Get your plate ready; it’s wing night! These sweet and spicy wings are seasoned with my Honey Chipotle Rub and smothered in a decadent sauce. My Honey Garlic Wings will be your new favorite appetizer for game day, boy's night, and just because.
This wing recipe stands out from the pack due to some savvy grillwork. Many hot wings are taken off the grill, sauced, and served. Putting the wings back on the grill to let the sauce caramelize makes all the difference. Don’t just take my word for it. Try this recipe for yourself. You won’t be sorry!
My Honey Garlic Wings are a fun change of pace from the usual buffalo-style fare. The honey sauce is spicy with a hint of garlic on the back end. You won’t believe how easy it is to grill wings using my foolproof method. You’ll never go back to using your oven.
The Ingredients
With a few simple ingredients, you’ll be able to make the tastiest wings in the BBQ circuit. You won’t use the entire bottle of Honey Chipotle Rub, so save the remainder for another delicious recipe. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Honey Chipotle Rub. My Honey Chipotle Rub is a balanced blend of sweetness, smoke, and spice. I love using this rub for chicken wings because it gives the skin a beautiful golden color. This rub is fantastic on ribs as well.
- Chicken wings. This recipe makes 10 whole chicken wings. I try to choose larger wings that have more bite to them. Wings tend to shrink a little on the grill, so the bigger, the better.
- Mike’s Hot Honey. This honey is the best stuff on the market. It’s sweet with just the right amount of spice. This is a critical ingredient in my honey garlic sauce, taking it to a new level.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger gives these wings a little zing. Ginger pairs well with hot honey and brings out the garlic flavor. I finely dice my ginger, so every bite has the perfect amount.
- Cornstarch. Homemade sauces need a thickener since they don’t have built-in preservatives. Cornstarch creates an excellent slurry that’s not too thick. Plus, the cornstarch helps the chicken skin get extra crispy.
- Garlic. Garlic powder has its place, but nothing beats the real deal. When placed on the grill, the garlic permeates the meat, making it flavorful from the inside out.
- Soy sauce. This ingredient brings out the flavor of any meat, making it a popular addition to homemade sauces. I left out additional salt since the soy sauce has enough. You’ll love the exotic twist it gives your BBQ.
The Grill Setup
- Grill. I used my Goldens’ Cast Iron to make these wings. I love this model because it allows you to create a two-zone fire. This is a durable model with plenty of room for meal prep.
- Charcoal. I stoked my grill with Royal Oak Charcoal. This is my charcoal of choice because it contains no fillers. It gives your meat a pure BBQ flavor, nothing artificial.
The Process for Making Honey Garlic Wings
You can find in-depth instructions for this recipe in the video and recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a brief overview of how I pulled this recipe together.
- Fire up the grill. I heated my Goldens’ until it reached about 300℉. I created a two-zone fire for different parts of the grilling process.
- Prep and season. I laid my wings on the cooking tray and flipped them over, so the backside was up. I sprayed them with canola oil, then added a layer of my Honey Chipotle Rub. I let the wings sweat in for 5 minutes, flipped them over, and repeated the process.
- Grill the meat. I laid my wings on the cool zone to start. I let my wings cook for 40 minutes, flipping them at the 25-minute mark. When the wings reached 170℉.-180℉, I took them off the grill and put them in my glass bowl.
- Make the sauce. I whipped my sauce up and poured it over the honey. I tossed the wings to get them fully coated.
- Char the wings. I put my dipped wings on the hot zone of the Goldens’ and let them cook until they got a little char. I flipped the wings and mopped the charred side with leftover honey garlic sauce. When the other side was charred, I took them off the grill and plated them.
The Results
The char on my Honey Garlic Wings gave them the perfect texture. Putting the wings back on the grill created a sticky, caramelized sauce. The wings were juicy and satisfyingly crisp.
Serving Suggestions for Honey Garlic Wings
Here are my favorite sides that go great with a plate of wings. If you’re feeling adventurous, make them all for one fantastic spread.
Storing Honey Garlic Wings
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Equipment and Tools
Goldens’ Cast Iron , Royal Oak Charcoal, cooking tray, glass bowl, Thermapen One, Thermoworks Silicone Tools, insulated gloves for handling meat
