Sunday Football Sweet & Savory Teriyaki Chicken Wings
January 22, 2017: The AFC Championship Game
It’s Sunday evening and there are some friends over for the Patriots game – not just any Pats game, but the 2017 AFC Championship Game! It’s actually been pretty exciting so far from what I’ve seen. Not that I’m any kind of football expert… believe it or not, I just learned yesterday what “special teams” are, and I have only known since last week that the NFL is broken down into the “NFC” and “AFC”! *Blush*
Regardless of how much I clearly know about football, being born and raised in Massachusetts, I still consider myself a bandwagon Pats fan.
Or mayyybe just a Tom Brady fan…
[February 8, 2021 update: I realize Tom Brady is no longer on the Patriots team at this time… but I’m still in his corner cheering him on! He just won the 2021 Superbowl yesterday and I realized it was probably time to update this recipe post. 🙂 ]
Aside from admiring Tom Brady, the best way to celebrate football is with delicious food!
Every year, my mom makes delicious marinated teriyaki chicken wings for the super bowl. Those wings are SO tasty! Something to look forward to during football season (since believe it or not… I’m actually not a football fan!).
A few ingredient swaps I use in this recipe:
Coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
This recipe is very similar to the one my mom uses, but instead of soy sauce (since I’ve got a soy allergy, and am not a huge fan of soy in general for various reasons related to hormone health), I’ve discovered this amazing soy sauce alternative called “coconut aminos”.
Coconut aminos are a savory fermented sauce made from the sap of coconuts… I promise this stuff tastes better than it sounds! The perks of using coconut aminos regularly is they’re significantly lower in sodium compared to soy sauce, and also soy-free and wheat/gluten free for people with sensitivities.
What this translates to:
- No estrogen-like effects for those battling a tendency towards estrogen dominance (which is more common than you might realize!)
- No inflammatory reaction for those with a sensitivity or allergy to soybeans or wheat/gluten.
(For the record you can totally stick with soy sauce if you’ve got no underlying health issues and you’re just looking for an easy, delicious Sunday football recipe! But since I help people improve things like food sensitivities, allergies, digestive distress and hormonal imbalance, I can’t not talk about coconut aminos.)
Real maple syrup instead of brown sugar
This is another optional swap, but one that I opt to use in this recipe for a few reasons!
- Although it’s more expensive, real maple syrup (compared to most other types of liquid sweeteners) is mineral-rich and better tolerated by people from a digestive standpoint based on first-hand clinical case experiences (1).
- Both maple syrup and brown sugar are low FODMAP but maple is also lower in something called “glycemic index”, which means it doesn’t spike the blood sugar as quickly as most other forms of sugar out there (2).
Long story short… these chicken wings are healthy, delicious, simple, easy to make, and a perfect addition to your Sunday Football festivities!
Super Bowl Sunday Sweet & Savory Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Large bowl and saran wrap for marinating
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- 9 x 13 inch casserole dish for baking
- Basting brush
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 pounds chicken wings bone in
- 3/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce if you don't have coconut aminos!
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except chicken wings in a large bowl.
- Add chicken into bowl of marinade mixture.
- Cover, refrigerate and marinate for at least an hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Transfer marinated chicken to a 9x13-inch casserole dish, greased with cooking spray. Make sure to reserve the remaining marinade in a bowl. **Note: Make sure to have a basting brush (cooking brush to “paint” more sauce onto the wings) handy for the next step!**
- Bake wings uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes, remove from oven to baste some extra sauce onto the wings.
- Bake again after another 20 minutes and repeat 2 more times until the wings have baked for an hour total and basted 3x total.
- Enjoy and share with your family and friends!!!
References:
- Phillips KM, Carlsen MH, Blomhoff R. Total antioxidant content of alternatives to refined sugar. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jan; 109(1):64-71
- Higden, Jane, PhD. “Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.” Linus Pauling Institute – Micronutrient Information Center. Oregon State University, 2003. Web. 3 Feb. 2017
