This is a super simple Maple Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Wings recipe! You really don't need many ingredients for this, and most of the work is done in the oven or air fryer. With just a few basic steps, you can create a delicious dish that combines the savory goodness of Worcestershire sauce, a touch of spice from black pepper or chili flakes, and the sweet, smoky flavor of maple bacon. This is a great no-fail beginner cook recipe that is perfect for any occasion - plus the air fryer option makes it even quicker and crispier!
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Like this Easy 3-ingredient Baked Potato Wedges recipe and these Baked Beer-Battered Onion Rings, it's great to make for your father on Father's Day AND it will make a great Super Bowl dish. I personally make these when I'm lazy. I keep some chicken wings in the freezer and, when I don't feel like cooking, I cook wings from frozen. Plus, they get all the flavor from the Worcestershire sauce and the maple bacon, so there is no need to prepare complicated sauces or marinades. Easy peasy!
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Ingredients
- Chicken Wings: use split wings. Drumettes and wingettes. If you buy whole chicken wings, you can easily split them by cutting the joints between the wing tip and the wingette and then cutting again between the wingette and drumette.
- Worcestershire Sauce: I love using Worcestershire sauce in this recipe because it includes many ingredients that add flavor to the wings. There is no need to add salt, or sugar, or any other flavor-enhancing ingredients because they're all in the sauce. There is salt, sugar, vinegar, garlic, cloves, anchovies, chili pepper extract and other ingredients, all proportionately combined in one sauce.
- Ground Black Pepper: adding a little ground black pepper or some chili flakes will add a little spice that works great with the sweetness of the maple bacon.
- Maple Bacon: Maple-flavored bacon is usually available at any grocery store. I used the one pictured above, but there are many different varieties available.
- Maple Syrup: as a highly recommended option, you can use maple syrup as a glaze and brush both sides of the bacon-wrapped wings with some maple syrup. It will add sweetness and a beautiful color. If you like recipes with maple syrup, you have to try these Maple Cinnamon Baked Apples too!
see the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities
Substitutions and variations
- Maple Bacon: If you can't find maple bacon in your local grocery store, it's an easy fix: Place regular (not flavored) bacon on a cutting board and brush both sides of the bacon slice with maple syrup, before wrapping each chicken wing. You will need about 4 tablespoons of maple syrup per 12 bacon slices. For a leaner option, use turkey bacon.
- Worcestershire Sauce: You can also use soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce.
- Make it sweet and spicy: Mix honey or maple syrup with sriracha sauce and brush over the wings before wrapping with bacon. Or, sprinkle a mix of brown sugar and chili powder over the wings before baking for a sweet and spicy kick.
- Make it extra crispy: Like we do in our Cauliflower Steak with Prosciutto and Burrata recipe and this Baked Ginger Chicken Drumsticks recipe, coat the bacon-wrapped wings in panko breadcrumbs for an extra crunchy texture.
- Make in the air fryer: It'll be faster and crispier! Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C), place the wings in a single layer (work in batches if needed), and cook for 22–25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Keep an eye on the bacon near the end to prevent over-crisping. This method gives you deliciously caramelized wings with less cleanup!
Preparation
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and top it with a wire rack.
STEP 2: Season wings
Place chicken wings in a large mixing bowl and pat them dry with paper towels. Add the Worcestershire sauce and ground black pepper. Toss well. If time allows, let the wings marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
STEP 3: Wrap wings and bake
Wrap each wing with the maple-flavored bacon, place on the wire rack, making sure they are not touching each other, and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
STEP 4: Flip over and broil
Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil the wings for 3 minutes, then brush them with maple syrup (optional) flip them over, brush the other side with maple syrup, and broil the other side for another 3 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy.
STEP 5: Serve
Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Optionally, garnish with parsley or dill and serve warm.
Top Tips
- Make sure to use a wire rack on your baking sheet - it helps the wings cook evenly and get crispy all around.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer with space between each one. Use multiple baking sheets if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Thinner bacon strips tend to crisp up better than thicker ones.
- Keep an eye on the wings as they cook at higher temperatures to avoid burning the bacon.
- For an extra touch of sweetness and flavor, you can brush a bit of maple syrup on the bacon-wrapped wings during the last 5 minutes of baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure you are not overcrowding the wings when placing them in the baking sheet. Overcrowding can cause them to steam instead of bake, preventing crispiness. Also, don't skip the step of placing the wings on a wire rack over the baking sheet. Wings placed directly on a baking sheet can sit in their own juices, leading to soggy bottoms. Not baking the wings long enough can also result in less crispy wings. Don't skip the step of broiling the wings for the last few minutes of cooking.
Yes, but make sure to fully thaw the wings and pat them dry before seasoning and baking to ensure they get crispy.
Yes, for sure. Grilling can add a nice smoky flavor. Grill over medium-high heat, turning them over occasionally until the wings are cooked through and the bacon is crispy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 375°F (190°C) until heated through to maintain crispiness. I don't recommend reheating the wings in the microwave as they will lose their crispiness.
Serving suggestions
We love chicken wings with grilled corn on the cob and these easy 3-ingredient baked potato wedges, or our oven-roasted potato cubes. A simple vegetable salad is great with chicken wings as well! Or, try this Simple Corn and Marinated Mushroom Salad or this Sweet Carrot Salad Recipe.
Try these other meat recipes
Recipe
Maple Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Silicone brush optional, for brushing the wings with maple syrup
- tongs to flip the wings
Ingredients
- 20 chicken wings (about 2 lbs.) split, tips removed
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or ½ teaspoon chili flakes for more spiciness
- 20 bacon slices maple flavored (see notes below) - number of bacon slices are approximated based on the amount of chicken wings
- maple syrup optional, for glazing the bacon
Instructions
- Place chicken wings in a large mixing bowl and pat them dry with paper towels. Add the Worcestershire sauce and ground black pepper. Toss well. If time allows, let the wings marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.20 chicken wings, 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Take each chicken wing and wrap it with a slice of maple bacon. Start at one end of the wing and spiral the bacon around to cover as much of the wing as possible. Secure the bacon with toothpicks if needed to prevent it from unraveling during cooking (this is optional).20 bacon slices
- Arrange the bacon-wrapped wings on the wire rack, making sure they are not touching each other.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil the wings for 3 minutes, then take them out of the oven and, using a silicone brush or a pastry brush, brush each chicken with maple syrup, flip them over, and brush the other side.
- Return the baking sheet with the wings back into the oven and broil the other side for another 3 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and fully cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F or 74°C). Keep a close eye on the wings while broiling to prevent burning.
- Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes.
Notes
- If maple-flavored chicken wings are not available: Place regular (not flavored) bacon on a cutting board and brush both sides of the bacon slice with maple syrup, before wrapping each chicken wing. You will need about 4 tablespoons of maple syrup per 12 bacon slices.
- Thinner bacon strips tend to crisp up better than thicker ones.
- Make sure to use a wire rack on your baking sheet - it helps the wings cook evenly and get crispy all around.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer with space between each one. Use multiple baking sheets if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Every oven is different, you may need a little less or a little more time in the oven. The wings should be browned and crispy.
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