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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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!
Hello, Jen! I would love to try these, but I don’t have a grill. Could these be done on a grill pan? If so, could you give me some guidance? Thank you!
Hi Valerie, I’d suggest swapping 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. Enjoy!
Out of all the recipes I have tried on this site, this chicken wing recipe is the ultimate favorite among everyone. Delicious, top-notch flavor!! Instead of Frank’s hot sauce, I use a small bottle of Nando’s Hot sauce; I like my wings a bit spicier and I find that the flavor goes *REALLY* well with the chicken, and it is thicker as well, so it sticks better to the chicken. Stellar!
thank you for this and many other recipes. All of your recipes are consistently good. My family loves it when I use your recipes. This chicken wing recipes has been a big hit with my teens and co-workers.
Wayyy too much butter and salt. I’m surprised.
I never do reviews, but I had to. Delicious. So easy and my new favorite way to eat wings. Since we moved, my family hasn’t found wings we love. These fit the bill. Super crispy skin and not even fried! I tried a crispy baked recipe. Disaster! Smoked the house up and they were far from crispy. I will make these again for sure.
Glad you enjoyed them, Tara! I’ve never been able to get crispy wings in the oven either.
This type of recipe is simple and anyone an do it.
A little basting of the sauce during the last two minutes of grilling works also, but don’t let it burn.
Thanks for this recipe, it’s time to wet the napkins.
These wings were delicious. The only modification I made was to sub sugar for agave nectar. They turned out amazing and looked exactly like your pictures! This is my new go-to wing recipe. They’re better than any I’ve had in a restaurant.
Just have to say, I was skeptical of this recipe because every other wing recipe I’ve tried are just….well, soggy and gross. But these were AMAZING!!! So much better than our best wing restaurant! I’ve made them once a week for the past month because they are that good!!! I’ve taken to baking them in the oven instead of the grill as I find the grilled flavor overwhelms that stellar, finger-licking good sauce!!! Even my 2 year old can’t get enough!!!
My family loves these, especially on the grill! Brought them to a pot-luck as a double recipe and they were the hit of the night! Note, best to grill right before serving. Served them with lots of celery sticks 🙂
Delicious – like the additional flavors in the sauce especially
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
These are a go to meal for us and a recipe I share whenever I can. We loved that they are grilled.
Made these wings a few days ago and have to say they were the best we’ve ever had. Simply delicious!!!
One word….WOW!!!this recipe came out amazing. We like our wings cooked to crispness and they still came out amazing. My wife and I will continue to use this recipe for life, thanks!
We made these on our Big Green Egg for 4th of July…..Best wings ever! Better than “Wings and Things” which we love! Used half Crystal brand Louisiana hot sauce and half Franks Buffalo wing sauce instead of Franks hot sauce and they had good heat with GREAT taste! Making again tonite!
Any other non-dairy alternative to butter besides margarine? Thank you so much for your great recipes!
Not that I know of, Blair. Sorry!
How about coconut oil?
Ghee works and has the milk solids temoved. Many who cannot eat dairly butter can use Ghee or clarified butter i stead.
you can substitute Earth Balance for the butter
Hi. I love spicy wings but I didn’t manage to find Frank’s Hot Sauce from my area. Could I perhaps substitute it with Tabasco sauce instead?
Hi Zoey, Frank’s is thicker and milder than Tabasco. Maybe look online to see if you can find a copycat recipe for Frank’s?
Thanks, found it. Will try it and see soon. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. 🙂
Love the wing sauce! I cook mine in the oven but they are so good. Another family favorite.
The sauce for these wings is yummy. I used Franks because I like how it tastes, but I added a minced up serrano chile, too, because I like a little more heat. Unfortunately, my grill died so I did these in the oven and broiler instead. They were good (yay sauce!) but I’m sure they’d be much better on the grill.
My husband and I love spicy wings, but are conflicted on ways to prepare it. I like to bake them ( no mess) and he likes to deep fry them ( complete catastrophy). I think we may have found our middle ground here. We never even thought of grilling chicken wings. I bought whole wings and didn’t separate them before grilling. I found it much easier to grill that way.
The Grilled Chicken Wings with Seasoned Buffalo Sauce is easy and is always a hit with my friends and family when I make them. It’s easy to double (or triple!) this recipe for a crowd, but more often than not we make these wings on movie night and settle in for a guaranteed delicious treat.
Tip: you can swap the grill for the oven. I heat the wings at 400F for 35-45 minutes, or until the skin is crisp (turn once). It’s delicious, but you’ll miss the great smokey flavor the grill adds.
If like to make these for a cocktail party so need to make them ahead of time. How would you recommend preparing them and reheating please? Thanks!
Hi Leslie, I would make them as per the recipe and then just reheat them in a 300 degree oven, uncovered, until hot.
I would also like to make these ahead of time, but I am afraid they won’t be crispy. Will they crisp back up in the 300 degree oven? Also, if I grill them in advance do I leave the sauce off until after I have reheated the next day?
Thank you Jenn! I have to tell you I was in Costco buying wings and I asked the woman beside me if she had a great wing recipe, she texted me yours! I should have known! Thank you again, you always make me look good in the kitchen!
Hi Lisa, These are definitely best when served right off the grill, but you can reheat them and they will crisp back up satisfactorily. (And yes, I’d leave the sauce off until reheating.) And I love the Costco story – thanks for sharing! 🙂
This recipe was simple and very good! I don’t like hot stuff so I was a little hesitant to make this but the Frank’s sauce was really good and flavorful and not too hot. We really enjoyed these and made complete pigs of ourselves…ha, ha!
Hot wings are delicious!!!!
Grilling the wings makes them so easy to prepare, and the sauce is absolutely delicious!
This recipe is fantastic! I have made these twice in one week….husband loves them and I love them because they are a healthy version. I just threw the wings on the grill with whatever I was making for dinner and had them on the side….and had plenty for leftovers. I will keep this recipe and share it with friends!
WOW – these were so delicious!! The wings were crisp but not greasy and the sauce was so flavorful – not too spicy either. My family loved!!
Trying these tonight!! Tried the chicken Marbella last weekend and it was delicious! 🙂
That looks really good!
Oh, how I love anything with Frank’s Red Hot….These look amazing and perfect for weekend noshing 🙂
I love chicken wings….however I only own an electric grill. Can these be done on an electric grill or in the oven?
I love your recipes and just made the Moroccan Chicken (again) the other night for dinner along with the Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette…..yummy! I have shared your website and recipes with many of my friends….they always ask after they taste one of your dishes (corn salad with scallions and basil; chicken meatballs, etc.).Thanks and keep the recipes coming!
Hi Pat, Yes, you can definitely bake them. 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. So glad you are enjoying the recipes and thank you for helping to spread the word!
If you’re cooking in the oven, do you put the sauce on before you bake 40-50 minutes?
Hi Karrie, the sauce would go on after you bake the chicken. Hope you enjoy!