Easy Sweet Thai Chili Wings (Grill or Bake)
Make these easy, spicy, sweet Thai chili wings on the grill when the craving hits and nothing else but chicken wings will do. Only 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper. Nothing fancy, just delish.
Servings (change as needed): 2 good size portions
Ingredients
Chicken wing ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings, whole or split, Note 1 tips cut off and discarded or saved
- salt, black pepper, oil spray
- Optional garnish: chopped green onions or fresh herbs (thyme, oregano), sesame seeds, squeeze of lime juice
Glaze, Note 2
- 6 tablespoon sweet Thai chili sauce (just over 1/3 cup/78 ml)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard Dijon is OK instead
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 clove (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- optional: 1/2 tsp dried oregano or thyme
Instructions
- PREPARE GRILL: Oil grill with paper towel dipped in oil or spray grill with oil. Heat grill to medium heat, about 350-400F/177-204C. Note 2 for baked chicken wings.
- MAKE GLAZE: Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup until smooth. Taste and adjust to your taste, adding e.g. salt, more thai chili sauce, a dash of sugar, etc. Set aside.
- SEASON CHICKEN WINGS: Sprinkle wings on both sides with salt and pepper. Spray (or brush lightly) with oil to further prevent sticking on grill.
- GRILL WINGS: Place wings on one side of grill in a single layer and lower the heat to medium low or low heat (about 300-325F/149-163C). Leave other half on Medium-High heat. Cover and grill for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the wings, turning once, until you get crispy chicken wings. Note 3 to bake.
- GLAZE AND FINISH WINGS: Brush glaze on wings. Move wings to hotter side of grill. Grill for another 5-6 minutes until char marks appear. Brush on more glaze with a pastry brush as you turn them once or twice. Be careful they don't burn from the sugar in the glaze. The internal temperature should be 160-165F/71-74C. The total cooking time will be about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the wings. Transfer wings to platter, brush on any extra sauce, add a garnish if you like and serve hot or at room temperature. No need to rest them.
Notes
- Chicken options: Use whole chicken wings or split wings. You can also replace the chicken wings with chicken pieces or even boneless chicken thighs or breasts. Just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly. # wings per serving you need:
- Main meal, figure 4-6 whole chicken wings per person (or 8-12 split wing pieces), depending on the size of the wings
- Appetizer or party wings (when serving other appetizers as well), figure 2-3 whole wings or 4-6 pieces. Best to split the wings though - easier to eat.
- Big eaters, you will need about 1 to 1 1/4 lbs (450-570 grams) per person which is about 5-6 whole wings.
- Small eaters, count on about 3/4 lbs/340 grams per person
- Here's a calculator for how many wings you will need.
- Glaze variations:
- Add dried herbs to the glaze such as oregano or thyme.
- If you don't like spicy, skip the Thai sweet chili sauce and use a combination of honey and ketchup (or balsamic vinegar) instead. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for heat if you like.
- Make extra glaze to use as a dipping sauce.
- To bake chicken wings instead of grilling: Bake at 400F/204C for 25 minutes then brush with sticky sauce and bake again for 10 minutes. To brown further, broil close to heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Make Ahead:
- Grill the wings (with no glaze) until almost, but not quite cooked over lower heat. Set aside or refrigerate. Finish on grill with glaze for the last 6-8 minutes.
- Or, make the full grilled chicken wings recipe ahead (don't overcook them) and warm the wings in a 350F/177C oven for 5 -7 minutes or in the microwave for a minute or two.
Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 1307mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg