Winter Citrus BBQ Wings with Fennel Slaw

Crispy baked wings tossed in a smoky-sweet winter citrus BBQ sauce with a refreshing shaved fennel slaw on the side.

Why You'll Love Winter Citrus BBQ Wings with Fennel Slaw

Crispy wings, zesty citrus glaze, and a cooling fennel slaw come together for winter gatherings.

Tips and Tricks

• Pat wings completely dry before seasoning for max crisp
• Use a wire rack to promote even crisping
• Let slaw sit for 10 minutes to absorb all the flavors

Variations

• Try grapefruit juice instead of blood orange
• Add chili flakes or hot sauce for extra heat
• Use radicchio or shaved cabbage in the slaw

Substitutions

• No Meyer lemon? Sub regular lemon + pinch of sugar
• No fennel? Use celery and thinly sliced radish
• Out of brown sugar? Use maple syrup in the sauce

Best served with

• Grilled corn or elote
• Roasted fingerling potatoes
• IPA or citrusy cocktail
• Pickled red onions

How to Store Leftovers

• Store wings and slaw separately. Wings reheat best in the oven at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. Slaw keeps fresh for up to 2 days in the fridge.um.

Common Questions

Winter Citrus BBQ Wings with Fennel Slaw

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Crispy baked wings tossed in a smoky-sweet winter citrus BBQ sauce with a refreshing shaved fennel slaw on the side.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Appetizer, Meat

Cuisine: American, Seasonal

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the Wings

• 2 lbs chicken wings
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Winter Citrus BBQ Sauce

• ⅓ cup blood orange juice about 2 oranges
• 2 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
• ½ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Fennel Slaw

• 1 fennel bulb shaved thinly
• 1 blood orange peeled and segmented
• 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill finely chopped
• Kosher salt to taste

For Garnish

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon blood orange zest
• 2 charred blood orange halves optional, for squeezing

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Whisk
• Sharp knife or mandoline
• Large mixing bowls
• Saucepan
• Wire Rack

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
2. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
3. In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Then air-dry them on the rack in the fridge overnight. In an oven, the overnight dry is what makes the skin blister instead of just brown, so do not skip it.
4. Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack and bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.
5. While the wings bake, make the sauce:
6. In a saucepan, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Set aside.
7. Make the fennel slaw:
8. In a bowl, mix shaved fennel, blood orange segments, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, dill, and salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.
9. Toss baked wings in half of the citrus BBQ sauce.
10. Arrange on a platter. Garnish with parsley, orange zest, and optional charred citrus.
11. Serve with fennel slaw and reserved sauce on the side.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.

Storage: Wings keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 8-10 minutes to re-crisp the skin, not the microwave. Keep the fennel slaw separate and eat it within a day since it wilts once dressed. Extra citrus BBQ sauce holds in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a week.

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