Grilled Chicken Wings

Name: Grilled Chicken Wings
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken wings; 5 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 tablespoons cornflour; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1` teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 2 tablespoons olive oil

by Arman Liew

published on Jul 26, 2023

1 comments

5 from 4 votes

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Make restaurant-style grilled chicken wings at home using this fool-proof recipe. Crispy-charred on the outside and succulent on the inside, these delicious chicken wings are the ultimate comfort food!

Who doesn’t like perfectly cooked, lip-smacking, savory chicken? The aroma and flavor of freshly grilled chicken tenders, thighs, and drumsticks are out of this world!

Whether it’s the grilling season or not, there’s always room for flavorful grilled chicken wings!

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you love grilling like me, this recipe slaps! One of my favorite things when making this recipe is simultaneously grilling sweet potatoes, asparagus, and jalapenos for tasty sides.

It is budget-friendly. Like my copycat black pepper chicken and General Tso’s chicken, you can make super-savory chicken wings at home and save a lot of money!
Naturally gluten-free. This recipe is gluten-free because we have used corn flour and starch instead of wheat (same with chicken livers).
Quick and easy. No overnight marination, no hassle of double-breading. Like my lemon pepper chicken and peanut butter chicken, these chicken wings are ready within minutes!
It is so versatile. Hosting a game night, barbecue party, birthday, Sunday lunch, or humble weeknight dinner, this recipe always works.

Ingredients Needed

You only need a simple seasoning made with everyday ingredients, chicken wings, and a grill to make these ultimate chicken wings. Here’s a full list:

Chicken wings. I often pick a mixture of wingettes and drummettes to make this recipe. You can also leave the skin on so it crisps up beautifully on the grill.
Corn flour and cornstarch. For a light breading. This helps the spice mix to stick to the chicken.
Brown sugar. Just a touch of brown sugar helps to achieve the perfect crispy, caramelized skin.
Salt and pepper. For the seasoning.
Spice mix. Mix aromatic and spicy paprika, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, and red chili pepper to flavor the chicken.

Olive oil. We’ll use oil to brush over the grill. Any neutral oil will work for this purpose.

How to cook chicken wings on the grill

I love how grilling introduces another dimension of complexity to a simple dish. Like my grilled pork tenderloin, this recipe is also straightforward to make. Here’s a breakdown of all the steps to make the best grilled chicken wings at home.

Prep the seasoning. Mix all the dry ingredients, spices, and herbs in a small bowl.

Coat the chicken. Dry the chicken and thoroughly coat it with the spice mix.

Grill the chicken. Clean the grill and brush it with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill. Then, grill the chicken at medium-high heat on the preheated grill for 20-30 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.

Serve warm. Once golden brown, remove the chicken wings from the grill and serve warm with your preferred dipping sauce.

Tips to make the best recipe

Pick uniformly sized chicken wings. Start with similar-sized chicken wings to ensure an even cook on the wings.
Use room-temperature chicken wings. Allow the chicken wings to come to room temperature before grilling them for a uniform cook.
Do not overcrowd the grill. Leave enough space between chicken wings on the grill to get evenly cooked, perfectly crisp chicken.
Remember to flip. To avoid burned and unevenly cooked chicken wings, flip them every 5 minutes without fail.

Flavor and recipe variations

Glaze them up. Brush your chicken wings with tasty BBQ, katsu, or hot honey sauce during the last 5 minutes of your cook for a glossy, flavorful finish. Or toss them in buffalo sauce for crispy buffalo wings!
Make them cheesy. Love the flavors of garlic parmesan wings? Toss these hot wings with ground parmesan cheese to make them cheesy.
Make them kid-friendly. Omit the red pepper flakes and paprika so the kids can enjoy these yummy wings.
Make them lemony. I LOVE lemon pepper wings! Add some lemon zest to the spice mix and squeeze fresh lemon on top of the warm wings for a grilled version of the lemon chicken.
Brine your chicken wings. Show your chicken wings some love and soak them in a salted beer brine for a few hours.

What to serve with grilled chicken wings?

Because chicken is such a versatile protein, the serving possibilities are endless! Here are a few serving options to get you started.

Veggies. Keep the sides simple by pairing the chicken wings with sautéed vegetables like beans, brussels sprouts, carrots, asparagus, and broccolini.
Salad. A salad like pasta salad, orzo, wedge, or green goddess salad is always a good accompaniment.
Dips. Dunk your wings in some ranch, spicy mayo, or dipping sauce.
Potatoes. Make your meal satisfying by adding a starchy and delicious side of sweet potato fries, potato wedges, French fries, and potato salad.

Storage instructions

To store. Refrigerate cooled chicken for three days in an air-tight container.

To freeze. Freeze the chicken wings in ziplock bags for up to six months.

To reheat. The best way to enjoy leftover chicken wings is by heating them in the oven at 180°C/350°F until hot.

Recommended tools to make this recipe

Grill. The perfect, hassle-free grill for all your barbecue needs!
Grill pan. No grill? A grill pan works in a pinch.
Tongs. To flip the chicken.

More tasty chicken wings recipes to try

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen chicken wings?

Frozen wings work just as great. Thaw the chicken wings and dry them with kitchen towels before coating them with the dry mix.

What is the ideal temperature to grill the chicken wings?

Heat your grill to about 350°F. Cook till the internal temperature of the chicken wings reaches 165°F, and then take them off the heat.

How do I get crispy wings?

First, start with dry chicken wings. Second, set up two grilling zones on your grill (direct and indirect heat). Cook them over indirect heat for 15 minutes and then transfer them to the direct heat to get the crispy char.

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.