Root Beer Chicken Wings

Published: Mar 4, 2015 · Modified: Oct 23, 2022 by Kim Beaulieu · This post may contain affiliate links

These Root Beer Chicken Wings are really easy to make and absolutely delicious. The sweet sauce takes these chicken wings to the next level!

Have I told you how much I love anything sweet? I think by now most of my readers have figured out I have a serious sweet tooth.

These Root Beer Chicken Wings hit the sweet spot perfectly. Nothing beats a tasty wing recipe for parties and game day.

I use soft drinks often when I cook. Root beer, Dr Pepper, and colas are my faves!

They are particularly awesome in any kind of pulled meat. It helps flavour the meat tremendously. Plus it's just easy.

Try my Root Beer Pulled Pork or my Pressure Cooker Coca Cola Pulled Pork for yourself. They will make you a soft drink believer!

This Root Beer Chicken Wings were also shared on Real Housemoms. I used to be a contributor to the site.

Ingredient Notes:

Chicken - Chicken wings have 3 sections: the drumette, the wingette (also known as the flat), and the tip. I used the wingette, or flat section, for this recipe as I find it has the most flavour. Tips can be used for making stocks or bone broth.
Seasoning - I used salt and white pepper over the wings before baking them. I'm not a fan of black pepper but you certainly use it if you prefer it over white pepper. For the sauce, I used smoked paprika and chipotle powder.
Root Beer - Personally, I love Barq's root beer for cooking but any root beer will suffice. They're all pretty amazing so don't sweat it if you have to use another brand. Root beer is a great addition to sauces for meat. It helps tenderize and sweeten, plus the flavour is outstanding.
Sugar - I used light brown sugar for this recipe but you can use dark brown sugar if that's what you have on hand. The dark brown sugar has more molasses so it would just make your wings sweeter and may caramelize them a bit more in the oven.
Cornstarch - This is used to thicken the sauce. The recipe calls for you to make a cornstarch slurry to add to the sauce while it's cooking. Generally speaking slurries are 1 part cornstarch to 1 part liquid but it's okay to add more liquid in a recipe such as this one. Just be sure to really mix the slurry well before adding it back to the sauce. You can use a bit of the warm sauce to make the slurry or just use water if you prefer.

How to Make Root Beer Chicken Wings:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Spray a rimmed cookie sheet or baking pan with non-stick spray and set it aside.
Add the wings to a large bowl then add salt and pepper, mix well. Alternately, you can just place the wings on the pan and sprinkle the salt and pepper directly over them if you like. Less cleanup. Arrange the wings on the pan so they are in a single layer with a bit of space between them.
Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, then flip the wings over and bake for another 10 minutes.
While the wings are cooking you should make the sauce. Combine root beer, sugar, smoked paprika and chipotle powder in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until it boils.
Then, while the sauce is coming to a boil you need to make a cornstarch slurry. You can warm or hot water for it, or grab a little bit of the warm root beer mixture, add that to a jar or mixing bowl and add the cornstarch. Shake or mix really well so there are no lumps left and the mixture is smooth.
Once the root beer sauce starts to boil add the slurry to it to help thicken it. Mix until the sauce thickens to your liking. Then remove it from the heat. You can divide the sauce in half at this point if you like. You will be pouring half of it over the wings and using half for dipping.
Carefully remove the wings from the oven once they are baked and transfer them to a bowl. Keep the oven on and the cookie sheet handy, you will be putting the wings back in the oven on the same pan you used earlier. Okay, so now pour half of the root beer sauce over the wings. Mix well so they are coated evenly. Then, pour them back onto the cookie sheet and use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread them back out in an even layer, leaving a little space between each wing.
Place the cookie sheet back in the oven and bake for another 8 to 12 minutes, flipping the wings over halfway through with tongs.
Once the wings and sauce begin to caramelize and crisp you can remove them from the oven and transfer them to a platter or plate.
Serve with more sauce for dipping or just pour the rest of the sauce over top when serving.

Side Notes for Quick Clean Up:

If you want quicker and easier clean up feel free to line the pan with aluminum foil.
You can also just skip putting the wings in the bowl before baking and sprinkle the salt and pepper over them on the pan.
Another option is to just pour the sauce over the wings on the pan instead of removing them and putting them in a bowl. I like mixing them in the bowl but if you want to do less dishes it's completely okay to pour the sauce over the wings directly. I would just recommend using foil or parchment on the pan because the sauce gets sticky and caramelizes. You don't want to ruin your pan.

How to Reheat Chicken Wings:

You can reheat your chicken wings by either microwaving them or reheating them in the oven. My preferred method is reheating them in the oven.

Reheating chicken wings in the oven:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment or tinfoil. Place the wings on the pan in a single layer. Pop them in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and serve.

Reheating chicken wings in the microwave:

Place wings on a microwave safe pan, in a single layer if possible. Add a little bit of water to the pan, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Pop in the microwave and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, then flip the wings over and cook for another minute or so. Every microwave is different so you should check them often.

More Appetizer Recipes:

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Root Beer Chicken Wings served on a white plate stacked on a grey plate.

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