Grilled Chicken Wings with Seasoned Buffalo Sauce
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I love the flavor and ease of cooking chicken wings on the grill. They are truly no fuss, no muss and finger lickin’ good!
Classic Buffalo chicken wings are fried but I love the flavor and ease of cooking them on the grill. They are truly no fuss, no muss and finger-lickin’ good! The key is to cook them over a moderate flame so that the fat renders out and the skin gets nice and crispy. You can serve them plain — they are perfectly delicious as is — but the seasoned Buffalo sauce takes them over the top. The sauce is mild enough for most kids. As you can see, my son and his friends polished off an entire 3-pound test batch in about ten minutes!
What you’ll need to make Grilled Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole. If you buy them whole, the wings will consist of three parts: the drum, the flat/double-boned “wing” part, and the tip. To cut up a whole wing, start by cutting off the tip (which you can either discard or save for stock), then cut between the drum and the wing part. Try to cut the sections apart at the joints, where the cartilage is softer than solid bone. It’s easy once you get the hang of it.
Step-by-step instructions
Begin by seasoning the wings with salt and pepper.
Grill the wings over moderate heat, turning frequently, until golden. You don’t want the wings to char at all, so keep a close eye on the flame.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by melting the butter with the garlic in the microwave. Stir in the hot sauce and spices and set aside.
When the wings are done, dip them in the sauce. (Alternatively, you can serve the wings plain with the sauce on the side).
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Note: I like Frank’s Hot Sauce for this recipe because it’s pretty mild. For spicier wings, use a hotter sauce.
You may also like
- Grilled Jerk Chicken
- Crispy Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks with Mango Chutney
- Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Grilled BBQ Chicken
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Grilled Chicken Wings with Seasoned Buffalo Sauce
I love the flavor and ease of cooking chicken wings on the grill. They are truly no fuss, no muss and finger lickin’ good!
Ingredients
For the Wings
- 3 pounds chicken wings (if whole, cut into sections; discard the wing tips or save for stock)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for grill
For the Seasoned Buffalo Sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or similar brand)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high. Season the wings with salt and pepper.
- Using grill tongs, dip a wad of paper towels in oil, then carefully rub the grill grate until glossy and coated. Grill the wings, covered, flipping occasionally, until they are golden brown, crispy and completely cooked through, about 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on the grill: if there are flare-ups or the wings begin to burn, move the wings to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat. You don't want grill marks on the wings; just a nice and even golden-brown color.
- While the wings are cooking, make the sauce. Combine the butter and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for about one minute in the microwave until the butter is melted. Stir in the hot sauce, salt, onion powder, chili powder and sugar. Set aside.
- Dip the cooked wings in the sauce and serve immediately. Alternatively, serve the wings plain with the sauce on the side.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 627
- Fat: 49g
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 42g
- Sodium: 851mg
- Cholesterol: 205mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi Jenn – Biggest fan of your recipes here! I can actually say I’ve cooked every single recipe you’ve posted so I can’t wait to get your cookbook! Quick question: This is my go to wing recipe and I’d like to convert it to a buffalo chicken slider recipe. Do you have any suggestions on toppings for that or how to make it OUAC quality?
Hi Biggest Fan :). So glad to hear you enjoy the recipes! Buffalo Chicken sliders would be delicious with ranch or blue cheese dressing, sliced banana peppers, cilantro, and/or Cheddar cheese. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them!
Thank you Jenn!
You.must.make.these. now! So easy, so tasty… Restaurant quality at home. I flipped the wings every 5 mins, took about 20 mins. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Total hit with the family. Super easy and delicious! Thanks so much!
Will it be to hot for little ones
Hi Marie, I have found that these are mild enough for most kids to enjoy.
I just made these and they are DELISH… just like all recipes that I have tried from Once Upon. Love Frank’s Red Hot. I put that on everything!
Thanks for sharing
Very very yummy 🙂 I particularly like your advice to avoid charring the chicken. It was much better to have that lovely golden colour develop. I also did a light hickory smoke which worked very well with the sauce.
These are fantastic! I use Sriracha instead of Frank’s (very much recommended), and they are always a hit!
These are absolutely delish and super easy. Thank you Jenn!!! Finally we can have chicken wings homemade better than going out!
Sara
I don’t have a backyard. Would you suggest baking or frying pan?
Hi Elizabeth, You can swap the grill for the oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Arrange the wings in a single layer on a greased wire rack set over a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, then bake for 45-50 minutes or until the skin is nice and crispy. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is always a success, even among some of my picky eaters. I follow the recipe exactly as you have it and it always turns out great