These pickle brined chicken wings are marinated in dill pickle juice then coated with ranch seasoning and baked until golden. They come out juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Serve with a creamy homemade ranch dipping sauce.
For this Mitten Movie Night, I’ve got a recipe that will seem odd at first, but is so delicious! Chicken wings covered in pickle juice and then marinated. It’s a simple step in the cooking process that adds so much flavor. Any pickle lover will love these chicken wings.
Jump to:
What beer pairs well with dill pickle-brined chicken wings?
The beer: Happy Guy from North Pier Brewing
This dry-hopped pilsner is a great beer to enjoy with these wings because they are both light in flavor and neither is going to fight against the other. This beer is VERY light and drinkable so it’s great to enjoy while watching the game.
What movie should you watch while eating dill pickle wings?
When I think of wings, I think of Tommy Boy. And what better way than to break out my favorite Chris Farley beer glass? Cheers!
Ingredients
These pickle juice chicken wings have-
- Fresh, not frozen chicken wings. This lets you take the wings from the refrigerator to the oven without all the defrosting involved with frozen chicken wings.
- Dill pickle juice mixed with minced garlic and dill for the brine. A super simple marinade.
- Dry ranch dressing mixed with mayonnaise and sour cream for the wing dipping sauce. I love to make my own homemade sauce for these.
Visit YouTube for a video on how to make
Pickle Brined Chicken Wings
How to make these pickle-brined chicken wings
Start by adding together the ingredients for the brining liquid that we are going to pour over the top of the chicken wings.
In a large jar or dish pour in all of the dill pickle juice, minced garlic, and dill. I use dried dill but you could use fresh dill in this recipe too.
How long does it take to brine chicken wings in pickle juice?
Make sure that when brining chicken wings in pickle juice you let them marinate for a MINIMUM of 1 hour. Ideally, they would be left in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
Add the raw chicken wings to a glass baking dish. Pour the brine over the top of the wings then cover them with a piece of plastic wrap.
Place the dish into the refrigerator and let them marinate for 1-3 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, to make sure that the juice doesn’t ruin the pan.
Add a metal baking rack so that the heat revolves around the whole chicken wing which means that you don’t have to flip the wings halfway through the baking process.
Now that the wings are sufficiently full of flavor, take them out of the dish and pat them dry with a paper towel. It’s important to make sure that they are dry before adding the dry ranch mix and olive oil.
The coating I used is a package of dry ranch dressing mix. These packages come with all the herbs that you would find in ranch dressing and the perfect mixture to rub into the wings after drizzling with olive oil.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the top of the wings then use tongs, or better yet your hands, to make sure that the oil and seasonings are in every nook and cranny.
Place the wings on the baking rack, then into the oven they go.
To make sure that the skin is super crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside, bake them for 45 minutes.
My favorite thing to do to finish any wing recipe is to pour melted butter over the top of the wings. It adds just another layer of flavor to them PLUS greasy fingers so make sure to eat with lots of napkins.
Don’t forget the wing dipping sauce!
How to make ranch wing dipping sauce
In a bowl add the reserved 1 tablespoon of ranch mix with the mayonnaise, sour cream, and dill. It’s a perfect creamy combination and a great wing sauce to dip the wings into.
FAQ’s
Can you use frozen chicken wings for this recipe?
Yes, but make sure that you follow the directions for thawing the chicken wings.
Why did you make this chicken wing recipe without baking powder?
I know that some people do like to use it for making sure the skin gets browned and crispy. But as you can see, the wings browned very nicely without using it.
Does this recipe work with homemade pickles?
Yes! You can use the brine from homemade pickles for this recipe. Try this recipe for the best-ever refrigerator dill pickles from Pinch Me I’m Eating.
Storage
Leftovers go in a covered container and refrigerate. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Store leftover sauce in a separate container and place it in the refrigerator.
It is not recommended to freeze this recipe.
More unique chicken recipes
And here you are……
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Pickle Brined Chicken Wings
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- 9×13 baking sheet
- aluminum foil
- baking rack
Ingredients
Pickle Brined Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings, fresh
- 3 cups dill pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.12 ounce dry ranch dressing packet reserve 1 tablespoon for the wing sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Ranch Wing Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing packet
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
Instructions
Pickle Brined Chicken Wings
- In a jar or pitcher, pour in the dill pickle juice, garlic, and dill. Stir together.3 cups dill pickle juice, 1/2 teaspoon dill, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- Add the chicken to a 9×13 glass baking dish.2 pounds chicken wings, fresh
- Pour the marinade over the top, then cover with plastic wrap.
- Put the dish into the refrigerator for 3 hours.
- Pour out the marinade. Take the chicken and pat each piece dry with paper towels and add them to a large bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cover a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil and top with a wire baking rack.
- Add all but 1 tablespoon of the dry ranch mix to a bowl.1.12 ounce dry ranch dressing packet
- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the dried wings.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sprinkle with the ranch seasoning.
- Rub the oil and powdered ranch mix into each piece of chicken.
- Place the wings on the baking sheet in one layer.
- Put into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken wings to a bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe dish, then pour over the top of the wings.2 tablespoons butter
- Stir to coat all the wings with the butter.
- Serve with the ranch wing sauce and eat immediately.
Ranch Wing Sauce
- In a bowl, add the reserved dry ranch mix with mayonnaise, sour cream, and dill1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing packet, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon dill
- Mix everything together.
Video
Notes
Tips for making this recipe:
- You can use frozen chicken wings for this recipe. Make sure to refer to the package for thawing instructions.
- It is important to use a baking rack so that the heat is evenly distributed over the wings. If you do not have a wire rack, make sure to flip the wings halfway through.
- To store: add to a covered container. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.
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Last Updated on March 28, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
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