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.
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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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Comments
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Jenn, made these wings. Awesome!!! If I wanted more heat would I just increase the pepper. Need an awesome lemon pepper recipe now.
Hi Arlene, Glad you enjoyed these! Frank’s hot sauce is pretty mild, so if you want a little more heat, I’d suggest a spicier hot sauce. 🙂
Easy and fantastic!
I sprinkled some cayun pepper while grilling to add a little bonus heat.
And cayun smells great on the bbq on anything!
I probably used too much butter (possible?) So I had to let the sauce sit and thicken a bit to stick to the wings.
Leftover wings soaked in sauce overnight and might have been even better the next day!
Been looking for this for a long time. So simple and delicious!
Thank you much.
These are really good. I was wondering if they could be made ahead and rewarmed in a crockpot. I wanted to take them to work for a potluck. Thanks
Hi Wendy, glad you like them! I’m not sure these are the best candidates for reheating in a crockpot. They’re definitely best when served right off the grill. You can reheat them in a 300-degree oven until warm so they crisp back up a bit (but not sure if that’s feasible for you at your potluck).
These are perfect. My wife is from the Land Of Wings, and she just announced, “These are better than back home!”
So easy, no stinky kitchen from baking or frying, and the sauce is spot-on, but better.
Just made this tonight. I’ve been searching for a recipe that isn’t too spicy but has more than just the buffalo flavor! The search is over 🙂 My husband and I both love this recipe so much! Thank you!
Hi Jenn,
We LOVE your site! I can’t tell you how many recipes we’ve tried and loved.
We are going to be in the market for a grill and wondered what you recommend. We do have a gas stove but I’m not sure I want to go to the trouble/expense of having to plumb a gas grill, unless you feel it is much better than propane or the old-fashioned briquette type.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Warm regards,
Maryalice O’Brian
PS The grilled chicken wings was the catalyst that got us thinking GRILL.
Hi Maryalice, Thank you for the sweet note. So happy you’re enjoying the recipes! I’m not really a grilling aficionado so not sure I’m the best person to ask about this! But I have a Weber gas grill with a direct hook-up to my home’s gas line and I’m very happy with it. It’s so easy to use. (I’ve used propane tanks in the past with success, too.) I do miss the flavor of a charcoal grill, but I can’t be bothered with that most nights. 🙂
We like the twist on the traditional Buffalo Wings! Since I’m from the Buffalo area, I wouldn’t dream of using anything but Frank’s Original sauce, but the addition of the other ingredients gives a tasty result! I also like the fact that the wings are grilled rather than fried. Another winning recipe!
My husband and I love this recipe (and your Honey, Lime & Sriracha Chicken Skewers). Both are fantastic but this is my favorite. It’s moist, bursting with flavor and addictive. I’d never heard of or used Franks Red Hot sauce before trying this recipe so thanks for the introduction. Happy holidays to you and your family. I can’t wait for your cookbook to deliver next year!
This is our favorite wing recipe. It is easy and delicious for the whole family. My hubby and I love the spicy sauce with ours while the girls just like the wings all by themselves. Thanks for another “home run.”
Dude! I need to say first and for most I love hot wings and I’ve tried just about all sauces. I love this sauce! I used 2tablespoons of some hot sauce I got in st martin the rest franks red hot. SOOOOO TASTY!
Could have more kick to it, I like EXTREMELY Spicy. For the average Joe this stuff kicks ass!