The Ultimate Guide to Grilling Juicy, Flavorful Chicken Wings

Yes! You can cook up perfectly crispy chicken wings on your outdoor griddle for your next party. Here’s how.

Chicken wings are a quintessential BBQ food. When cooked right, they come off the grill crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packing tons of flavor. While grilling wings may seem simple, there are some tips and techniques you can use to take your wings from good to incredible. In this complete guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to make mouthwatering grilled chicken wings.

Picking the Best Wings

You can’t go wrong with fresh high-quality chicken wings. Look for wings that are evenly colored with no blemishes. Organic and free-range wings cost more, but they taste better and are worth the extra money. The wings can be grilled whole or split into drums and flats. Whole wings take a little longer to cook, but they’re the best for holding in your hand. Separated drums and flats cook more evenly.

The Importance of Seasoning

Seasoning is key for adding flavor and encouraging the skin to get crispy. A simple salt and pepper dry rub enhances the chicken’s flavor. For bolder flavor, use a spice blend like jerk or Cajun seasoning. Brine the wings for added moisture and seasoning penetration. A brine is simply a saltwater solution that helps keep the meat from drying out. Adding soy sauce, hot sauce, or other flavorful liquids to the brine infuses the wings with even more flavor.

Grilling Techniques for Perfect Wings

Grilling over direct high heat is best to render the fat and make the skin crispy If you’re using a charcoal grill, spread the hot coals evenly across the bottom. For gas grills, turn all burners to high and preheat. Clean the grates thoroughly so the wings don’t stick Place the wings skin-side down and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, flipping once halfway through. This high heat cooks the skin to crispy perfection.

To finish cooking the wings, move them to indirect heat. If using charcoal, push the coals to the sides. For gas, turn the center burner to low/medium heat. Baste the wings with sauce and cook for 5-10 more minutes until the meat is fully cooked. The indirect heat makes it easier to control the temp and avoid burning the sauce.

Sauce Those Wings

Sauce adds tons of flavor and should be applied during the last few minutes of grilling. Classic Buffalo sauce is always a favorite, made with hot sauce, butter, and spices. Barbecue sauces like tangy mustard BBQ or sweet and smoky bourbon BBQ are delicious too. For ultimate customization, serve wings with sauces on the side for dipping.

Handling a Large Batch

Grilling wings for a big crowd? Use a grill basket to easily move and flip multiple wings at once. Rotate the basket 180 degrees partway through grilling to ensure even cooking. Have all your sauces ready for easy basting. Keep wings warm in a cooler wrapped in foil if your grill can’t handle them all at once.

Get Creative with Flavors

One of the best things about wings is how customizable they are. Try new twists like teriyaki, lemon pepper, or Cajun dry rubs. Toss sauced wings in grated Parmesan, sesame seeds, or cilantro for extra flavor. Make a fusion sauce melding flavors like Sriracha buffalo or honey soy. Marinate wings in a Mexican adobo sauce before grilling. The possibilities are endless!

Nail the Temperature

The best way to ensure wings are cooked through without overcooking is to use a digital meat thermometer. Whole wings are done at 165°F and separated wings at 175°F. Let the wings rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to reabsorb. This helps keep the meat incredibly moist and juicy.

Extra Crispy Skin

For ultra crispy skin, dip the seasoned wings in cornstarch before grilling. The cornstarch forms a thin crust that gets super crunchy. You can also deep fry the wings for a few minutes before grilling to jumpstart the crisping process. Just pat dry and grill as usual to finish.

Lock in the Juices

You can go one step further with brining to help wings keep their moisture. To dry the wings, pat them dry and put them in the fridge uncovered for up to eight hours to air dry. This helps pull water to the top, where it will evaporate on the grill, leaving you with a lot of flavorful juice inside.

The Sidekicks

Great wings need great accompaniments. Classic choices like celery and carrots with blue cheese or ranch dip never go out of style. Fry up some homemade French fries in the remaining wing fat. Make quick pickled veggies for a tangy crunch. Mac and cheese, coleslaw, and cornbread also pair perfectly.

Get Ready to Get Your Hands Dirty

The best way to eat wings is to tear them apart with your bare hands. Supply plenty of wet wipes and napkins. Have cold beers or other favorite beverages chilled and ready. You might also want to have paper gloves ready for people who don’t want to get dirty. In the end, grilled wings are a tasty and fun finger food that should be eaten right away.

Grilling wings does require some technique, but you’ll pick it up quickly. The more you make them, the more you’ll learn your grill’s hot and cool spots and refine your methods. Soon you’ll have a go-to recipe that yields awesome wings worth bragging about every time. Get outside and fire up the grill – your crispy, saucy, melt-in-your-mouth wings await!

how to cook chicken wings on the grill

How to serve griddle-cooked wings

Place your wings on a platter with celery sticks, carrots sticks and ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. You can also add a side of extra sauce.

how to cook chicken wings on the grill

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat wings in the microwave, air fryer or back on the outdoor griddle.

How to cook chicken wings on a griddle

  • STEP ONE: Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. Toss with kosher salt, garlic powder and baking powder. You can put them on a pan or in a big bowl and leave them out overnight in the fridge.

how to cook chicken wings on the grill

  • STEP TWO: Heat the griddle to medium. Add a little oil to the wings and put them on the grill.

how to cook chicken wings on the grill

  • STEP THREE: Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning them over a lot so all sides get brown. You can add more oil as needed.

how to cook chicken wings on the grill

  • STEP FOUR: Take plain wings off the grill and serve. Add your favorite seasoning or sauce to make it taste even better, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

How to Make Grilled Chicken Wings | Weber Genesis Gas Grill | Barlow BBQ

FAQ

How long does it take to cook chicken wings on the grill?

Grilling chicken wings typically takes 20-30 minutes.

What is the secret to grilling wings?

The trick with grilling wings is to cook them at a high enough heat to crisp the skins, but a low enough heat that you don’t burn the skins in the time it takes to cook the meat. BBQ-great, Malcom Reed uses the Weber Vortex to cook his grilled wings.

Do you grill chicken wings covered or uncovered?

Grill the wings over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until browned on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes, turning once or twice.

Should you coat wings in oil before grilling?

Oil is crucial when prepping chicken wings. It works as a binding agent but more importantly the fat helps crisp up the skin on the grill. I like using olive oil but any type here will work.

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