Southern Smothered Chicken Wings in Onion Gravy

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds chicken wings
• 1 green bell pepper (cut into 1/4-inch strips)
• 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1/4-inch strips)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• onion powder, to taste (used on the chicken and again in the gravy)
• garlic powder, to taste (used on the chicken and again in the gravy)
• smoked paprika, to taste (used on the chicken and again in the gravy)
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• about 2-3 cups all-purpose flour, for dredging (unseasoned; excess discarded), plus 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon for the gravy
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 stick butter, plus 2 tablespoons for dotting the pan
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• about 2 cups chicken broth
• heavy cream

How to Make It

1. Cut the green and red bell peppers into 1/4-inch strips.
2. Chop the onion and set all the prepped vegetables aside.
3. Pat the rinsed and cleaned chicken wings very dry so the flour won't come off.
4. Place the wings in a bowl and season generously with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Cajun seasoning, mixing until every piece is coated.
5. Dredge the seasoned wings in the unseasoned flour until fully coated on all sides, then set aside.
6. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, without letting it get too hot.
7. Fry the wings in batches until golden brown, flipping as needed — do not cook them through.
8. Transfer the browned wings to an oven pan.
9. Mince the garlic.
10. In the same skillet, melt 1/2 stick of butter.
11. Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
12. Add the bell peppers and onion and saute 3-4 minutes.
13. While the vegetables saute, preheat the oven to 400°F.
14. Stir in the flour — 1 teaspoon up to 1 tablespoon, depending on how thick you want the gravy.
15. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of chicken broth, stirring so it incorporates with the flour.
16. Stir in the heavy cream.
17. Season the gravy with about 1 teaspoon salt plus more onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a little more Cajun seasoning, tasting as you go.
18. Once the gravy is heated through, turn the heat down.
19. Pour the gravy over the wings in the oven pan.
20. Dot the wings with 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pats and spread across the pan rather than in one spot.
21. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 400°F for 30-45 minutes.
22. Halfway through the bake, remove the foil and leave the pan uncovered for the remainder — this makes sure the chicken stays fully submerged in the gravy.
23. Let the dish rest 10-15 minutes so the sauce thickens and the chicken relaxes before serving.

Curtis's Tips

• Be a little heavy-handed seasoning the chicken — you lose a lot of seasoning in the flour dredge.
• Don't season the dredging flour; the seasoning already on the chicken carries through.
• Any Cajun seasoning you like works in place of Slap Ya Mama.
• Fold the wing flat back a little so more pieces fit in the skillet — completely optional, but it helps.
• Don't let the frying oil get too hot or the chicken will burn.
• The flour from frying the chicken thickens the gravy on its own; the extra 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon of flour is up to you — sometimes the coating alone is enough.
• Add the broth slowly so it has a chance to incorporate with the flour on the vegetables.
• Taste the gravy as you go and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
• The sauce continues to thicken in the oven because of the flour on the chicken.
• Preheat the oven while the veggies saute to save time (and a little electricity).
• For a more onion-forward gravy, use 2 medium onions instead of one — either works depending on how much you like onion in the gravy.
• For a lighter gravy, use 2 cups whole milk in place of the heavy cream — still savory, just leaner.
• Serve with rice and sweet cornbread.