BBQ Chicken Wings

BBQ chicken wings are crispy-skinned, tender, and glazed with tangy sauce that caramelizes on a hot grill. The key is cooking them low and slow first to render the fat and cook the meat through, then finishing hot and fast to char the glaze without burning it.

Ingredients for BBQ Chicken Wings

Chicken wings stay juicy when cooked skin-side down first, which protects the meat from direct heat. Kosher salt and black pepper season the skin and help it brown. Paprika adds color and mild smoke, while garlic powder and onion powder build savory depth without making the wings wet. BBQ sauce is brushed on at the end to glaze and caramelize, not at the start where it would burn. Vegetable oil keeps the grates from sticking.

Why This BBQ Chicken Wings Works

The two-zone grill setup lets you cook wings gently on the cool side until the meat is done and the skin is rendered, then move them to the hot side to finish and char. If you cook them hot the whole time, the outside chars before the inside finishes.

The dry rub goes on before the grill so the seasoning browns into the skin. The BBQ sauce goes on only in the last few minutes, when the wings are nearly done. This way the sauce caramelizes and sticks instead of burning to black.

Letting wings rest for a few minutes after they come off the grill lets the juices settle so they stay moist when you bite into them.

Mistakes To Avoid

Putting sauce on too early is the most common mistake. The sugars in BBQ sauce burn at grill temperature, turning bitter and black. Wait until the wings are almost done to brush it on.

Cooking the wings all on the hot side cooks the outside to char while the inside stays pink near the bone. Use a two-zone setup: start on the cool side for 15 to 18 minutes, then move to hot to finish and glaze.

Skipping the dry rub leaves the skin pale and bland. Even a simple salt, pepper, and paprika mix seasons the meat and helps the skin brown and crisp.

Forgetting to oil the grates causes wings to stick and tear, leaving skin behind on the grill. Oil well and heat the grates until they are screaming hot.

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wings, pat dry
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for the grates

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Set up the grill for two-zone cooking by lighting one side to medium-low (around 300°F / 150°C) and leaving the other side unlit, or pushing coals to one side.
2. Mix salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
3. Pat the wings dry and rub all over with the spice mixture on both sides.
4. Oil the grill grates well with vegetable oil and let them heat until a drop of water sizzles away instantly.
5. Place wings skin-side down on the cool side of the grill and close the lid, cooking for 15 to 18 minutes until the skin is rendered and the meat is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when checked with an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part without touching bone.
6. Move the wings to the hot side of the grill (or raise the temperature to medium-high if using a single-zone grill) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes skin-side down until the skin chars and crisps.
7. Flip the wings and brush generously with BBQ sauce on the meat side.
8. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and sticks, then flip, brush sauce on the skin side, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until glazed and lightly charred.
9. Transfer wings to a plate and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
10. For an indoor grill, use a grill pan over medium-high heat or a broiler on high, cooking skin-side down for 8 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), then brush with sauce and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until glazed.