Quick Look at this Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings Recipe
- Ready In: under 30 minutes!
- Serves: 6, but feel free to make a double or triple batch
- Main Ingredients: chicken wings & 10 spices that make the BEST dry rub!
- Dietary Info: Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free, & Gluten-Free
- Best For: Sunday football, party appetizers, quick dinner, backyard cookout
- Why You’ll Love It: During the summertime I love to do most of my cooking on our Weber gas grill! It is perfect for making quick, easy dinners and tasty appetizers. On the weekends, we watch football and every week we make these incredibly crispy grilled chicken wings! They are so simple and so delicious, see below for all of our best tips and tricks!
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Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken Wings – this can be flat wings, drummies, or a combination of both. Just make sure they are fresh or fully thawed before cooking.
- Homemade Dry Rub – 10 spices that combine for the best flavor, according to multiple 5-star reviews!
How To Grill Chicken Wings
Step 1 – Pat the wings dry with paper towel.
Step 2 – Season with salt and pepper or the included dry rub.
Step 3 – Preheat the grill and cook over direct heat.
Step 4 – Flip halfway and continue cooking until their internal temp reaches 163 degrees F.
How Long To Grill Chicken Wings
Total cook time will depend on the type of wing and their size. The best way to track when they are done, is to keep track of the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For best results, preheat the grill to a high heat to give the wings a nice char and crispy skin. Then drop the heat to around 350-375 degrees F to slowly render the fat for a juicy and tender meat.
| Type of Chicken Wings | Cook Time | Internal Temp When Done |
| Flat Chicken Wings | 8-12 minutes | 163 degrees F |
| Chicken Drumettes or Drummies | 12-16 minutes | 163 degrees F |
*Note: let the wings rest for 5 minutes before eating! The rest time is very important because it allows the internal temp of the chicken to reach a safe level and it allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in the most juicy and tender chicken wings.
Step 5 – Let the wings rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Should I Put Sauce On Grilled Wings?
These top rated grilled chicken wings do not need a sauce, but one can easily be added. Option to remove the wings from the grill at 160 degrees F internal temp, toss in a homemade bbq sauce or easy homemade buffalo sauce, and then finish on the grill to make them sticky. OR grill the wings as directed and toss in sauce after they are done.
Best Ways To Serve Grilled Chicken Wings
In our opinion, crispy grilled chicken wings should always be served with dipping sauces. We love a good dairy free ranch salad dressing or homemade blue cheese dressing! And then, a few carrot and celery sticks on the side. It’s a classic combination that always hits the spot.
Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings FAQs
Yes, they can. However, the dry rub can’t be used because it won’t stick to them. They will also need to cook longer and at a lower temperature, otherwise they will get very tough. For best results, thaw before cooking.
Yes, if you don’t love a dry rub, but like a marinade we have the best chicken marinade recipe!
We typically use a gas grill because it is so much easier to control the temperature, but you can easily grill chicken wings on a charcoal grill too. Just be sure to get it to a high heat and try to keep it there.
Other Easy Chicken Wings Recipes You Might Like
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Ingredients
- 15-20 chicken wings and drummies
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, if not using the dry rub
Dry Rub (optional):
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt, more as desired
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Prep: Ensure grill grates are clean and set grill temperature to medium-high heat (400-450℉).
- Optional Dry Rub: In a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves, ½ tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Mix and set aside.
- Season: Pat 15-20 chicken wings and drummies dry with clean paper towels. Season all over with Dry Rub (if using) or season generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Grill: Grill chicken wings over direct heat: 8-12 minutes total for flat wings and 12-16 minutes total for drummies, or until they reach an internal temperature of 163℉ at the thickest part (use a meat thermometer), flipping halfway.
- Rest: Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes – the internal temp will continue to raise 5 degrees during resting time. The wings will be safe to eat when they reach an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Serve: Enjoy with or without a dipping sauce! (See notes if you want to add a sauce).
Notes
- What to serve with: love this dairy free ranch dressing or this homemade blue cheese dressing!
- Sauces: if you want to add a sauce, like your favorite bbq sauce or homemade buffalo sauce, then remove wings when they reach about 160 degrees F. internal temp, toss in the sauce (or brush it on) then place them back on the grill for 2 minutes per side or until the sauce becomes tacky (a.k.a. sticky to the touch) and the internal temp hits about 165 degrees F. Remove them and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Alternatively, you can toss fully cooked grilled chicken wings in your sauce of choice, but the sauce may not stick as well – totally up to you!
- Internal Meat Thermometer: you will definitely want to be sure to use an instant-read thermometer so you can accurately track the internal temp.
- Storage: any leftover wings can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Kathleen says
Excellent rub! These were great with just the rub, so good! We also added some sweet Thai chili sauce to some. Thanks so very much!
Erin Jensen says
Yay!! Love to hear that, Kathleen!!
Sheila Powell says
Can grilled chicken be frozen?
Erin says
Hi Sheila! If you completely thaw them before grilling, then yes. I wouldn’t recommend putting frozen ones right onto the grill – the cook times will be way off and you will overcook the outside and undercook the inside!
Kathy says
Outstanding! Did the sauce too. Passing this recipe along
Bridget Montag says
Awesome – glad you liked it! Thanks for your review, Kathy!
David B. says
We made these wings for the first time a month ago. Delicious. Honestly the best wings I have ever made. I am going to make one modification to the recipe. They were a bit oversalted, so I am going to cut the salt in half. The cooking time and temp was perfect as well.
Erin says
Thanks, David! Glad you enjoyed them! Will make a note on the salt amounts so there is more of a range for people to choose from – thanks for the feedback!
Jamie says
Delicious! Made these for 4th of July and they were great. I used whole wings (drummettes and flats still connected to each other) and they were beautiful and so juicy! I loved the rub. So flavorful and made a nice crispy crust. Served with Whole Sisters Dump Ranch – they would’ve been fine plain but everything is better with dump ranch. I’ll make again!
Julie says
The dry rub has become our go to seasoning for chicken. My husband printed it off and posted it on the fridge! We’ve used it for everything! Even roasted a whole chicken after covering it with the rub. Yum!
Erin says
That’s awesome to hear, Julie!!
Jennifer Vasichko says
Incredible! I love the array of spices and the turmeric elevated the flavor. No one, including my husband, used a sauce when eating them. The wings were so flavorful and moist, they didn’t need any help. I paired it with a tangy slaw, and sweet potato mash. Will definitely make these again and again! Thanks for sharing.
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Jennifer! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating + review!
EH says
These turned out perfectly! Thanks!
Laura says
Thank you so much for creating a rub without brown sugar. I rubbed the chicken wings and let them sit overnight. They were incredible, cooked at a low heat on the BBQ. I made a big batch for the future but omitted 1/2 or more of the salt. Thanks again for an awesome rub.
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed it, Laura!
Don H says
I didn’t try the recipe yet, but I like all the relevant details that you add about process. Thanks!