Our Favorite BBQ Wings Recipe

I always feel like restaurants charge an arm and a leg for wings. That’s exactly why we love making them at home. These BBQ wings are our tried and true favorites: simple, flexible and full of flavor without requiring deep frying or fancy equipment.

This recipe is especially great if you like hands-off cooking. Once the wings are prepared, they mostly take care of themselves. And bonus: if you buy whole wings and break them up yourself, you’ll later end up with wing tips that are perfect for homemade chicken stock.

Whether you bake them in the oven or throw them on the grill, these wings are ideal for casual meals, game days, or summer weekends when you want something fun without a ton of effort.

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How To Customize This BBQ Wings Recipe

For sauces, you can:

• Use store bought BBQ sauce if you are short on time
• Buffalo sauce for classic heat
• Garlic butter with parmesan
• Teriyaki sauce
• Sweet chili sauce
• Cajun seasoning for a dry rub

Don’t forget the dips. Ranch and blue cheese are classics, but really… use what you love.

For the sides:

• Celery and carrot sticks (classic for a reason)
• Chopped bell pepper for crunch
• Broccoli or steamed cauliflower
• French fries or baked potato
• Pasta salad or a simple side salad

Cooking Techniques For This BBQ Wings Recipe

We ballparked 1 pound of wings per serving, which is about 6-8 wings depending on size. If you know you or your partner likes wings, increase this number as needed.

If you are buying whole wings to butcher at home, buy a bigger package than you need because you remove the ends of the wings and they add up to some of the weight.

You can definitely use pre-cut frozen wings too! You should still toss them with salt and baking powder, but follow the temperature instructions on the bag. They will still need about 80 minutes to get nice and crispy.

These wings have a long cooking time but are totally hands on, so you are free to put your feet up or multitask with another dish on the stove. The key to success with these wings is to make sure none of them touch the pan or each other! This will give you the most baked wings in the oven.

Also, don’t skimp on lining your baking sheet – the chicken juices will really stick to the pan during the long cooking time and this will save you time on cleanup.

Should I Bake or BBQ Wings?

There are pros and cons to both methods, but when I think about wings I tend to evaluate:

Taste:

Seasoning is one thing, but if I’m going for a smoky flavor, BBQ is the way to go.

Texture

Baked wings tend to have less crispy skin compared to BBQed wings, which can be a disadvantage if you’re like me and prefer a crispy texture.

Convenience

The wings are baked and done inside, which is a bonus. But baking wings usually takes longer compared to grilling. So if you’re trying to get dinner on the table, go baked. But, hopefully you’ll be outside while you cook these wings, so you can spend a little more time enjoying the sun and the birds.

Alternative cooking methods:

If you don’t have access to a grill, here are a few alternative cooking methods:

Air Fryer: Air fryers use hot air circulation to mimic the effect of deep frying, resulting in crispier wings with less oil. Preheat the air fryer, place the wings in a single layer, and cook on high, flipping them halfway through to brown evenly.

Deep frying: Deep frying wings provides a similar crispy texture and quick cooking time like grilling. Heat the oil in a deep pot or frying pan to the appropriate temperature, carefully add the wings, and fry until golden brown and cooked through.

Grill Option: BBQ Wings on the Grill

If you want a smoky flavor and slightly crispy skin, grilling is a fantastic option, especially in the warmer months. This is my favorite grill: Charbroil Pro Series 4-Burner

How to Grill BBQ Wings

1. Preheat the grill to medium heat (about 400°F).
2. Prepare the wings same way as oven wings: pat dry, season with salt (skip baking powder for grilling).
3. Oil the grill grate well to prevent sticking.
4. Grill over indirect heat for 20-25 minutes, turning every 5-7 minutes.
5. Move the wings to direct heat for the last 5-10 minutes to crisp the skin.
6. Brush or toss with BBQ sauce during the last few minutes only to prevent burning.

Grill tip:
Sauce too early = burnt sugar. Always sauce near the end.

If you want to make the cauliflower BBQ wings:

If you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just want to eat more veggies, cauliflower wings are absolutely delicious! This recipe for bbq cauliflower wings looks amazing.

We also have a great video on how to make buffalo cauliflower wings on our Youtube channel. Check it out below.

Storage and Reheating Notes

This recipe will last in the fridge for up to 4 days and you can freeze cooked wings and cauliflower wings (not sauced) for up to 6 months. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven. Store the wings with your sauce separately from either side. Happy preparing!

FAQs

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