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Irresistible, smoky, crispy charcoal grilled chicken wings. Marinated in olive oil, herbs and soy sauce. Lip-smacking delicious! The best grilled chicken wings. Period. | ifoodblogger.com #wings #chickenwings #grilledwings #grilledchickenwings

Irresistible Grilled Chicken Wings Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 30
Calories:
Author: Victor
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Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken wings (separated into wingettes and drummettes, tips discarded)

For the marinade:

  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce (see notes)
  • 1/3 cup dark soy sauce (see notes)
  • 3 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 2 tsp each of granulated onions and dried oregano
  • 1 tsp each of kosher salt, granulated garlic, dried parsley, and black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp each of dried thyme and dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp or more for a stronger kick cayenne pepper (optional) (see notes)

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a large Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake really well.
  • Add the chicken wings, close the bag and massage the wings really well to ensure good coverage. Expel as much air as you can, close bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight and up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill to about 350F-400F.
  • Remove the chicken wings from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.
  • Brush the preheated grill grate with cooking oil to prevent sticking. I give it a quick wipe with a piece of paper towel soaked in vegetable oil. The grill is hot so be very careful and wear a heat resistant glove.
  • Cook the chicken wings on the preheated grill, lid closed, for about 10-15 minutes on each side, until the meat is nicely browned and the juices run clear (see my notes). You may want to use an instant read thermometer if not sure. The wings are ready when the temperature in the thickest parts registers at least 165F.

Notes

Soy sauce - Not all soy sauces are created equal. Until recently I thought all soy sauces were the same and the only difference was regular sodium vs low sodium varieties. For this recipe I strongly suggest using a combination of dark and light Chinese soy sauces. Dark soy sauce lends the food sweetness, color, and flavor, whereas light soy sauce provides flavor and saltiness. If all you have is dark soy sauce, use that in place of light soy. Regular (neither dark nor light) soy sauce can be used as a substitute but the flavor will be impacted.
Grilling - Some cooks prefer grilling chicken wings turning them frequently, until they are done. My preferred method that works really well for me is as follows:
1. Load the wings on the pre-heated grill and close the lid
2. Grill on one side for 10-15 minutes
3. Open the lid, flips the wings on the other side. If your grill has hot spots, rearrange the wings by moving more browned wings to a less hot area of the grill. Close the lid
4. Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes
5. Remove from the grill and enjoy
I like grilling chicken wings this way because it requires less tending and the temperature stays stable. Cooking on a charcoal grill this way also lets me avoid flareups and temperature fluctuations.
On my Big Green Egg grill the wings are ready after 20 minutes of grilling, 10 minutes per side. I do, however, like extending the grilling time to about 12-15 minutes per side. This way the wings come out more crispy, and the meat inside becomes more fall-off-the-bone tender. The meat is, perhaps, slightly less juicy, just a bit, but that does not really impact the taste as chicken wings are much more forgiving to overcooking.
Hot sauce - Instead of cayenne pepper, you may want to toss fully cooked chicken wings in this Buffalo wing sauce:
Classic Buffalo Hot Sauce
1/2 cup melted salted butter
2 cloves minced or pressed garlic
1/2 cup Frank's Original Redhot Sauce