Winging in 2020 with these strawberry balsamic chicken wings. Champagne pairs marvelously due to their sweet, savory, yet picante flavor. The balsamic balances out the sweetness of the jam, and a dash of cayenne pepper leaves a subtle, yet noticeable kick on your tongue. A “super delicious” favorite for you to add to your arsenal of wing sauces.

Why Strawberries for New Years?

Every New Years’ eve my girlfriend and I [James] enjoy a midnight champagne toast, accompanied by chocolate-covered strawberries- or a cheese platter with strawberries for a romantic midnight snack- But this year I had something different in mind. With a fridge full of wings that needed to be cooked, and a girlfriend stuck at work most of the day, I wanted to change up the tradition… so I invited Jaren over for some spicy afternoon wings.

What goes well with Champagne… strawberries of course!

I’ve made a similar recipe before, requiring you to marinate the chicken wings for 24 hours in a strawberry jelly. The verdict? The marinade pretty much burns off, the wings are too moist, hard to crisp, and the result is almost always rubbery wings. And… you can barely taste the strawberry.

Based on my experience working with jams to make sauces, my goal was to keep it simple, and keep the strawberry flavor front and center. (Speaking of jam sauces, check out our Habanaro red pepper jam wings– SO GOOD. )

Strawberry Jelly V.S. Jam
V.S. Preserves

The most important ingredient in these three? Yup, you guessed it, Strawberries. What kind should I get? Is there a difference? Can I use the inexpensive strawberry jelly that was in my PB&J last night? Well, you could but I wouldn’t. – Its usually filled with lots of preservatives, fake sugars, and all the wrong texture and consistency.

Breakdown

Jelly: Made from fruit juice, cooked with sugar, plus a thickening agent such as pectin. Usually clear and transparent.

Jam: Made from fruit juice and sugar, but includes pureed, chopped, or crushed fruits, resulting in a thicker, chunkier consistency. Usually stronger in flavor.

Preserves: Made from whole fruits, chopped or crushed with some added sugar. The thickest of the three. Very bright in flavor and possibly the most potent.

Which one is best for our sauce? First, let’s reflect on our goal. We want a sauce that will keep its strawberry flavor. We are going to cook it over the stove, with a few additional ingredients- We want to make sure it doesn’t end up too thin, or else it won’t stick to the wings!

My suggestion, Jam. Jam is perfect, preserves is the best, has a strong bright taste, yet thick enough to maintain some “sticktivity” when you heat it up. If you do happen to buy jam or preserves and have jelly with which to compare, perform a quick taste test! You’ll be surprised by the difference.

I used Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserve for this recipe. However.. if you’re planning ahead, Wilkin & Sons Tiptree is even better. Worth the extra $$. See links below. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Support the New England Wingmen at no cost to you!)

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar has a tart, savory flavor when added to the strawberry jam. It complements the sweetness of the strawberries and really opens up your taste buds for a well rounded and unique flavor.

What kind of Balsamic Vinegar? As you may know, there are many bottles claiming to be ‘balsamic vinegar” on the grocery shelf. Saved the oak-aged “imported from Italy” stuff for your fancy parties, or as a dressing on top of ice cream. (Yes, ice cream. It’s delicious on vanilla ice cream. You can thank me later) But don’t cheap out – the $3 bottle from ” Insert Italian Name Here” stuff is disgusting and can’t even be useful as a disinfectant. We are looking for something mid-grade, likely around $8 dollars for an 8 – 12oz bottle. Nothing fancy, but better than wasting good money on the dirty tasting cheap stuff.

Experiment: Take a little bit of jam or preserves on a spoon, place a drop of balsamic vinegar on top and taste. Next, try the cheap stuff you have kicking around in the cabinet. Contrast with the new bottle you just purchased. Bright strong acid vs mellow sweet with a tinge of tart. It makes a whole world of difference! (I am SO so sorry if you tried the cheap balsamic on vanilla ice cream.

For this recipe, we went with Bertolli Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Italy.

Sauce Time!

This sauce is super simple but requires some tasting as you go. Place a medium-size pot on the burner, at medium heat. Add about two tablespoons of butter. Stir until melted. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of Strawberry Jam or Strawberry Preserves. Breakup and stir to achieve a smooth consistency.

Next, add about two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Stir well. Taste. Make sure it still has the level of sweet strawberry flavor you’re looking for yet, but enhances the tart flavor of the balsamic vinegar (compare based on prior taste test)

Finally, add some fresh ground pepper (to taste) and 1 tsp cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper is optional, but I love sweet-spicy foods. Too much cayenne pepper and it will completely mask the sweet strawberry flavor. Start by adding a quarter teaspoon, stir, and taste. You are looking for a light tingle of heat- a spicy surprise to your taste buds. Adjust amount based on preference, but don’t try to compete with the strawberry flavor!

Dress up the plate

Place your wings in a large bowl, pour in the delectable sauce, toss until evenly coated. Next, plate on a large flat dish or platter. Rinse strawberries, strain and dry, then slice strawberries in half. Arrange cut side down, exhibiting the rich red strawberry skin. Sprinkle sesame seeds on wings to mirror the strawberry look. Finish with fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Pour yourself some champagne, and enjoy these super tasty strawberry balsamic chicken wings!