These grilled chicken wings are coated in a flavorful garlic, lemon and herb marinade, then grilled to golden brown perfection. A simple yet satisfying appetizer or main course that’s easy to make and always a crowd pleaser!
One thing I love about chicken wings is that they are so versatile. They can be made with any number of sauces from buffalo to barbecue. This grilled chicken wings recipe is one of my favorites with plenty of garlic and herb flavor. If you’re a wing lover, be sure to also check out my smoked chicken wings and lemon pepper chicken wings.
Whenever I’m entertaining, I love to put out a big platter of grilled chicken wings. These wings are tender and flavorful; people always go crazy for them! I also like to serve these wings as a dinner entree. They go great with a wide variety of side dishes and are a hit with family and friends.
How do you make grilled chicken wings?
The secret to grilling chicken wings is to have the right marinade. To make my marinade, simply whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic. Place your chicken wings in a resealable bag and pour in the zesty marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour. If you have the time, you can marinate the wings for up to 8 hours.
When you are ready to eat, heat up an outdoor grill or a grill pan, then cook the wings for about 10 minutes per side. Turn the wings occasionally to make sure they don’t burn. Serve the wings with a garnish of fresh parsley, and enjoy!
How do you make chicken wings crispy?
The best wings have tender meat and a crispy skin. The easiest way to achieve this result is to make sure the grill is properly pre-heated so that the chicken sizzles when it’s placed on the grill grates. This will allow the skin to get crisp without drying out the meat inside.
How to cut chicken wings
Chicken wings can be bought pre-cut, and are typically labeled “party wings” or “wingettes and drummettes.” I typically purchase pre-cut party wings whenever possible. If you buy whole wings, you will want to separate them into wingettes and drummettes for ease in grilling and eating.
The “drummette” is the part of the wing that looks like a little drumstick. The “wingette” is the flat part of the wing that contains two bones.
You can separate wings into wingettes and drumettes by bending the wing back at the joint where the less meaty part of the drummette connects to the wingette. Then use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut through the joint. Repeat the same process to cut through the joint between the wingette and the tip of the wing. Bend the wingette and the tip back at the joint and cut through the joint with a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
How do you reheat chicken wings?
Grilled chicken wings can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat your chicken wings, place them in a toaster oven or a regular oven and heat them at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Tips for grilled chicken wings
- I love these wings as-is, but if you want to serve them with a dip you can use barbecue sauce or a ranch dip.
- If you like spicier wings, you can add some red pepper flakes to the marinade.
- This marinade contains sugar which adds great flavor, but can burn on the grill. Make sure your grill is not too hot before you add your meat!
- You can make the marinade up to 3 days in advance. Store the marinade in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
These wings are bursting with herb and garlic flavor and are tender, juicy and totally delicious. I make these chicken wings for all of my summer gatherings, and everyone always requests the recipe!
More great chicken recipes
- Korean Fried Chicken
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
- Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
- Baked Buffalo Wings
Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings party style
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Place the chicken wings in a bowl or resealable gallon sized bag.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic.
- Pour the marinade over the meat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium heat.
- Place the chicken wings on the grill. Cook for 10 minutes per side, turning occasionally so that the wings don't burn.
- Remove the wings from the grill. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, then serve.
Jennifer Klein says
Loved this! I used smaller thin chicken pieces instead of wings. Is this something that I can freeze? Thanks!
Sara says
Yes you should be able to freeze it!
Lindsay says
I made these today and they were a huge hit! Next time I’ll need to make more wings.
Bintu says
That marinade sounds incredible! I agree with you about how versatile chicken wings are – we enjoy them with lots of different marinades and sauces.
Amy says
Oh wow these chicken wings look delicious!
Biana says
These look so amazing! Love how simple the marinade is, and how delicious the wings look.
Tara says
Oh wow! Such a gorgeous color on these wings! They sound absolutely amazing with that garlicky marinade. Yum!
Bridget says
BEST marinade! My mom has been using this for a while. She sent it to me and I will be using again and again. Second time in a week tonight!
Kim says
We put them on the grill for Mother’s Day and they were amazing! Adults and children enjoyed them!
Sara says
I didn’t get a chance to grill these last night but have been marinating for over 24 hours. Are these ok to grill still tonight?
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Sara says
These were amazing! 5 star for sure!
Jacque Hooper says
Loved this recipe for wings! Was perfect for my sons birthday party! Easily fed a bunch of boys and was a huge hit! Looking forward to making these again soon!
Kara says
So flavorful! My kids of course liked theirs dipped in ranch dressing. 🙂
Julie says
Love the flavor of these! Made these at our bbq this weekend, and they were a hit!
Alli says
Chicken wings are my favorite, these were absolutely wonderful and I loved that they were grilled!
Jen says
These were a huge hit! Definitely adding these to our regular dinner rotation. Thanks!
Julia Frey says
Chicken wings are my guilty pleasure but these are grilled so pretty much health food, right? hahaha I absolutely loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
Perfect snack! I would serve with a bowl of lemon Greek yogurt dip.
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
These look SO succulent and delicious! I could just dive through the screen for a couple right now! You can’t beat a good chicken wing and I know these would disappear in my house!
Shashi at SavorySpin says
What a gorgeous char on these wings – so love that marinade, so flavor packed!
Dannii says
They look so crispy and delicious. Perfect for game day.