Learn how to make Smothered Turkey Wings cooked in savory gravy! This Southern classic is fall-off-the-bone tender and perfect for a Sunday soul food dinner.
Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 2 hours
- 🍽️ Serves: 4-6
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- 🥘 One Pan Meal: Everything cooks together in one pan for less cleanup
This Southern smothered turkey wings recipe is perfect for Sunday dinner!
The wings are cooked in one pan and smothered in homemade gravy made with onions, bell peppers, butter, and seasonings. The gravy is savory and flavorful, you’ll want to pour it over rice or serve up mashed potatoes with gravy.
Our smothered recipes are some of the most loved on our site, like this smothered chicken and rice, Southern oxtail recipe, and smothered pork chops. They all have one thing in common: delicious homemade gravy that takes comfort food to the next level.
If you love turkey, be sure to check out more of our turkey recipes too, like this Cajun-style turkey neck boil, our smoked turkey breast on the pellet grill, and this smoked turkey wings recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Wing Recipe
- They’re fall-off-the-bone tender!
- The savory homemade gravy is made with onions and bell peppers for extra flavor.
- Everything cooks in one pan, which makes cleanup quick and easy.
- It’s a true soul food classic perfect for Sunday dinner.
Ingredients
- Turkey Wings: Split wings into drums and flats for even cooking. This recipe also works great with turkey legs or thighs if that’s what you have on hand.
- Oil & Butter: We use Graza “Frizzle” extra virgin olive oil (for high heat cooking) along with Kerrygold butter. The olive oil helps sear the turkey wings without burning, while the butter adds richness and deep flavor to the gravy.
- Chicken Stock: You can use stock, broth, or Better Than Bouillon mixed with water. All will give you a savory base for the homemade gravy.
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Smothered Turkey Wings (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place turkey wings on a baking sheet and season well on both sides with seasoning.
Step 2: Heat oil in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe heavy pot. Sear the wings in batches until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
Step 3: Add onions and bell peppers, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as they cook. When the vegetables are softened, stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the butter.
Step 4: When the vegetables are softened, stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the butter.
Step 5: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour over the vegetables a little at a time, stirring after each addition until everything is evenly coated. Reserve the last tablespoon to use later if the gravy needs thickening.
Step 6: Pour in the chicken stock and stir until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil, then add hot sauce if using, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Step 7: Return the wings to the pot along with any juices from the plate, then cover.
Step 8: Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the wings are tender and the gravy has thickened, about 185–195°F internal temperature.
What to Serve with Turkey Wings
Smothered turkey wings taste even better with classic soul food sides dishes.
Collard greens and ham hocks or collard greens with smoked turkey, and soul food cabbage, this black folks mac and cheese recipe, and Southern candied yams are a few of our favorites.
You can also serve the wings over rice or mashed potatoes with gravy.
Smothered Turkey Wings FAQs
Turkey wings are safe to eat at 165°F, but for fall-off-the-bone tenderness, cook them until they reach 185–195°F.
Yes! This recipe also works with turkey legs or thighs. Just adjust the cooking time since the pieces may be larger.
Nope! You can make the gravy separate and pour it over the wings after they’ve baked in the oven.
More Southern Meat and Gravy Recipes
Looking for more soul food favorites smothered in rich gravy? Try these:
If you tried this Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe or any other recipe on our blog, consider leaving us a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments!
📖 Recipe
Smothered Turkey Wings Recipe
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- Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds turkey wings split into drums and flats
- 2 tablespoons soul food seasoning or your favorite all-purpose seasoning, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 dashes hot sauce plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set to 350°F.
- Season the wings: Place turkey wings on a baking sheet and season both sides with Soul Dust.
- Sear the wings: Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sear turkey wings in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: Add onions and bell peppers, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as they cook. When the vegetables are softened, stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the butter.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables, adding a little at a time and stirring until everything is evenly coated. Reserve the last tablespoon to use later if the gravy needs thickening.
- Build the gravy: Slowly pour in chicken stock, stirring as you go. Bring to a boil and let the roux, vegetables, and stock come together. Add hot sauce, if desired, and adjust to taste with soul food seasoning.
- Bake the wings: Return the turkey wings to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake until wings are tender and falling off the bone, about 1.5–2 hours. Stir occasionally while baking.
Notes
- You can make the gravy separate: You can bake the turkey wings first, then make the gravy on the stovetop and pour it over the wings after about an hour of cooking.
- Don’t skip the sear: Browning the wings before baking adds extra flavor to the gravy.
- Scrape the pan: Be sure to scrape up the browned bits when cooking the onions and peppers (that’s where a lot of flavor comes from).
- Check for tenderness: The wings are ready when they’re fall-off-the-bone tender, usually around 185–195°F internal temperature.
Nutrition
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