Blackberry Honey Jalapeno Chicken Wings

So yesterday I shared with you a classic honey bbq wing recipe, but today is all about taking a classic and flipping it upside down. I recently saw a list of wing recipes that had everything on the scale from mild to burn your face off hot, and then some off-the-wall recipes like these blackberry jalapeno wings by Heather Christo. I veered a little off course from her recipe, since if I am going to eat wings, I want to feel a little less guilt by baking them instead of deep frying them. I was really happy with how they turned out. Taste aside, how can you not love that pinkish-purple color? So fun!

Blackberry Honey Jalapeno Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs. chicken wings
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cups fresh blackberries, a few reserved for garnish
• 1/4 cup honey
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped green onions, garnish

To make the sauce heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook until softened about 7 minutes. Add in the blackberries and honey and bring to a simmer, cooking until the berries begin to burst, another 5 minutes or so. Carefully add the hot ingredients to a blender or use an immersion blender and puree the sauce until smooth. Place into a bowl and set aside.

If you purchased wings already broken up into drumsticks and wings, then you are one step ahead. If you purchased whole wings like me, get out a large butcher knife and clip off the tip (the end off of the wing that that no meat on it). Then find where the drumstick meets the wings and cut in between the two. You will need to use some force and will have to break through bone. Lastly, trim off the excess skin from both.

Wash and pat dry chicken wings. Then set the wings on a baking sheet and allow to dry out in front of a fan for about 30 minutes. If you do not have time, feel free to skip this step. It makes the skin extra crispy when baked.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season the wings with salt and pepper and bake for 40-50 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss the wings in the blackberry jalapeno sauce. Place back on the baking sheet and cook another 5-10 minutes until the sauce is bubbly.

Serve warm.