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Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings come off the grill charred, glossy, and coated in a sweet lemon, garlic, and herb glaze that has everyone reaching for seconds, and the first time I made a big batch at our Fourth of July cookout they vanished before the burgers were done. If you love a good wing, these are smoky, sticky, and better than takeout, right up there with our key lime grilled wings.
A quick herb marinade does all the work, then the grill turns the brown sugar into a sticky, caramelized glaze.
Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 398kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, sticky, and charred with bright lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our key lime grilled wings
Quick Answer
Blend lemon juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper into a marinade. Coat the wings and chill at least 2 hours. Simmer the leftover marinade to use for basting, then grill the wings over medium heat for about 20 minutes, basting and turning, until charred and cooked to 165 degrees.
Jump to:
- Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings FAQs
- Other Recommended Chicken Recipes
- Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Brown sugar makes them sticky. As the wings grill, the brown sugar in the marinade caramelizes into a glossy, sticky glaze that clings to every bite.
- A blended marinade coats evenly. Pulsing everything smooth in a food processor lets the marinade wrap around each wing instead of sliding off.
- Basting builds flavor in layers. Brushing the wings with simmered marinade as they cook paints on coat after coat of sweet, herby flavor.
- Fresh herbs brighten the sweet. Oregano and parsley cut through the brown sugar so the wings taste balanced, not just sugary.
- A good char is where the flavor is. Finishing over higher heat gives the wings those smoky, blistered edges that make grilled food taste so good.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are sweet, smoky, and sticky all at once, the ultimate cookout wing.
- The herb marinade is just as good on drumsticks or thighs, like our key lime grilled wings.
- Everything blends in one food processor, so prep is fast and cleanup is easy.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives these grilled wings their sweet and sticky glaze.
- Chicken wings cut into flats and drumettes grill up crispy on the edges and sticky all over.
- Light brown sugar is the secret to that sticky, caramelized glaze.
- Fresh lemon juice brightens the marinade and balances the sweetness.
- Garlic and fresh herbs, oregano and parsley, pack the marinade with bold flavor.
- Olive oil helps the marinade cling and keeps the wings from sticking to the grates.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Switch it up with these easy ideas.
- Swap the wings for drumsticks or bone-in thighs, just grill them a little longer.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne to the marinade for sweet heat.
- Bake them in the oven or air fryer if the grill is not an option, the same way we make our hot honey chicken.
- Serve them as part of a BBQ spread with our BBQ ribs.
- Use lime instead of lemon for a different citrus twist.
How to Make Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings
- Blend the lemon juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
- Pour the marinade over the wings in a gallon bag and toss until they are fully coated.
- Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, turning the bag now and then.
- Remove the wings from the bag and set them in a bowl.
- Pour the leftover marinade into a saucepan, bring it to a simmer, then take it off the heat to use for basting.
- Grill over medium heat for about 20 minutes, basting often and stopping halfway, until charred and cooked to 165 degrees inside.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Marinate at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better for the deepest flavor.
- Simmer the leftover marinade before basting so it is safe to brush on the cooking wings.
- Stop basting halfway through and discard the marinade to keep raw-marinade off the finished wings.
- Use a thermometer. Wings are done at 165 degrees, but a few extra minutes for char adds the best flavor.
- Oil the grates so the sticky glaze does not tear the skin when you turn the wings.
- Pair them with cool sides like our classic potato salad to balance the sweet and smoky glaze.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These sticky grilled chicken wings are a cookout headliner. Pile them on a platter with extra lemon wedges and let everyone dig in.
Round out the spread with our classic potato salad and a big bowl of Italian pasta salad.
Going all out? Add a rack of BBQ ribs and some cheesy fried chicken for the ultimate backyard feast.
Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings FAQs
Both gas and charcoal grills work great. Charcoal adds a little extra smoky flavor, but a gas grill set to medium heat gives you the most control over the sticky glaze.
Yes, as long as you simmer the leftover marinade first to cook out any raw chicken contact. Stop basting about halfway through and discard the marinade so the finished wings are safe.
Absolutely. The marinade works on drumsticks, bone-in thighs, or even a whole spatchcocked chicken. Just adjust the grill time so the meat reaches 165 degrees.
Plan on about 20 minutes over medium heat, turning and basting as they cook. Always go by temperature, the wings are done at an internal 165 degrees with a good char.
Store cooled wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in a 375 degree oven or air fryer until hot and the glaze gets sticky again.
Yes. Bake the marinated wings on a rack at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes, flipping once, until charred and cooked through. Broil for a minute or two at the end for extra color.
Firing up the grill again? Try our key lime grilled wings or a rack of fall-off-the-bone BBQ ribs next.
Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings cut into flats and drumettes tips discarded
- 1/2 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 12 cloves garlic skins removed
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano roughly chop
- 1/8 cup fresh flat leaf parsley rough chop
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the cut chicken wings in a gallon sized plastic bag and set aside.4 pounds chicken wings cut into flats and drumettes
- Place the lemon juice, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth.1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 12 cloves garlic skins removed, 1/4 cup fresh oregano roughly chop, 1/8 cup fresh flat leaf parsley rough chop, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Pour marinade over the wings and make sure they are coated, tossing the bag around. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Try to turn the bag every few hours so the wings marinade evenly, but if you can’t, no big deal.
- Take the wings out of the marinade and place them in a bowl. Add the remaining marinade to a small saucepan or skillet and bring the marinade to a simmer over medium heat, remove for the heat immediately and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Oil the grates and place the wings on the grill. Baste the wings every couple of minutes while the wings cook, especially after turning. Discard marinade and stop basting about half way through.
- Continue cooking until the wings reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F degrees but try not to over cook too much, about 20 minutes total. Really try and get a good char on the outside. If you see some of the wings are not charring, but they are almost cooked through, place them over a hotter part of the grill to finish. This is where the most flavor comes from. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- The longer you marinate these tasty wings, the better! The flavors get better the longer they sit.
- You can make these crispy chicken wings on a grill pan or on the grill itself.
- You can use other cuts of meat with this marinade, see my notes above.
- We do baste this while we grill them, which some disagree with; see my tips above on how to make it safer.
- The easiest way is to use whole chicken wings cut up or drummettes, which are already cut up drums and wings.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Wow this sounds so good. Pinned it to my Chicken! board.
ohhh as usual your recipes make me drool! both recipes sound delish and as we love wings, we will have to try both! thanks for sharing with us at Snickerdoodle!
I come to you from Wake Up Wednesday where I’m a cohost.
Oh my gosh, these sound delicious. I will be sharing this with my followers and I’ve nominated you as featured post for next week’s Wake Up Wednesday linkup – CONGRATS!!!
Please stop by my blog and say hello while there.
I can’t wait for it to stop raining so I can try these!!!
Wow! These sound wonderful. My husband really doesn’t like sauce on his chicken, wait, he doesn’t like sauce on anything unless it’s pasta, I have a chicken marinade I use, but this sounds better than my recipe! I am pinning and sharing over at my FB page and G+. Oh, and I found this over at Friday Flash Blog! Hugs! Chloe
Thanks for the mention, Dana. Your version looks amazing!