My Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings are a game-changer for anyone who likes a simple yet delicious hot wing. These wings are taken to the next level on the Recteq 700, which gives them the ultimate golden skin with a hint of char. The recipe has an appealing balance of garlicky, cheesy, and buttery flavor with just a little heat from my bestselling AP rub. This combination gives you a juicy wing that’s dripping with succulent flavor!

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings is a great recipe for game day, backyard cookouts, or switching up your usual menu. They’re packed with restaurant-quality flavor and are speedier than waiting for your order to arrive. With just a handful of ingredients, you’ll have a batch of wings that will impress even the harshest wing critic!

Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings | Heath Riles BBQ

Hot wings are a versatile recipe that you can enjoy even if you don’t have a pellet grill. Try this dish in the air fryer, deep fryer, or even oven-baked for a taste of the good life! You can also customize the wings to please a variety of palates. Add more Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub to turn up the heat, or sprinkle the meat with freshly grated Parmesan to amp up the cheesiness. And, of course, you can always express yourself through the sauces you serve on the side!

The Ingredients

These wings prove that you don’t need a lot of ingredients to create a great meal! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.

Chicken wings. If you eat a lot of chicken wings, you understand how expensive they can be. My biggest money-saving hack is to purchase whole wings and separate them into wing tips and drummies. This is a popular hack for serving a crowd, as some people prefer the smaller piece, and others like the heartier portion.
Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub. My top-selling AP rub may include peppers, but it’s mild enough that anyone can enjoy it! Use it to top popcorn or as an addition to dips, casseroles, steak, burgers, or veggies.
Heath Riles BBQ Parmesan Garlic Seasoning. Parmesan and garlic are like peanut butter and jelly; you can’t have one without the other! This bold seasoning blend makes it easy to add Italian-inspired flavor to pasta, pizza, seafood, and more. Its conveniently portable bottle allows you to take this crowd-pleasing favorite anywhere.
Butter sauce. I amped up the flavor with a simple, homemade butter sauce. All you need is minced garlic and ½ a stick of butter. The mixture browns on the pit, leaving you with a fragrant, decadent topping.

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. The Equipment and Tools section contains more of my grilling favorites.

Pellet grill/smoker. The Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings got the perfect char on the Recteq 700. I love this pit because it’s so versatile; you can use it in the backyard or on the circuit. If you love bells and whistles, you’ll appreciate that Recteq has its own exclusive app that allows you to get expert advice and take notes on each cook!
Charcoal. I fueled the Recteq with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. Royal Oak uses pure, high-quality ingredients that give your burgers, steaks, and wings the perfect kiss of charcoal flavor. Plus, their products are readily available at most big box and home improvement stores.

The Process for Making Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings

You’ll find an in-depth visual demonstration of this recipe in the video. Here’s a quick rundown of how I made these flavorsome Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings.

Fire up the grill. I stoked the Recteq 700 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 400℉.
Prep the wings. I removed the wings from their packaging and patted them dry. Then, I set the hot wings in the fridge on a cooling rack to dry overnight. This gives them the crispiest skin.
Add binder and seasoning. I sprayed the wings with a thick layer of duck fat and seasoned them on all sides with Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Parmesan Garlic Seasoning. I let the meat sweat while the grill heated up.
Start smoking. I laid the Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings directly on the pit and let them go for 30 minutes, then flipped the meat and let it cook for 20 more minutes.
Make the butter sauce. While the wings finished up, I set the butter and garlic in a small cast iron pan. I let the mixture go until the wings reached 200℉.
Coat the wings. At the 50-minute mark, I took the wings off the Recteq 700 and placed them in a large bowl. Then, I drizzled some of my butter mixture over the wings and added another dash of Heath Riles BBQ Parmesan Garlic Seasoning, stirring to coat. The only thing left was to plate the Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings and serve!

The Results

The Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings came off the pit with the perfect texture. They were crisp on the outside, and so tender that the bones pulled right out! Each bite was infused with a brilliant combination of Parmesan, garlic, and butter. If you love hot wings, you’ll want to give this recipe a try!

Serving Suggestions for Parmesan Garlic Crusted Hot Wings

Serve these hot wings with ranch or garlic butter sauce for dipping. If you want a well-rounded plate, add carrots and celery!

Storing Leftovers

You can store your leftover Parmesan Garlic-Crusted Hot Wings in the fridge for up to five days or freeze them for up to five months. If you reheat them from frozen, drizzle with extra butter sauce to keep them tasting fresh!