These 3-ingredient slow cooker poor man’s tax day wings are the kind of supper you make when the bills are due, the freezer’s full of odds and ends, and you still want to put something downright craveable on the table. Around here, tax day always seemed to sneak up right when we were watching every penny, so I learned to lean on frozen chicken, pantry sauces, and my trusty old crock.
Slow cooker wings ingredients on a rustic kitchen counter
Slow cooker wings ingredients on a rustic kitchen counter
This recipe is as simple as it gets: you dump frozen wings in the slow cooker, pour over two everyday pantry items, and let time and low heat turn them into sticky, tender wings that will have your husband circling the kitchen asking when supper’s ready. It’s the sort of practical, hearty cooking that’s fed Midwestern families for generations—stretching what you have, making it taste like a treat, and letting the slow cooker do the hard work while you get on with your day.
Serve these wings piled high on a big platter with plenty of napkins—they’re saucy and finger-licking good. They go especially well with simple sides like buttered boiled potatoes, coleslaw, or a green salad if you’re keeping it light. Cornbread, dinner rolls, or even plain white bread are perfect for soaking up the extra sauce from the crock.
Platter of sticky wings with simple supper sides
Platter of sticky wings with simple supper sides
If you want to make it feel more like a game-day spread, add carrot sticks, celery, and a little dish of ranch or blue cheese dressing. For a heartier farm-style supper, pair the wings with baked beans or cheesy potatoes and a jar of pickles from the pantry.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Tax Day Wings
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds frozen chicken wings (unthawed, flats and drumettes)
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce (any basic pantry brand you keep on hand)
1/2 cup grape jelly (or similar purple jelly from the pantry)
Measured barbecue sauce and grape jelly in a mixing bowl
Measured barbecue sauce and grape jelly in a mixing bowl
Directions
Place the frozen chicken wings in the bottom of a slow cooker, spreading them out as evenly as you can. They can be stacked a bit, but try to keep them in a fairly even layer so they cook uniformly.
In a medium bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce and grape jelly until the mixture is mostly smooth and combined. It does not need to be perfect; the heat of the slow cooker will help it melt together.
Pour the barbecue sauce and jelly mixture evenly over the frozen wings, using a spatula to scrape every bit of sauce from the bowl. Gently toss or turn the wings with a spoon so most of them are coated in the sauce.
Sauce being poured over frozen wings in a slow cooker
Sauce being poured over frozen wings in a slow cooker
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook the wings on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is very tender and cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Stir once or twice during cooking if you can, to help coat the wings in the sauce as it thins and melts.
When the wings are done, if you’d like the sauce a bit thicker and stickier, remove the lid and cook on HIGH for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, to let some of the liquid evaporate.
