If you’re in the mood for crisp, saucy chicken, you’ll love Heath-Style Party Wings. They’re seasoned with two of my competition-winning rubs and doused in a spicy-sweet sauce. I bet you won’t be able to eat just one! I also share my secret method of getting crispy chicken wings every time, so listen up.
These wings come together in less than two hours, making them a great recipe for parties, tailgating, and guy's nights. I guarantee you won’t be leaving with leftovers!
Heath-Style Party Wings use the same seasonings I used to win 1st Place Ribs at the 2022 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Competition. This base also worked great on wings, especially when paired with a homemade sauce!
The Ingredients
This recipe uses simple kitchen ingredients to create magical Heath-Style Party Wings. You can use the seasonings in this recipe for other unique dishes, so save any leftovers! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Chicken wings. Many times, store-bought chicken wings can be on the skimpy side. To counteract that, I cut my wings at home. It’s easy; all you have to do is separate the wing from the drumette.
- Duck fat spray. Duck fat spray is a mild binder that doesn’t take away from the natural flavor of the chicken wings. A little goes a long way! If you want a great neutral binder that works with almost any meat, grab a bottle of duck fat spray.
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This AP rub has a brilliant blend of garlic, salt, pepper, and a little jalapeño on the back end. It’s a mild seasoning that pairs well with chicken, pork, beef, and popcorn!
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I decided that my secret blend of award-winning spices needed to be shared with the world. This rub is amazing on beef, pork, chicken, and veggies. While I can’t reveal every ingredient, I can tell you that it contains paprika, garlic powder, onion, and honey notes.
- Cornstarch. A little cornstarch dries out the chicken skin, giving you a crisp wing every time. Some use baking powder, but cornstarch is a milder option.
- Honey. Honey thickens the wing sauce and adds a little sweetness. It also helps the chicken get a gorgeous char. You can add more honey if you’d like your sauce sweeter.
- Sriracha. I love adding sriracha to sauces to give them a balanced kick of heat. Unlike other hot sauces, sriracha includes garlic notes, giving it a rounded flavor.
- Checkered Pig Competition Sauce. This BBQ sauce comes from a good buddy of mine. I love this product on its own, but it shines when mixed with Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. Checkered Pig Competition Sauce is sweet with a bit of spice. It’s the obvious choice for Heath-Style Party Wings!
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the primary equipment I used for this cook. You can find more of my grilling must-haves in the Equipment and Tools section.
- Kettle Grill. I cooked these fantastic chicken wings on the Weber Kettle Grill. This is an excellent pick if you want a simple, sturdy setup. Beginners love this grill because there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles. Weber produces high-quality grills that last for ages. This model is easy to store, making it perfect for small spaces. There are also a lot of fun accessories you can purchase, like the Vortex Chimney.
- Charcoal. I lit the Weber with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds. This charcoal doesn’t use any fillers and produces pure, clean smoke. I use them just about every time with fabulous results. If you’re trying to cut down on toxins, give Royal Oak a try.
The Process for Making Heath-Style Party Wings
You can see this recipe's detailed demonstration in my video and recipe card. Here’s a brief rundown of how I pulled these amazing wings together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked the Weber Kettle Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds, then fired it up to about 425℉. I used the Vortex Chimney to create a hot zone.
- Trim the chicken wings. You can buy party wings, but we bought whole wings. We trimmed those down and cut off any excess fat. I placed the wings on a wire cooling rack in the fridge for 2 hours to air-dry the skin.
- Add seasoning and binder. I sprayed the chicken wings with Duck Fat Spray, then seasoned them with Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub, followed by Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I flipped the wings and repeated the process on the other side. Then, I transferred the wings to a mixing bowl and sprinkled them with cornstarch, tossing them to coat. This extra step helps the wings get nice and crispy.
- Cook the wings. I laid the wings on my baking tray and sprinkled them with a little more Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I set them on the pit, away from the direct fire, and let them go for 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through. I knew my wings were ready when they hit 195℉-200℉.
- Make the sauce. While the wings were cooking, I made my sauce. I combined honey, sriracha, and Checkered Pig Competition Sauce in a small cast iron skillet until smooth. I placed the sauce on the grill until it was bubbly.
- Sauce and finish. I dunked each wing into the sauce and set them back on the grill to tack up. If you like more char on your wings, you can quickly sear them over the Vortex Chimney. I removed the wings from the grill and plated them up. The only thing left was to dig in!
The Results
These wings were off the charts! They came off the grill with the perfect amount of char. If you love sweet wings with a hint of spice on the back end, you’ll love these Heath-Style Party Wings.
Serving Suggestions for Heath-Style Party Wings
I love serving my wings with blue cheese dressing, but you can always use ranch. Serve these wings on their own, or add one of my Wood-Fired Pizzas.
Equipment and Tools
Weber Kettle Grill, Royal Oak Charcoal, Royal Oak Tumbleweeds, Vortex Chimney, Large sheet pan and cooling rack set, Lodge cast iron melting pot, butchering shears, mixing bowls, metal tongs, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE.
