If you're looking for a new wing recipe to try for game day, I've got a good one for you! We're making Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings with my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning, Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze, and Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce. These wings have a great combination of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, and they're pretty simple to throw together.

We're cooking these wings on my recteq Bullseye Grill at 400°F using Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets. Once they're cooked, we're tossing them in a homemade creamy cherry habanero sauce made with just three ingredients. We'll finish them off with another sprinkle of Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning for a little extra flavor.

Whether you're getting ready for football season, having some friends over, or just looking for something different to cook on the grill, these wings are worth giving a try. Let's get started!

Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings | Heath Riles BBQ

These Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings are all about combining a little sweetness with some heat. We're starting with chicken wings seasoned with my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning and cooking them hot on the pellet grill. While they're cooking, we'll mix up a sauce using Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce, my Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze, and melted butter.

The Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze brings some fruity sweetness with a little heat, while the creamy habanero sauce adds another layer of flavor. Once everything comes together, we've got some saucy, flavorful wings that are perfect for game day.

Why This Recipe Works

• The perfect combination of sweet and heat. My Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze adds fruity sweetness and a little kick, while Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce brings extra heat and creamy texture.
• Plenty of flavor from the seasoning. My Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning gives the wings a savory, tangy flavor before they hit the grill. We're also adding a little more after saucing them.
• A simple three-ingredient sauce. All you need is creamy habanero wing sauce, Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze, and melted butter to bring everything together.
• Hot and fast cooking. Cooking the wings at 400°F helps the skin brown while the meat cooks through.
• Perfect for game day. These wings are easy to serve, packed with flavor, and make a great addition to any football spread.

The Ingredients

You don't need a long list of ingredients to make these Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings. We're keeping things simple with a few seasonings and sauces that bring plenty of flavor.

• Chicken Wings. I'm using whole chicken wings that have been cut into flats and drums. The video doesn't specify the total weight or number of wings, so use enough to feed your crowd.
• Heath Riles BBQ Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning. This is what I'm using to season the wings before cooking. We'll also add another light sprinkle after tossing them in the sauce.
• Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray. A light coating of oil helps the seasoning stick to the chicken and encourages browning while the wings cook.
• Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce. We're using ½ cup of this creamy, spicy wing sauce as the base for our homemade cherry habanero sauce.
• Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze. I'm adding ⅓ cup of this glaze for a little sweetness and fruity habanero flavor.
• Butter. We're using ½ stick of melted butter, which is 4 tablespoons, to bring the sauce together and give it a smooth, rich finish.

Cooking Setup

For this recipe, I'm using my recteq Bullseye Grill, fired up to 400°F with Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets. We're cooking these wings hot and fast to get some good color on the outside while keeping the meat tender.

I've already separated my whole chicken wings into flats and drums. Before putting them on the grill, I'm going to give them a light coating of cooking oil spray and season them with my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning.

For the sauce, I'll be using a measuring cup to portion out the ingredients and a YETI Rambler Bowl to mix everything together. I'll also have my Thermapen ONE ready to check the internal temperature of the wings before taking them off the grill.

The wings took about 45 minutes to cook, with a flip around the 30-minute mark. Once they're done, we'll toss them in our creamy cherry habanero sauce and finish with another sprinkle of seasoning.

The Process

Prepare and Season the Chicken Wings

First, we're going to get our chicken wings ready for the grill. I've already taken my whole wings and cut them down into flats and drums. I like doing this because they're easier to cook, serve, and eat, especially when you're making wings for game day.

Once you've got your wings separated, give them a light coating of Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray. Now we're coming in with my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning and seasoning them down. Make sure you've got a good, even coating on the wings before they go on the grill. This seasoning is going to give us a great base of flavor that works really well with the creamy cherry habanero sauce we're making.

Get the Wings on the Pellet Grill

I've got my recteq Bullseye Grill fired up to 400°F using Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets. Once the grill is up to temperature, we're going to lay our seasoned wings directly on the cooking grates, leaving a little room between them so they can cook evenly.

We're going to let these wings cook for about 30 minutes before coming back to check on them. Cooking at 400°F helps us get some good color on the outside, and I like using the Bullseye for wings because we can cook them hot and fast without a whole lot of work.

Make the Creamy Cherry Habanero Wing Sauce

While our wings are cooking, let's get this sauce mixed up. I'm starting with ½ cup of Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce. This is going to give us that creamy texture and habanero heat we're looking for. Next, I'm adding ⅓ cup of my Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze, which brings in some sweetness to balance everything out.

Now we're going in with ½ stick of melted butter, which is 4 tablespoons. Once everything is in the bowl, take your spatula and mix it all together until you've got a smooth, creamy sauce. That's all there is to it! We've got a simple three-ingredient sauce that's going to take these wings to another level.

Flip the Wings and Check the Temperature

Our wings have been cooking for about 45 minutes now, and I came in and flipped them over around the 30-minute mark. They've developed some good color, and we're ready to start checking the internal temperature to see where we're at.

I'm using my Thermapen ONE to check the drums, and they're reading around 200°F internally. Chicken wings have plenty of connective tissue, so I like cooking them past the minimum safe temperature of 165°F to get them nice and tender. With the drums reading around 200°F, we're ready to pull these wings off the grill. You can use your tongs to transfer them to a baking sheet or bowl.

Toss the Wings in the Creamy Cherry Habanero Sauce

Now that our wings are off the grill, it's time to get them sauced up. I'm going to pour that creamy cherry habanero wing sauce right over the hot wings and toss everything together until they're completely coated. You want that sauce getting all over the flats and drums so every bite has plenty of flavor.

Once we've got them coated, I'm coming back with another light sprinkle of my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning. That little finishing touch gives us some extra seasoning right on top of the sauce. And that's all there is to it! We've got some creamy, sweet, spicy chicken wings that are ready to serve. I may have just found my new favorite wing recipe!

The Results

Y'all, these Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings turned out great! After about 45 minutes on the recteq Bullseye at 400°F, we've got some beautiful color on the outside, tender chicken, and plenty of flavor from my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning.

But what really takes these wings to another level is that creamy cherry habanero sauce. The combination of Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce, my Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze, and melted butter gives us a great balance of sweet, spicy, and creamy flavors. Then we finish everything off with another sprinkle of Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning for a little extra kick.

These are the kind of wings I'd put out for any game-day gathering. They're simple to make, loaded with flavor, and something a little different from your traditional buffalo wings. I may have just found my new favorite wing recipe!

Perfect Pairings

If you're serving these Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings for game day, you've got to have a good dipping sauce to go with them. Here are two homemade dressings that pair perfectly with the sweet heat of these wings.

• Homemade Ranch Dressing. You can't go wrong with a good homemade ranch dressing when you're serving chicken wings. This creamy, flavorful ranch is perfect for dipping and helps balance out the heat from the habanero sauce. Serve it alongside some fresh celery and carrot sticks for a classic game-day combination.
• Homemade Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing. If you're a blue cheese fan, this homemade chunky blue cheese dressing is another great option. It's rich, creamy, and has that tangy blue cheese flavor that goes so well with spicy wings. The cool dressing makes a great contrast to the sweet and spicy cherry habanero sauce.

Storing Leftovers

If you've got any wings left after game day, they're easy to save and enjoy again later. Here's how I recommend storing and reheating them.

• Refrigerating. Let the wings cool slightly, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. They'll keep in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Since these wings are already tossed in sauce, I recommend storing them in a container that will catch any extra sauce.
• Reheating. For the best results, place the wings on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 350°F until they're heated through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. You can also use an air fryer at 350°F, checking them frequently to prevent the sauce from burning. If they look a little dry after reheating, toss them with some additional sauce.
• Freezing. You can freeze cooked wings in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months for the best quality. If you're making these ahead of time, I recommend freezing the cooked wings without the sauce and tossing them in freshly prepared sauce after reheating. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before warming them up.

Tips for the Best Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings

I've cooked plenty of chicken wings over the years, and there are a few things I recommend to help you get the best results with this recipe.

• Separate the flats and drums. I like cutting whole chicken wings into flats and drums before cooking. It makes them easier to handle on the grill and easier to serve when you've got a crowd coming over.
• Use a light coating of oil. A little Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray helps the seasoning stick to the chicken and encourages the skin to brown. You don't need to use a whole lot.
• Season before and after cooking. My Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning adds flavor before the wings hit the grill, but I also like coming back with another light sprinkle after tossing them in the sauce.
• Cook the wings at 400°F. I like cooking wings hot and fast to get good color on the outside. For this recipe, I used my recteq Bullseye Grill at 400°F, and the wings took approximately 45 minutes.
• Flip the wings during cooking. I flipped these wings around the 30-minute mark to help them cook evenly and develop color on both sides. Keep an eye on them since cooking times can vary depending on the size of your wings.
• Check the internal temperature. Chicken wings need to reach at least 165°F to be safe to eat, but I like taking mine a little higher for tenderness. My drums were reading around 200°F when I pulled them off the grill.
• Balance the sauce to your liking. The Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze brings some sweetness, while the Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce adds heat. You can adjust the ratio slightly depending on whether you want your wings sweeter or spicier.
• Sauce the wings while they're hot. Once the wings come off the grill, get them into your bowl and toss them with the creamy cherry habanero sauce. The warm wings help the sauce coat everything evenly.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for something different to serve at your next game-day gathering, give these Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings a try. They're easy to make, don't require a bunch of ingredients, and have a great combination of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.

I really like how my Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning works with the Cherry Apple Habanero Glaze and Melinda's Creamy Habanero Wing Sauce. That melted butter brings everything together, and the finishing sprinkle of seasoning adds just the right touch.

Whether you're cooking for a football party, having some friends over, or just making wings for supper, I think y'all are going to enjoy this one. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Equipment & Tools

Here's what I used to prepare and cook these Creamy Cherry Habanero Chicken Wings.

recteq Bullseye Grill, Royal Oak Hickory Blended Charcoal Pellets, Thermapen ONE, YETI Rambler Bowl, Spatula, Measuring Cup, Baking Sheet, Tongs, Graza Frizzle High Heat Cooking Oil Spray