Grilled Buffalo Wings

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/18/23
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 servings

These grilled chicken wings take the classic appetizer to a new level with a marinade that keeps them moist and tender. Cooking the wings on the grill adds a nice char to the skin and bit of smoke to the meat, not to mention it makes them a healthier option in comparison to deep-fried wings.

These wings are full of flavor and are great when served with a creamy dipping sauce. If you want to keep it somewhat traditional, use a blue cheese sauce; however, if you are not a fan of blue cheese, then ranch dressing can work in a pinch.

Grilled Buffalo Wings on a platter served with sauce

The Spruce / Crystal Hughes
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Ingredients

For the Marinade:

For the Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:

  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

  • 2/3 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

Prep the Chicken

  1. Gather the marinade ingredients and chicken.

    Grilled Buffalo Wings ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  2. Combine the marinade ingredients together in a bowl or large mixing cup and mix well.

    Combine the marinade ingredients together in a bowl

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  3. Place chicken wings in a large resealable bag and pour marinade over top. Turn to coat, release air from the bag, seal well, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.

    Marinade and chicken wings in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

Make the Sauce and Grill Chicken

  1. Gather the sauce ingredients.

    Sauce ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  2. For blue cheese sauce, combine blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and Worcestershire cause in a bowl. Stir until smooth.

    Blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  3. Add enough milk to give the sauce the consistency of pancake batter. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.

    Milk added to the sauce in the white bowl

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  4. Preheat grill for indirect cooking (heat part of the grill to hot while another is low). Remove wings from marinade and reserve marinade. Place wings over the low fire.

    Chicken wings on a grill

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  5. Grill until done, about 30 to 35 minutes or when its internal temperature reaches between 165 F and 175 F. Brush liberally with reserved marinade only during the first 15 minutes of cooking time. Do not use reserved marinade past that point. Discard the remaining liquid.

    Grilled chicken wings cooking on the grill

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

  6. Once cooked, remove wings from heat and serve with blue cheese sauce. 

    Grilled Buffalo Wings on a platter, served with a side of sauce

    The Spruce / Crystal Hughes

Tips

  • Break up whole chicken wings: If you have purchased chicken wings that are whole, you will need to separate the flat piece from the drumette. Using kitchen shears, first, snip off the wing tip. Then cut between the joints to separate the two parts.
  • Find the right heat level: If you like your wings spicy, play with the marinade before putting in the raw chicken. You may want to add a little more hot sauce or perhaps a few more shakes of red pepper flakes. Once off the grill, if you find them too mild for your taste, toss them with a bit more hot sauce.
  • Grill using indirect heat: The reason this recipe calls for cooking over indirect heat is that the marinade ingredients are sure to cause flare-ups over a high temp. So, unless you want inedible blackened skin, make sure to set up your grill so it has a hot area and a cooler area; then only place the wings over the cooler grates when cooking.

Recipe Variation

  • Plain Greek yogurt can replace the dipping sauce's sour cream.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1968 Calories
156g Fat
53g Carbs
86g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1968
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 156g 199%
Saturated Fat 53g 267%
Cholesterol 432mg 144%
Sodium 3250mg 141%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 86g
Vitamin C 14mg 72%
Calcium 353mg 27%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 1152mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)