Broiled Chicken Wings With Barbecue Sauce

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 04/14/21
Broiled BBQ Chicken Wings on a white plate

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
701 Calories
41g Fat
59g Carbs
25g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 701
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g 53%
Saturated Fat 13g 63%
Cholesterol 115mg 38%
Sodium 1507mg 66%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 22%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 42g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 133mg 10%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 1041mg 22%
*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.)

These broiled chicken wings make a great meal or snack for a family. They aren't hard to make, and the homemade sauce, which you can make ahead of time, offers a balance of tangy, spicy, and sweet flavors.

Feel free to double or triple the recipe for a holiday appetizer or game-day snack. You can also make the recipe with chicken drumettes. Typically, we think of wings as an appetizer, but you can easily make them the star of the plate with some good sides, such as coleslaw, homemade french fries, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, or a big Caesar salad.

If you like, you can keep the finished chicken wings in a slow cooker on the low or warm setting for serving.

Ingredients

  • 16 to 20 whole chicken wings, separated into drumettes and wingettes

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Sauce:

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for broiled barbecue chicken wings
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2.  Cut off and discard chicken wing tips and then cut each wing in half at the joint.

    Chicken wings cut up on a white cutting board with a knife
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Preheat the broiler and oil the rack in the broiler pan. Line inside of broiler pan with foil to catch drips.

    Broiler pan lined with foil and rack brushed with oil
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer on the oiled rack. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Chicken wings with salt and pepper, in single layer on the broiling pan
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until well blended. Remove about 1/2 cup of the sauce and refrigerate until serving time. Set the remaining sauce aside.

    BBQ sauce and a whisk, with some sauce reserved on the side
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  6. Broil the chicken wings about 6 inches from the heat source, for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn them over and continue broiling for 10 to 12 minutes longer, turning frequently. 

    Chicken wings broiled on one side
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Put the wings in the bowl with the barbecue sauce and coat thoroughly. Place them back on the rack and broil for a few minutes longer, turning to heat both sides.

    Chicken wings coated in barbecue sauce on a broiling rack
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Serve immediately or transfer them to a slow cooker or chafing dish to keep warm on the low or warm setting.

    BBQ chicken wings in slow cooker
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tip

  • If you are cooking the wings ahead of time and transporting them elsewhere, they should be fully cooked and hot. Keep them in the covered slow cooker. Pack the cooker in another container and wrap it with heavy towels or blankets for insulation.
  • When transporting any hot or cold food, keep in mind that harmful bacteria can grow more rapidly in food between 40 F and 140 F, the "danger zone." 

Recipe Variations

  • Add a few drops of Liquid Smoke to the barbecue sauce mixture.
  • Baked Chicken Wings: After sprinkling the wings with salt and pepper, dust them with flour and place them on a foil-lined lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Bake the wings in a preheated 400 F oven for 30 minutes. Turn the wings and bake for 30 minutes longer. Coat the wings with the sauce and put them back on the baking pan. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes longer, or just long enough to glaze the wings.

How to Store and Freeze Broiled Chicken Wings

Leftover chicken wings will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator if well wrapped. They're delicious when eaten cold from the fridge or when the meat is added to a salad. Or you can put them, loosely wrapped in foil, in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes to reheat them.