Al Roker’s healthy-ish version of the dish is an easy recipe with game day vibes.
After receiving the news that the TODAY Show’s Al Roker is OK after a recent knee surgery, we imagine he’s happy to be on his feet again, and not just in front of the forecast green screen. It’s common knowledge that the longtime TV veteran has a passion for cooking and knows his way around a kitchen. One of his impressive dishes? Baked chicken wings, and we’re pleased to share his killer recipe, which you can throw together without a fryer or a smoker.
In 2015, Roker starred in a TODAY Show cooking segment where he prepared some wings on live TV. The recipe he uses in that segment is a little different from Roker’s recipe featured below, but the spirit is the same. He tosses a few pounds of wings in some kind of flavorful, tangy sauce. After everything is well-coated, he tosses the chicken onto a baking sheet. He then pops the wings into the oven and lets them do their thing.
In the version below, you’ll use a sauce made of honey, hot sauce, melted butter, and a bit of chili powder. Want to up the heat? Use hot honey instead for all the tongue-numbing goodness you could ever ask for. If you’re craving a more mild experience, simply nix the chili powder. (You can always substitute a spice that you love like cumin, garlic powder, or onion powder.)
One note: Remember that this recipe calls for time spent marinating. You’ll pop these wings in the fridge for at least two hours before baking — and we strongly advise against taking shortcuts. It may be tempting to pull them out after 20 minutes, but you’ll be much happier with the finished product if the meat is thoroughly flavored.
While your wings are baking, we recommend putting together something on the side, too. Blue cheese dip is pretty much required, but we also think that a bright, fresh, summery salad could add extra flavors and textures with minimal effort.
Al Roker’s Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup hot pepper sauce
1⁄4 cup honey
1⁄4 cup butter, melted
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
5 lbs chicken wings
Instructions
Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
Add chicken and turn to coat.
Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Heat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.
Add chicken in a single layer.
Bake, turning chicken once for 1 1/4 hours or until chicken turns crispy.
Note: After baking these can be cooled and refrigerated, covered for up to 24 hours. Reheat in a covered baking dish in a 400° oven for 15 minutes.
