A fun and easy chicken wing recipe inspired by Universal’s Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, these Chocolate Stout Chicken Wings are an unexpected and delicious appetizer.

Guiness Stout Chicken Wings Recipe

When Ella and I visited Universal Studios Florida, you know that we had to seek out the best food on site.

From the park snacks to the City Walk highlights, we ate it all… and then went back for seconds!

I was super excited for our supper at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium (which we reviewed here), which I mistakenly thought was going to be a fun take on Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory – but the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium has it’s own unique backstory and is a delight for the senses, with it’s amazing steampunk theming and unbelievable menu.

We actually went back and ate at the restaurant a second time during our 4-day vacation because there were soooo many options we wanted to try, including these chocolate stout wings. 

I’m that person who looks at a menu and tries to order the most unique-sounding food on offer – and rarely am I disappointed.

These wings were no exception. I had no idea what to expect and the wings blew me away with a savory-acidic-sweet flavor profile that was unlike anything I’ve ever eaten.

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to get the recipe from the kitchen before we left and there doesn’t seem to be a way to call the restaurant, so I was left to my own devices to experiment and try to get this copycat recipe right!

It’s not unheard of to pair chocolate with chicken (chicken mole is a classic for a reason), but it’s not something that you see very often – in fact, I think this is the first time I’ve seen it aside from chicken mole, so there were no recipes online to help me in my quest for that perfect chocolate-stout-chicken combo.

I went through several pounds of chicken wings finding the perfect recipe and I think I found it – but (spoiler alert) it ended up being the recipe that contains no actual chocolate!

I found that the stout, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar combined to make a chocolatey flavor that balanced perfect in this savoury recipe. There’s a tang of sweetness that is really pleasant with the acidity of the vinegar and umami chicken wings.

Now, for this recipe you can use Guinness (kind of the standard for stouts) or you can opt for a stout that has vanilla or chocolate notes in it. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout would both work deliciously in this recipe. The recipe you see here uses the St Ambroise.

Guinness Stout Chicken Wings Ingredients

• 2lb chicken wings
• 2 Tablespoons oil of choice
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• 1/2 cup stout
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste, optional
• Sesame seeds, optional garnish

Tip: taste the sauce several times and adjust to your personal preferences.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Fine mesh sieve
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowl

How to Make Chocolate Chicken Wings

Place the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and allow to get hot as you mince the onion and garlic.

Add the onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

Add in the balsamic vinegar, water, brown sugar, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and continue heating over medium heat.

Cook the sauce until it has reduced by half.

Preheat oven to 400F

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper and bake until an inserted thermometer reads 165F, about 35 minutes.

(You can alternatively fry them.)

Strain the reduced sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove the onions and garlic.

Taste and adjust the sauce.

If the sauce is thick and sticky, you do not need to cook it further, but if it isn’t, cook it for an additional 5 minutes.

Toss the sauce with the cooked chicken wings.

Sprinkle with optional sesame seed garnish and serve.

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These chocolate chicken wings are a delicious and unique recipe that will delight your foodie guests! It’s a fun copycat Universal Studios recipe to get you excited for an upcoming trip – or just a delicious addition to a casual family night.

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