After 20 minutes, take the wings out of the oven, turn them over, and baste with your hot wings mixture. If you see that there’s a lot of chicken “juiciness” on the cookies sheets, you can soak it up with a few paper towels. If there’s too much moisture, then they won’t get crispy. Place the wings back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, crack your oven up to broil. Take the wings out, baste them again with your hot wings mixture, and broil the wings for 7 to 10 minutes or until they get that yummy char on top of them.

You’ll take them out and they’ll look, and smell, like meat candy. They’re tangy, sweet, spicy, and addictive. If you end up making these hot wings at 10 at night, you’ll find yourself eating an insane amount all by yourself and not feeling badly about it. So, do yourself a favor and make them for a crowd instead.

Cranberry Hot Wings

Ingredients:
4 pounds chicken wing sections
1 14oz can cranberry sauce (jellied or whole)
1 cup Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1/2 cup butter and 4 tablespoons of butter, separated
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place wings on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, skin side down, and dry the tops with a paper towel.
Place 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe small bowl, and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until butter is melted. Add in seasoned salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil. Whisk together.
Baste chicken wings with butter mixture, and bake wings in oven for 20 minutes.
While the wings bake, place a medium saucepan on the stove. Melt 1/2 cup butter on medium/low heat. Once the butter is melted, place 2 tablespoons oil, flour, cranberry sauce and sriracha in saucepan. Whisk together for 1 to two minutes or until everything is full incorporated and slightly thickened.
After 20 minutes, take wings out of oven, turn over with tongs, and baste with hot wing mixture. Place back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, pull the wings out and turn oven to broil. Baste the wings one more time with the hot wing mixture, and place in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the wings are charred and crisp.

Serve immediately and enjoy!