These Elote Wings, inspired by the popular Mexican street corn, may be the best chicken wings ever!
Baked till crisp, they’re tossed in a creamy, dreamy mayo based sauce that’s savory and tangy, then finished off with a touch of chili powder.
Serve these up to family or friends, and get ready for rave reviews.
Everyone loves Chicken Wings. From Garlic Parmesan Wings to Sticky Asian Wings, they’re always the life of the party.
Why this Recipe Works
- Balanced Flavors: The lime juice cuts through the richness of the mayo and cheese, creating a balanced flavor profile that hits all the right notes.
- Simplicity: Believe it or not, you don’t need to be a culinary genius to pull this off! The recipe is very straightforward with simple ingredients.
- It’s a Crowd-Pleaser: These elote-inspired chicken wings are so irresistibly good that they will win over even the most skeptical of guests.
Ingredient Notes
For exact measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here is what you will need:
- Chicken Wings: Separated into flats and drums.
- Olive Oil: Or any light neutral tasting oil.
- Salt & Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt are ideal for seasoning.
- Mayonnaise: Full-fat for maximum creaminess. We prefer Duke’s brand.
- Lime: Freshly squeezed for zesty tang.
- Cotija Cheese: It’s a crumbly, salty Mexican cheese. If you can’t find it in your local supermarket or Latin store, pecorino, romano or feta can be used as a substitute.
- Cilantro: Fresh leaves, coarsely chopped.
- Chili Powder: For a subtle, yet impactful, kick.
How to Make Elote Style Wings
1. Prep: Cut the wings and pat dry with a paper tower. Toss them with oil and salt and pepper. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before baking.
Arrange the wings on a wire rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray. If lacking a wire rack, you can just use a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil sprayed with oil.
2. Bake: Place them skin side down on the wire rack and bake for 20 minutes at 425°F. Flip them and bake another 15-20 minutes.
3. Toss: When wings have finished cooking, add to a bowl and toss with mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Toss until well coated. Garnish with remaining cilantro and chili powder.
Servings Suggestions
To keep with the theme, we like to make extra sauce and toss it with corn on the cob. Or, you can make our Mexican Street Corn Salad ahead of time.
Other top contenders are Cowboy Caviar, Corn Casserole, Hawaiian Mac Salad and Maque Choux.
For more inspiration, check out our roundup of favorite Sides for Chicken Wings.
Storage and Reheating
If you happen to make a big batch, you can refrigerate the leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Reheat wings in the oven at 350 degrees until the skin crisps up again.
Tips and Tricks
- Wing Preparation: Make sure your wings are patted dry before seasoning. This helps to achieve that crispy skin.
- Wire Rack: Using a wire rack ensures heat circulates around the wings, making them evenly crisp. Don’t skip this step!
- Flip for Perfection: Remember to flip your wings halfway through baking. This ensures an even crispiness on both sides.
- Taste Test: Before tossing the wings in the mayo-lime-cotija mixture, taste it to make sure the balance of flavors is to your liking. Adjust as necessary.
- Easy Clean Up: You can save yourself some scrubbing if you line your baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Give your chicken wing game a big time upgrade. These Elote inspired wings will bring some great new flavors to your table, guaranteed!
Elote Wings, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More great party food ideas:
Birria Tacos
Venezuelan Guacamole
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
Kofta Kebab
Crack Chicken
Elote Wings
Our Elote Chicken Wings are too good! Crispy wings meet creamy mayo, zesty lime, and crumbled cotija for a flavor-packed experience. Perfect for game day or any festive occasion.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds chicken wings, flats and drums
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ lime, juiced
- 3 Tbsp cotija cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tbsp cilantro, divided
- pinch of chili powder
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 425°F.
- Pat the cut wings with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Toss with oil, salt and pepper.
- Set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, and spray the wire rack with cooking spray. Place the wings skin side down on the wire rack and bake for 20 minutes. Flip them and bake another 15-20 minutes, or until wings are crisp.
- When wings have finished cooking, add to a bowl and toss with mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Toss until well coated.
- Remove wings to a platter. Garnish with remaining cilantro and chili powder. Serve immediately.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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Do these reheat well? I want to make them for my son and his football teammate’s meal prep
Hi Leslie. The skin does lose its crispness when made ahead of time, but they are still great. I enjoy them as leftovers just as much as the first time around, because the flavors from the sauce kind of seep into the wings.
Question: These look delicious, but what are the little squares shown with the Elote Wings? They look like they’re made with corn as well. Is there a recipe for them?
Please reply.
Mary
Yes Mary, those are pieces of corn (in this case boiled). I just make a double batch of the mayo sauce and slather it all over the corn.