Slow Cooker Maple Bourbon Wings

If you decided to skip the restaurant crowds and cook for dad this Father’s Day, you’ve come to the right place. If your dad isn’t a picky eater, it can be difficult to narrow down the menu for a special meal. Would he enjoy a casual backyard cookout equipped with grilled burgers and homemade french fries? What about a beautiful sous vide steak and summer salad? Stop your brainstorming while you’re ahead and plan to make Slow Cooker Bourbon Maple Chicken Wings.

These wings are the perfect mix of sweet and salty, and are an easy, no-fuss meal to enjoy on Father’s Day. Better yet? Once they’re in the slow cooker, you and dad can go enjoy the day (golfing, fishing, seeing a movie) and come back to a meal. No need to spend the day in the kitchen.

Put chicken wings in the slow cooker crock then prepare the scrumptious maple bourbon sauce. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter then add onion and garlic, cooking until the onions are translucent. Next, add your favorite maple syrup, dad’s bourbon of choice, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens.

Reserve ¾ cup of the sauce and pour the remaining over the wings. Make sure the wings are fully coated, then cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½ to 2 hours or on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove the wings from the slow cooker crock then add a finishing touch. We broiled the wings for an extra 10-15 minutes, adding extra sauce and turning the wings every so often. If you don’t want to turn on the stove and are already grilling Father’s Day sides, you could definitely transfer the wings from the slow cooker right onto the grill.

Broiling the wings not only helps finish cooking them, but caramelizes the maple bourbon sauce and leaves the wings a beautiful golden brown. They crisp up nicely under the broiler, but the added sauce leaves you with those familiar sticky fingers.

Don’t bother making a reservation and put these homemade chicken wings – and a few extra napkins – on the Father’s Day table this year.