Grilled Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings on the Grill

Chicken wings are a must-have for just about any social gathering, and this grilled chicken wings recipe is one of the best grilled wings around! I personally cannot tailgate or watch sports without a big plate of crispy grilled chicken wings on hand. There are a lot of tips and tricks to getting crispy wings, but my biggest tip is consistent temperatures and regular flipping.

Grilled Chicken Wing Sauce

This recipe includes not one, but THREE amazing chicken wing sauces. I like to have all three available when making chicken wings because they provide something for everyone. Spicy, smooth, and sweet are great ways to go when making a chicken wing sauce.

• Creamy Buffalo Sauce. This sauce is perfect when you want a good Buffalo kick on your wings. Buffalo sauce and chicken wings are the perfect duo, and are a must-have on my platter.
• Garlic Parmesan Sauce. For a smooth option, go with this garlic Parmesan sauce. It’s a family favorite and provides a nice, cool wing sauce. No heat, but tons of flavor!
• Honey BBQ Sauce. Last up, you grab your favorite Honey BBQ Sauce.  This is another must have.

Another perk of serving your sauces on the side is that your wings stay crispy longer. If you fully toss your wings in sauce, the skin will most definitely start to soften. Keep that crispy skin as long as you can by serving your sauces on the side.

How to Grill Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are a breeze to grill. I prefer to make my chicken wing sauce beforehand to have it ready to go as soon as my wings come off the grill. Here’s how to grill chicken wings.

1. Preheat. Fire up the grill and preheat to 425 degrees F.
2. Make the sauces. Prepare the dipping sauces according to the instructions in the recipe card and set them aside until ready to serve.
3. Season the chicken wings. Pat the wings dry, spray with avocado oil, and season on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use your favorite salt and pepper-based rub.  This will add a lot of flavor to these wings.
4. Grill. Add the chicken wings to the grill grates and grill for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175 degrees F. Flip every 3-5 minutes.
5. Enjoy. Remove the grilled wings and serve with the dipping sauce.

How Long to Grill Chicken Wings

It takes approximately 25-30 minutes to grill chicken wings. Make sure you are flipping the wings every few minutes to ensure they are cooked evenly through and the skin cooks evenly as well.

I like to grill chicken wings to 170-175 degrees F. While this is a higher temperature for thicken than the FDA recommend 165 degrees F, I prefer the texture of wings cooked a little bit hotter. This higher internal temperature on wings allows the meat to pull away from the bone easily and still taste delicious. Snag an instant-read thermometer to keep a close eye on the temperature as they cook.

Tips for Grilling Chicken Wings

Chicken wings can be a bit finicky to cook on the grill, but I got some tips to help you grill chicken wings to perfection. Here are some important takeaway points for grilling chicken wings:

1. Get that grill hot. Make sure your grill is fully preheated to 425 degrees F prior to cooking your chicken wings.
2. Fully dry the wings. Before seasoning your chicken wings, pat them dry with a paper towel and spray with a high heat cooking oil (my favorite is avocado).
3. Flip often. Flip the wings every 3-5 minutes while they are on the grill to prevent burning and to evenly crisp the skin.
4. Keep an eye on the temp. Use a meat thermometer to grill your chicken wings until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F. This is fall-off-the-bone temp and you’ll love the tender chicken meat on these wings.