Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings

A Plate of garlic rosemary chicken wings.

Instead of traditional buffalo chicken wings, why not make a batch of these savory garlic charged wings. They’re loaded with fresh rosemary, charred onions and soft, mellow garlic with crispy, juicy pan-charred wings. These rosemary garlic chicken wings have won praise by my family and the legions of folks who’ve made them.

garlic cloves

Up until a few years ago, my experience with chicken wings was limited.  

Yes, I’d had those famous buffalo-style wings and while they weren’t bad, they definitely weren’t something I craved and certainly nothing I would go out of my way for.  

My daughter on the other hand, loves them.  And Scott naturally associates “wings” with “football” as in “let’s watch the game and eat some wings!”   

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I was the lone dissenter.  Actually, not a dissenter, but more of a meh – whatever, take-em or leave-em shrug.  In the spirit of “if you can’t beat ’em…”  I challenged myself to make a better wing.  One that even I wanted to eat!

peeled garlic
herbs in a bowl

Last year, we worked on these Hatch Chile wings – which my official tasters gobbled up.  Then I went on an Asian-flavor kick and made these Asian chicken wings that smacked you with a tangy, sweet, spicy glaze.  

Ok, I REALLY liked those!  This time, I was trying to recreate some wings that I’d tasted a few years ago at the Boca Burger Battle.  (I know — WINGS at a BURGER BATTLE???) — BUT both Scott and I agreed, these wings were better than any of the burgers!

herb rub in a bowl

With rosemary, garlic and spice, they had a bold flavor that kept us coming back.  The wings were served with tender caramelized onions and whole roasted garlic cloves.  (sigh!!)

chicken wings and marinade.

Of course, the restaurant serving them had a wood burning oven.  I do not.  So my first challenge was “how” to cook them.  Grilling would make sense and maybe lend a little char.  Roasting on a rack in a very hot oven usually achieves a crispy result.  But there were those onions and garlic cloves….  I settled on a cast iron skillet and a dual cooking method — stovetop and oven.

chicken wings in plastic bag

The marinade is pretty straight forward and includes a ton of fresh rosemary, some lemon zest, red pepper flakes and a healthy amount of salt and pepper.  

I put the wings into the marinade the night before so that they could really absorb those flavors.  

chicken wings, onions and garlic

To take some of the pungency out of the garlic cloves, I blanched them first in some boiling water, then slipped off the skins and they were ready to be used.  

I made these at the same time I was putting the marinade together and just stored them in a plastic baggie until I was ready to cook.

chicken wings in cast iron skillet

The next day, I set the skillet over the burner and turned it on medium high.  Cast iron holds the heat and sears anything it touches (including you — I used an oven-mitt)!    

chicken wings seared in a pan

This stovetop method seared the chicken and started the browning/caramelizing on the onions.  I finished the cooking in a very hot oven!

crisped Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings

After about 10 minutes, I used a pair of tongs to flip the wings and give the onions a quick stir.   Flip the wings once or twice more during the cooking until they take on a glistening golden brown.   That’s it!  

Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings on a plate.

Transfer the wings to a platter, turn on the game and pass out the napkins.   You won’t have leftovers.  In fact, you may want to think about doubling or tripling this recipe.  I guess, maybe I am a wing-lover after all.

Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings on a cutting board.

More wing recipes and other snacks:

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4 from 28 votes

Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings

When you’re craving a different type of chicken wing, these Rosemary Garlic Wings are THE BEST! Fresh Rosemary, Lemon Zest, Red Pepper Flake and Loads of Sweet Roasted Garlic make these chicken wings SING!!!
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword appetizer, chicken wings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 3

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound chicken wings separated into flats and drums
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped fresh
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/2″ wedges
  • 1 head garlic not peeled, separated into cloves

DIRECTIONS:

  • In a small bowl combine the rosemary, lemon zest, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup olive oil and stir well. Set aside.
  • Rinse and dry the wings and place them in a 1 gallon resealable storage or freezer bag. Add the marinade, seal the bag, getting out most of the air. Massage the chicken wings in the marinade until well coated. Refrigerate overnight.
  • Take the chicken wings out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the cloves of garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes, drain and let the cloves cool. Slip the skins off the cloves of garlic and set aside.
  • Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil, when the oil is hot, add the onions and cook while stirring occasionally for one minute. Add the chicken wings one at a time to the hot pan and cook for 1-2 minutes (without turning or prodding them) so that they get a little sear. Using tongs, flip the wings. Add the peeled garlic cloves and stir them with the onions. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, then transfer the skillet to the hot oven.
  • Cook for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken wings and stir the onions and garlic before returning to the oven. Cook an additional 8 minutes and flip the chicken wings again. Cook for a final 8 minutes and remove from the oven.
  • Transfer the wings to a platter and serve.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1.4mg

“Pin It” For Later!

The best wing recipe! Rosemary Garlic Chicken Wings have tons of flavor for your game day snacking! Use a cast iron skillet to get a good crust and sear! #wings #chickenwings #garlic #rosemary #chicken #paleo #onions #gameday #superbowl #superbowlsnacks #gamedaysnacks #tailgating #castironskillet #chickenwingrecipe #wingrecipe #easychickenwingrecipe #snacks #savorysnacks #appetizers #horsdoeuvres

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55 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Lisa, your pictures and descriptions are fantastic! I can’t wait to try just as you did. Then I’ll try in my Farberware rotisserie with a basket. I’ll let you know and take a pic to share.

  2. Davian Chase says:

    5 stars
    Tried this for my family and they were amazing!!

  3. These are so easy. I followed exactly. I don’t have a cast iron skillet so used a sheet pan for the oven part. Best ever wings!!

  4. 5 stars
    With one substitution, the result was sensational. (I didn’t have a lemon to make zest with, but I had a jar of preserved lemons – my own – so I minced one up instead, including the pulp which provided the salt.) This was the fasted moving platter of wings I have ever made.

    1. I like to hear that, David! Send me some preserved lemons, next time!

  5. Hi may I ask. Is it possible to bbq the wings instead?

    1. Absolutely. I love grilled wings — You might want to put the onions and garlic in a cast iron skillet on the grill – so they don’t fall through the grates.

  6. Such a delish combination of flavors whether on chicken or fish.

  7. THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE TEMPERATURE, IT TURNED OUT TO BE VERY GOOD…

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed it Carolyn… Thanks for the catch!

  8. WHAT TEMPERATURE TO SET THE OVEN?. I DON’T SEE IN THE RECIPE.

    1. Oops! Thanks for catching that — 400°. I fixed it in the recipe.

  9. Love the combo of rosemary and lemon, especially with red pepper flakes for a kick! Great job on the step by step direction pictures.

    1. I’m a firm believer in a little spice kick!

  10. 5 stars
    I’m also not typically a person who craves chicken wings (surprising, considering I grew up about an hour outside of Buffalo, NY), but these look absolutely fantastic! Lemon and rosemary is such a delicious combo and these look perfectly crisp.. just the way wings should be!

  11. Gosh these wings look mouthwatering! And they are so easy, I’m adding these to my Super Bowl list for sure – everyone here LOVES wings! Thanks for the recipe!

  12. Wow these look phenomenal! Love that you hit them in a cast iron first before finishing in the oven. A great way to keep them healthy but also keep that crisp!

    1. Thanks Tracy! Who doesn’t like chicken wings?!

  13. Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says:

    These look easy, and so delicious! I really love garlic.