Name: Baked PB&J Chicken Wings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken wings (whole (about 10 whole wings)); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspooon smoked turmeric (or smoked paprika); nonstick cooking spray; ¾ cup powdered peanut butter ((or regular peanut butter)); ¾ cup strawberry preserves or jelly; ¾ cup water ((if using powdered peanut butter)); 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; salt and pepper (to taste); ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts (crushed); 2 tablespoons cilantro or green onions (chopped); 1 tablespoon sesame seeds ((optional))

^{One of the most nostalgic lunch box sandwiches becomes a bar food favorite. Peanut butter and strawberry jelly chicken wings could be the best combo in its own weird way. Baked and made with lighter ingredients, you’ll have to try them for yourself.}

Before you think of knocking this recipe, you’ve got to try this. I heard about these wings in the past and I never really had a chance to try this flavor. My love for these wings started a few weeks ago while bar hopping at Walt Disney World. We stopped at the newest steakhouse and had some cocktails and I needed some substance to get me through the rest of the night.

When I ordered these, I really didn’t read the menu, I just knew that my friends ordered them and they looked saucy and crispy, and that was good enough for me. Once I bit into them, the flavor was next level. I knew they had a nice peanut flavor (dead giveaway considered they were topped with crushed peanuts). There was a sweetness that I couldn’t put my finger on until I read the menu and then I couldn’t un-taste the classic flavor combo…PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY!

These used to be served at a local sports bar and although they were suggested to me many times, I never tried them. Now they’re no longer served so I either had to go back to Disney every time I crave these or I needed to make them on my own. I kid you not, I woke up the next morning craving these wings.

Leave it to me to lighten up a perfectly good dish but it had to be done if I wanted it on the blog. That’s just what I do here. I had peanut butter powder on hand which I had a feeling would work considering it made a great savory sauce for my Chicken Satay & Light Peanut Sauce. If you don’t know this already, I truly believe chicken and peanut butter are a match made in heaven.

For the jelly, I wanted something with less sugar and more fruit flavor instead of that classic jelly flavor. I used sugar-free strawberry preserves. You really could use that weird jarred Smucker’s Goober Spread that only the lucky kids got the privilege of eating growing up. That would work though. It’s a pretty simple sauce and uses some of the most basic household ingredients.

You can use wings that are separated into the drums and flats. I liked the overall visual aesthetic of the whole wing and it was fun to eat too! These wings, separated or whole, bake up really well and also go great in the air fryer.

How to air fry these wings: Set your air fryer to 400 degrees (if you need to preheat, preheat for 10 minutes). Season and place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and then cook for another 5 minutes until the chicken is crispy and ready for the sauce. Remove and drizzle with a third of the sauce (or enough to coat) and then throw them back into the air fryer for 5-7 minutes. Remove and toss in more sauce!

However you make these, I’m telling you, they’re worth a shot. They’re less fat that your typical bar fried wings. This is a great protein packed lunch or dinner with the added peanut butter!

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Baked PB&J Chicken Wings

Print Recipe

One of the most nostalgic lunch box sandwiches becomes a bar food favorite. Peanut butter and strawberry jelly chicken wings could be the best combo in its own weird way. Baked and made with lighter ingredients, you’ll have to try them for yourself.

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:55 mins

Total Time:1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

For the Chicken Wings

2 pounds chicken wings whole (about 10 whole wings)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspooon smoked turmeric (or smoked paprika)
nonstick cooking spray

For the Sauce

¾ cup powdered peanut butter (or regular peanut butter)
¾ cup strawberry preserves or jelly
¾ cup water (if using powdered peanut butter)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Toppings

¼ cup honey roasted peanuts crushed
2 tablespoons cilantro or green onions chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Place a wired rack on top of a foil lined baking sheet. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Lay chicken on the wire rack and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Season both sides of the wings with salt, pepper and turmeric/paprika.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove halfway through the baking process to flip the chicken.
At the same time, combine peanut powder, preserves, water, soy sauce, Sriracha, garlic powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk until smooth and well blended and heat on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes until warmed through. Stir every minute or so to avoid burning.
**Add water in one tablespoon increments to the sauce while heating if you need to loosen the consistency***
Remove chicken from the oven and coat the wings with about 1/3 of the sauce mixture. Add them back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
Remove the chicken and toss the wings in another 1/3 of the sauce. Reserve the last 1/3 sauce for dipping or extra drizzling.
Top with chopped peanuts and cilantro or green onions. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

How long do these last and where?

These are best directly out of the oven, tossed in the sticky, sweet sauce. They are edible the next 2-3 days if kept in the fridge. If you’re like me, cold wings are just as good.

Substitutions?

For the jelly you can really use whatever jam, jelly or preserves you have on hand. Grape, raspberry, strawberry or even orange marmalade are all great options. If you can find a spicy, jalapeño pepper jelly, that would be fantastic. I chose sugar free for less calories and sugar. All options will work.

For the peanut butter, any nut based butter will work. Almond, cashew or peanut butter are the best options. I did use powdered peanut butter because once again, I wanted to keep the calories low. If you have generic peanut butter, crunchy or creamy, all are great options. Use what you have if you’re not trying to cut calories.

You absolutely can fry these the real way. Hold off on adding the sauce until the end when they’re removed from the oil and are hot and crispy.

Tips and tricks

If you’re baking these, bake them on a baking rack vs. directly on a pan. This helps distribute the heat all over for the entire baking process. If you do want to put them directly on the pan, that’s fine, just know they won’t be as crispy at the end.

If you’re using preserves, be aware that you can keep the chunks of fruit in the sauce once it’s mixed with the peanut butter. I actually used an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce. This will help with the appearance and taste for any skeptical eaters.

**Add water in one tablespoon increments to the sauce while heating if you need to loosen the consistency***

Season your chicken as best as possible. Bland chicken in the beginning will yield for bland chicken in the end regardless of how much sauce you use. Feel free to get creative with the seasonings too.

Nutrition

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer, Baked, Chicken, Fruit, Sauce

Servings: people

Calories: 798kcal