Description
These Mexican Chicken Wings, also known as Elote Wings, feature crispy oven-baked wings seasoned with smoky chipotle and tangy lime. Tossed in a creamy, flavorful sauce inspired by Mexican street corn toppings, they are finished with crumbled cotija cheese and fresh cilantro, making for a perfect appetizer or game-day snack with vibrant, bold flavors.
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
- ¼ cup crema fresca
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Garnish & Assembly
- ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- Celery and carrots, for serving
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and pepper, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Season the wings. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels to ensure crispiness. In a large bowl, toss the wings with chipotle powder, cooking oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until evenly coated.
- Preheat and prepare for baking. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the seasoned wings evenly on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet to allow air circulation and fat drainage during baking.
- Bake the wings. Place the wire rack on the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, turning the wings halfway through the cooking time. Bake until the wings are golden, crispy, and cooked through.
- Make the sauce. While the wings bake, combine crema fresca, mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, minced garlic, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or squeeze bottle for easy use.
- Flavor the baked wings. Once the wings are done, transfer them to a large bowl. Toss with the juice of half a lime and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper to enhance the flavors.
- Assemble and serve. Arrange the wings on a serving platter. Drizzle with more than half of the prepared sauce, sprinkle generously with crumbled cotija cheese, and top with chopped cilantro. Serve alongside celery and carrots with the remaining sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Patting the wings dry before seasoning is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
- Use a wire rack on a baking sheet to allow heat to circulate and fat to drain, which helps crispiness.
- If you don’t have crema fresca, you can substitute with sour cream or a mixture of sour cream and heavy cream.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle powder according to your preferred heat level.
- For a smokier flavor, you can lightly toast the cotija cheese before using.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
