Hot Honey Chicken Wings
On February 07, 2025
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Tender, juicy chicken with a crispy, bite-through skin, all coated with a sticky layer of spicy-sweet BBQ sauce, you can grill these Hot Honey Chicken Wings right in your own backyard in under an hour.
Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
These Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Wings are about to take over your wing night menu. We’re not talking about your average backyard wings here. These char-grilled wings are a perfect storm of sweet, hot, and smoky BBQ that’ll rock tastebuds and raise eyebrows. You’ll grill these meaty wings to crispy-skinned perfection, then lavish them with a sticky, spicy Hot Honey BBQ sauce that packs a peppery kick.
Whether you’re firing up the grill for game day or a casual weeknight dinner, this recipe for Hot Honey Chicken Wings helps you create a satisfying dish in under an hour. So skip the crowded wing joint, and let me teach you how to make restaurant-quality chicken wings right at home.
Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
This homemade version of my popular Hot Honey BBQ Sauce is your secret weapon to fiery and flavorful wings. It takes my classic Honey BBQ Sauce and cranks up the heat with the addition of some serious spice. If you want to make your own at home, here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
I like to make my Hot Honey BBQ Sauce while my grill is firing up, but you can also make it ahead of time. This sauce will store easily in your fridge in an airtight container so it’s ready to go when you want to make wings. If you want to learn more about making homemade BBQ sauce, check out the recipe post here.
How Long to Grill Chicken Wings
For this recipe, I like to set my charcoal grill up for high heat with a temperature of around 425 degrees F. This high temperature give your wings a crispy exterior while allowing that delicious fat to render down inside. It takes approximately 20-25 minutes to grill your chicken wings using this method. Make sure you are flipping the wings every few minutes so everything cooks through fully and the skin cooks evenly.
I like to grill chicken wings to 170-175 degrees F internal temperature using a reliable instant-read thermometer. While this is a higher temperature for chicken than the FDA-recommended 165 degrees F, I love the texture of wings cooked a little bit hotter. This higher internal temperature gives your wings tender, fall-off-the-bone meat that will have everyone hooked.
How to Make Hot Honey Chicken Wings
You’re just a few steps away! Let’s cover the process so you can feed the people you love these saucy wings:
- Preheat the grill and make the sauce. First things first, get that grill preheating to 425 degrees F. Take this time to mix up your Hot Honey BBQ sauce so it’s good to go.
- Prep the wings. Give those wings a good pat down with paper towels so they’re nice and dry. Next, give your wings a light coating of avocado oil, followed by a generous seasoning of salt and pepper all around.
- Grill the wings. Place your wings directly onto the grill grates and let them cook for 15-20 minutes total. You’ll want to flip them every 3-5 minutes, keeping the lid closed between flips. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Add the sauce. Now’s when that Hot Honey BBQ sauce comes into play. Brush each wing generously and let them cook another 2-3 minutes until they hit 170-175 degrees F on your instant-read thermometer.
- Serve and enjoy. Once you’ve hit that target temperature and the sauce has tightened up nicely, transfer your wings to a serving platter. Serve them up right away, and don’t forget to put out extra Hot Honey BBQ sauce for dipping.
Chicken Wing Recipe Variations
After you whip up a few batches of perfectly grilled Hot Honey Chicken Wings, you’ll have the confidence to start trying new things. Here are a few ways to switch things up for a whole new wing night experience:
- Sauce with love. Honey BBQ isn’t for everyone, especially when it’s this feisty. Don’t stress. You can use the cooking instructions in this recipe with any sauce you love for a whole new flavor experience. You can check out my line of sauces and glazes, or browse the Sauce section here on the site to find something yummy that fits your needs.
- Tame the flame. If you’ve got eaters with sensitive tongues in your family and need to cool things down, you can reduce the amount of cayenne and red pepper flakes. You can also leave those ingredients out altogether for a more traditional honey BBQ sauce.
- Take up smoking. I love char-grilled wings as much as the next griller, but chicken also tastes incredible off the smoker. Your homemade hot honey dripping down some of my Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings is a borderline religious experience.
Serving Suggestions
These Hot Honey Chicken Wings may just be the perfect game day food. They’re crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and dripping with hot honey goodness your guests will love licking off their fingers. These sweet and spicy wings don’t take long to make, so they’re also a perfect way to liven up your weeknight menu.
You can serve these Hot Honey Wings the same way you typically enjoy your chicken wings. My family loves a side of homemade ranch dressing for dunking our wings. I’ve also got a great recipe for a blue cheese crumble dressing, if that’s more your style. Ultimately, however your family likes their wings is the right way to serve them.
More Chicken Wings Recipes
The sassy, sticky, spicy sauce of these Hot Honey Wings isn’t for the faint of heart, but that’s okay. I’ve still got you covered with plenty of chicken wing recipes for picky eaters to heat-seekers. You can find dozens of chicken wing recipes in your Recipe Library, as well as the Hey Grill Hey App. For now, check out some of my most popular wing recipes:
Hot Honey Chicken Wings Recipe
Don’t try to wing it, follow the recipe card below and you’ll turn out picture-perfect Hot Honey Chicken Wings on your grill every time. After you’re done enjoying the fruits of your grilling labors, feel free to leave a 5-star review and tell me about your experience in the comment section.
Make sure you’re following my Instagram and Facebook channels, so you can be the first to know when tasty new recipes like this become available. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to my YouTube channel. I’ve got how-to videos for all my most popular recipes so you can grill alongside me like a true Backyard BBQ Hero.
Hot Honey Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Honey BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Combine all ingredients for Hot Honey BBQ Sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and serve warm. There’s a link to the recipe post and store in the notes section. You can also make this ahead of time and store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 2 weeks so it’s ready to use.1 cup ketchup, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Prep the wings. Pat the wings dry and spray or drizzle the chicken wings with avocado oil and then season on all sides with the salt and pepper.4 pounds chicken wings, 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Grill the chicken wings. Place the chicken wings directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and grill them for 15-20 minutes, flipping every 3-5 minutes to prevent burning and to crisp the skin. Cook until the wings reach 165 degrees F.
- Add the sauce. Baste each wing with some of the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce and grill for an additional 2-3 minutes, turning the wings as needed to prevent burning. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170-175 degrees F (this is a high temp for chicken, but it helps give you a clean, pull-off-the-bone bite).
- Serve and enjoy. Remove the wings from the grill and serve with additional sauce on the side for those super saucy wing lovers.
Notes
- Purchase in the Hey Grill Hey Store here
- Make your own following the recipe here
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
