Grilled Whole Chicken Wings Recipe

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Learn how to cook incredible chicken wings on a charcoal grill as an appetizer, a snack for game day, or a treat for tailgating.

Grilled Chicken Wings – The Secrets to Grilling Perfect Crispy Chicken Wings

How to Cook Chicken Wings on a Grill 🔗

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Prep: 30min

Ingredients:

  • 14 whole chicken wings, cut into wings and drumettes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sauce or glaze

Instruction:

  1. Wings are comprised of three sections: the wing tip, the middle joint, and the drumette. When you buy chicken wings, chances are they come whole, You can grill your wings whole if you like, but most prefer the wings separated, which is easy to do. With a sharp knife, remove the pointed wing tip. This piece has very little meat on it, so discard it. Then with one cut between the joints, separate the middle joint from the drumette.
  2. There are two basic ways to season wings — with a wet marinade or a dry rub. Wings take nicely to marinades, which is a very popular way to season them. Once prepped, place your wings in resealable bag or a container and then add your favorite marinade. Let them soak for at least an hour prior to grilling. If dry rubbing, simply apply your favorite barbecue rub or dry seasoning to the raw chicken wings prior to grilling.
  3. Set up your coals in a two-zone configuration. Light your coals and pile them all onto one side of your grill, leaving the other side empty. You’ll sear the wings on the hot side, and let them finish cooking through on the cool side.
  4. Sear your chicken wings directly over the coals on the hot side of the grill. Sear the wings on all sides to get a nicely browned, crispy skin. Chicken skin burns quickly, particularly when the marinade or rub contains high amounts of sugar. So watch them closely and turn them often to prevent scorching.
  5. Once browned on all sides, move the wings over to the cool side of the grill to finish cooking through. Place the lid on the grill and let them cook until the wings reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F. An instant-read digital thermometer will come in handy for checking doneness. In general, chicken wings take 8 to 10 minutes to finish cooking through.
  6. If you want to add a sauce or glaze to your wings, apply it during the last few minutes of cooking. Brush on your sauce or glaze, and put the lid back on to let the sauce heat up and caramelize on the wings. Most sweet sauces do contain a lot of sugars, so watch the wings closely to make sure the sauce does not char.
  7. Chicken wings are ready to serve right off the grill—no need to let them rest. You can pair them with the classic celery sticks and blue cheese dressing or with dipping sauces like barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, Asian sweet chili sauce, or any number of commercially available hot sauces.

FAQ

How long does it take to grill whole wings?

I like to grill chicken wings to 170-175 degrees F, which takes about 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure you are flipping the wings every few minutes to ensure they are cooked through evenly and the skin cooks as well.

How do you grill chicken wings without drying them out?

You will be cooking the wings for about 18 to 25 minutes total. Oil your grill racks, then preheat your grill for direct grilling over medium heat, about 350°F. Keep one burner off or on low in case some wings are cooked before others.

Should you bake chicken wings before grilling?

The key to keeping your grilled chicken wings from drying out is cooking them with gentle heat, so place the brined chicken wings over the indirect heat source as close to the fire as you can without being over it, then close the lid to let all the hot air circulate.

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