Grilled Chicken Wings

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, grilled wings are fuss-free and finger licking good. A choice of flavorings will satisfy every taste preference.

In the early days of the quarantine, I was asked to start a recipe exchange with a group of women who were feeling cooped up and in need of a social outlet. At the beginning, most of the shared recipes were mine, but over time, many of the women shared their family favorites.

Needing a way to organize them, I started a “secret recipe page” on the blog. (Have you stumbled upon it?)

Several of the recipes have made repeat appearances at our house, with the following chicken wing recipe being one of the most popular.

In our house, Crispy Buffalo Wings set a high standard, so the first time I made the following grilled variation, I was prepared for the inevitable comparison. To my delight, the easy recipe received rave reviews.

When grilled, the skins don’t tend to get as crispy as they do when baked. So over time, I have incorporated two of my best skin-crisping tricks.

The first is the addition of a small amount of baking powder (not baking soda) to the spice rub. The combination of baking powder and salt helps break down the proteins in the skin and aids in browning. It also brings moisture to the surface, which ties into the second trick.

The second trick is an uncovered rest in the refrigerator. I place the wings on a baking rack that has been set over a rimmed baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. When refrigerated for at least a couple of hours and ideally overnight, the skins dry out, and dry skin equals crispier skin.

Rest assured, the wings will still taste great if you skip these extra (although mostly hands-off) steps. That said, wing aficionados will likely notice when you give them a go!

One of my favorite aspects of this recipe is that it offers choices among rubs and sauces – and that the easy rubs and sauces may be used independently or layered for more complex flavor.

Our standard has become the Old Bay in combination with Frank’s hot sauce. It really doesn’t get any easier, and the flavor is exceptional. (For those who are wondering, the Old Bay doesn’t make the wings taste like a crab cake or shrimp boil. Rather, it works beautifully as an all-purpose spice rub.)

Those who prefer little or no spice may prefer to use just the Old Bay, the Old Bay with half the stated hot sauce, or the Old Bay with the garlic butter sauce. While you could skip the Old Bay and just use one of the two sauces, the classic spice blend does add something special.

Special thanks goes to Heidi Stadel, who originally shared this recipe. The Stadel family loves to grill, and husband Dave regularly takes the lead as chef. Heidi says this leaves her as lead clean-up. A very good team, I’d say!

Heidi reported that her daughter’s favorite variations are the butter garlic and the dry-rubbed Old Bay wings. She and Dave love the Old Bay/hot sauce combination, although she mentioned that she does really enjoy the crispiness and simplicity of the wings when prepared with Old Bay alone.

While we may typically think of wings as an appetizer, they make a fun entrée as well. When served with a green salad and oven roasted potatoes (tossed in some Old Bay, of course!), the grilled wings serve as a quick and satisfying meal.

Which will you try? Given the utter ease and relatively quick cooking time (and minimal cleanup thanks to the grill), perhaps it’s worth trying all the variations!