It's All About the Marinade: How to Grill Super Juicy Chicken Wings (2024)

FAQs

How long do I cook chicken wings on the grill? ›

With the wings seasoned, it's time to get the grill lit and stabilized to 400ºF. Once the grill has reached temperature, add the wings and close the grill. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, and then flip them all. Continue to flip the wings every 5 minutes until they have cooked for 20-25 minutes in total.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the wings on a wire rack for 15 minutes, or cook them on the cool side of the grill for 10 minutes per side. Then grill the wings for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until crispy. Serve hot, at room temperature or chilled.

When the internal temperature of the grill reaches 400 degrees, place the seasoned wings on the grill grates in a circle around the heat. Cover the grill and grill wings for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the wings. Flip the wings again after 10 more minutes.

Can I Marinate Chicken for Too Long? The USDA recommends not keeping poultry in marinade for longer than two days, as it's possible that the marinade will start breaking down the meat's fibers and cause it to become mushy. A good rule of thumb is to keep marinating time under 24 hours.

Using a brine or marinade is an easy first step in avoiding dry and tough chicken when cooking chicken wings on the grill since it infuses the wings with the necessary moisture to keep the chicken nice and juicy when cooked over high heat on the grill.

Place the lid on the grill and let them finish cooking through. Depending on the size of the wings, they should take about 8 to 10 minutes to finish cooking. Use your digital meat thermometer to make sure they've hit the internal temperature of 175°F.

Prevent Sticking

Toss the wings in a few tablespoons of neutral cooking oil (like canola or vegetable oil), then season with salt and pepper before adding them to the grill. The oil will prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill.

Grill. Add the chicken wings to the grill grates and grill for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175 degrees F. Flip every 3-5 minutes. Enjoy. Remove the grilled wings and serve with the dipping sauce.

Or dip the chicken wings in sauce after cooking or toss them directly in the sauce after cooking for full immersion, but make sure to serve them right away before the skin softens and the meat cools.

A surface temperature of about 425°F (218°C) is what you're after. This direct cooking over a medium-high heat gives the skin a nice crispness without fear of burning. Chicken wings, being dark meat, are safe to eat at 165°F (74°C), but they won't be as tasty as they could be until 175°F (79°C).

What are the three main ingredients when marinating? ›

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices).

"Washing can spread germs from the chicken to other food or utensils in the kitchen." We didn't mean to get you all hot about not washing your chicken! But it's true: kill germs by cooking chicken thoroughly, not washing it. You shouldn't wash any poultry, meat, or eggs before cooking.

Avoid over-marinating

While you can cook and eat chicken that has been marinating for more than 24 hours, you're risking exposing yourself to some strange textures. Chicken can get both mushy and tough when it's been left to marinate too long. If it's been more than 48 hours, the USDA recommends throwing it out.

You can buy wings either whole or with the "flats" and drumettes separated. I prefer to grill whole wings because they are easier to move around on the grill and keep intact.

How Long To Grill Wings. We recommend grilling chicken wings at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, turning them halfway through the process.

In an oven preheated to 375 degrees F, the 10 wings should be fully crisped and cooked in about 30 to 45 minutes. An instant read thermometer inserted into the meat (but not touching the bone) should read at least 165 degrees F.

Place the chicken wings over the indirect heat (no charcoal side or unlit burners), and cook for 15 minutes per side. After 30 minutes, move the wings to the direct heat side and cook for about 5 minutes total, flipping frequently. You want the color of the skin to turn a golden brown.