Mexican Chicken Wings (Elote Wings)
These Mexican-Inspired Chicken Wings, or as we like to call them, Elote Wings, are oven-baked to crispy perfection, tossed in lime juice, dressed with crumbled cotija cheese, and finished with a bright crema that'll have you licking your fingers after each bite.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 468kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Wing Sauce
- ¼ cup crema fresca
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cotija cheese crumbled
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Garnish
- ¼ cup cotija cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. Place them into a bowl and toss them with chipotle powder and oil. Rearrange the chicken wings on the wire rack.
- Place the wire rack over a baking sheet and bake the wings in an oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until crispy and cooked through.
- While the chicken wings are baking, make the sauce by adding crema, mayonnaise, zest and juice of one lime, garlic, a tablespoon each of cotija cheese and cilantro, chipotle powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl, or squeeze bottle, if you have one.
- Once the wings are baked, toss them in a bowl with the juice of half a lime and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- To serve, arrange the chicken wings on a plate or platter. Squeeze a little more than half the sauce all over the wings, then sprinkle with a handful of cotija cheese. Top with cilantro. Serve with celery, carrots, and the remaining sauce for dipping.
Notes
Scroll up for a visual walk-through of the recipe.
Chef's Tips:
- Dry the wings: if time permits, chill the wings on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet in the fridge for a few hours before preparing the recipe. This dries the skin out further.
- Make them even crispier: add 2 teaspoon of aluminum-free baking powder (not baking soda) to the chili powder before tossing the wings in step 1. This draws any additional moisture from the skin resulting in a light and even crispier skin.
- Add more flavor and spice: try brining the wings in the brine from hot peppers or pickled jalapeno for 8 hours before making the recipe.
- Storing leftover sauce: any unused sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Storing the wings: leftover chicken wings can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: ensure leftover wings are completely cool and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6-8 weeks in the freezer.
- Reheating: allow the wings to thaw or come to room temperature and bake at 350°F for 15-18 minutes, turning once, until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 841mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 677IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 2mg