Everyone loves wings and this recipe for my Drunken Chicken Wings is a delicious new way to enjoy one of America's favorite dishes. In an untraditional sort of way.
I love buffalo wings and my recipe is the standard I judge all others by. But man (and woman) cannot live by Buffalo Wings alone so I’m always thinking of new and delicious ways to serve them.
These wings get that lovely caramelization from the sugar in the marinade and the lime and tequila give it that margarita flavor that you love. But don’t worry all the alcohol burns off when you cook the wings. If you’d rather not use the tequila that’s not a problem, you can substitute your favorite lemon-lime soda.
Wings have come along way over the years, and what once was the throwaway portion (soups stock) of the chicken has become the star of the show. And these delicious flavorful wings will not disappoint!
These chicken wings go great with sriracha or your favorite hot sauce for your friends that want to bring the heat. Just make sure to print out a few extra copies of the recipe if you serve it to your friends because they’re going to be begging for the recipe!
If you love chicken wings as much as I do I know you’ll enjoy these recipes:
- The Most Ah-Mazing Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Garlic Ginger Chicken Wings
- Chinese Sticky Wings
- Honey Lime Buffalo Wings
Drunken Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup tequila
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or hotter if you like
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings tips trimmed off saved for soup.
Instructions
- Place Chicken wing sections in a large bowl or large ziplock bag, then add combine tequila, lime juice, sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper and re pepper flakes .
- Mix together to coat wings, while at the same time combining ingredients (and dissolving sugar). Cover bowl or seal bag and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. You can marinate wings overnight if needed. (bone in and skin on chicken is okay to marinate overnight)
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Line a baking pan with foil.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all the wings
- Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- If you like crispier wings remove the marinade from the pan from the oven after an hour and save for serving, then continue to brown wings for the remainder of the time or until very crispy.
- Place in serving bowl and add remaining marinade.
Michelle says
These sound delicious! I’m going to make these for our next tailgate party to share with my friends
Jo says
oh my God these chicken wings looks so crispy and delicious! That marinade with tequila, lime and chili flakes is mind blowing. I can’t wait to give this a try. Saving it.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
OMG these chicken wings looks so delicious and crispy. I love how easy it is to make. Can’t wait to try it!
Jamie says
I made these last night and they made such a good appetizer! The lime and tequila really gave these wings a lot of flavor!
Amanda says
Great recipe! I love baking them as it’s less messy.
Jenni LeBaron says
These Drunken Chicken Wings sound delicious! I love the mix of tequila and lime juice in the marinade and can’t wait to enjoy these with a side of chips and guac and a margarita for a fun meal!
[email protected] says
You’re right about how chicken wings status in the meat department has changed. In my local grocer, they frequently cost more per pound than boneless skinless chicken breasts. It’s shocking. I love all of the flavors going on in this recipe, and I can’t wait to try these Tequila Lime Drunken Chicken Wings. I think we will be serving these at our New Year’s Eve Party. YUM!!
Shelley says
Haha – you’re so right – man (and woman) definitely cannot live by Buffalo wings alone! So I was really excited you posted this … perfect timing! I’m hosting an early Thanksgiving this weekend, specifically to include my kids’ boyfriend and girlfriend, whom we won’t be able to include later in the week. We’re going totally off-script and not doing turkey and stuffing, since everyone will have the traditional things in a few days. And – no kidding – I was planning to make wings for an appetizer the boys can enjoy during the Browns game before our “big meal” (my daughter’s sweet boyfriend is a huge carnivore and LOVES wings). How perfect to find a unique alternative to the same-old, same-old version! Thank you – and Happy Thanksgiving!
Analida Braeger says
Wings are a family favorite in my house and I love lime flavor with chicken for a tangy kick! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Anna says
What a great and unique use for Tequila! Your chicken wings look utterly delicious and it would be such a perfect appetiser to serve at any gathering with friends or family, especially in the upcoming holidays!
Lynndee says
Oh, my! It has tequila in it? I must try this recipe because it’s been a while since the hubs and I had tequila. LOL. Bet those chickens are yummy!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
Hmm yum! I am drooling right now! This Tequila Lime Drunken Chicken Wings look sooo appetizing. I can’t stop myself from craving.
HilLesha says
This sounds like something that my husband would enjoy. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Catalina says
Oh my goodness! I am drooling over these chicken wings! My new favorite recipe for sure!
Whitney Kutch says
These sound so good! I love chicken wings and am always excited to try new flavors.
Kathy says
These look amazing! It’s been so long since I’ve had chicken wings. I really want to give these a try. They look like they’d be delicious.
Terri Steffes says
These look really good. I love this combination. I use a similar recipe on chicken thighs. I read a comment in your recipe that I am curious about: chicken wings with bone in and skin on are ok to marinate overnight. This says to me that boneless, skinless chicken is not ok to marinate overnight. Am I correct?
Chef Dennis Littley says
no you can marinate either style of chicken.
Agnes says
Looks like a good recipe to try this weekend. Thanks for sharing the dish with us.Agnes
Denay DeGuzman says
Chef Dennis, these chicken wings look amazing! This is the PERFECT appetizer recipe for Thanksgiving. I’m so excited to make these for my family.
Lisa Favre says
These chicken wings are sheer perfection! I love the fact that they’re called Drunken Chicken Wings – my husband will get a real kick out of that one!
Pam Wattenbarger says
I just received a bottle of tequila. These wings look fab. I can’t wait to try them out.
Sarah Bailey says
There is something about chicken and this sounds like it would taste absolutely delicious. It always amazes me all the different things you can do with chicken.
Tasheena says
OMG! These chicken wings look so yummy. I can’t wait to make this recipe for my family.
Barb Webb says
I’ll take two platefuls, please! My goodness these look ridiculously-delicious!!
Rena says
This sounds amazing! I get so tired of regular buffalo wings and this seems like a huge step up!
cait says
im always on the hunt to look for new chicken recipes bc we tend to eat a lot of it during the week- this looks super tasty
robin rue says
These chicken wings sound wicked good. I am so excited to try your recipe.
melissa chapman says
Your wings look amazing and if they taste half that good, then wow. I never heard of cooking with tequila but I am ready to learn from the best.
Amber Myers says
We do love chicken wings! I’ll have to try these out. They sound like an amazing flavor.
Tom Lamb says
Chef Dennis, these are the best tequila lime wings I’ve ever had!! After an hour there was no liquid left, but turned and let them go another 10 minutes. Perfect!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for the great review Tom and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the wings!
Christine Gutierrez says
Wings are delicious! But I feel they are missing something. I followed recipe exact. Not sure if there’s a better Tequila to use than others for cooking. I ended up draining the pan to brown the wings and had to add more salt and pepper. I wasn’t sure if the juice was supposed to be watery or thicker like a glaze. It’s kind of runny. But overall the flavor is good.
ROSIE JENSEN says
WHERE AND WHAT BRAND OF CHICKEN WINGS DO YOU BUY?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I always buy fresh wings and look for pasture-raised whenever possible.
Stephanie D Scheid says
Come on people….looks delicious, sounds delicious, can’t wait to try. People reading the reviews want to hear from those who have actually made this recipe. Exactly 2 people have actually made this and one changed the recipe so much it can’t possibly taste the same. So now I have to just try it to see if it’s any good and risk wasting the ingredients. I’m giving it 5 stars just so I could vent without being unfair to the author. When I actually make it I’ll come back and do a real review.
Anna says
Hello!
So I love love love your tequila lime recipe I have made these wings 4 times already! on my fifth right now! However I just have a question, everytime I make them the bottoms of the wings get stuck to my pan, weather I align it with foil or not, what can I do to stop this? should I spritz oil on the pan?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m really happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my wing recipe, Anna! I would try a little pan spray on the foil or pan first, that will help them from sticking. The other trick is to use a spatula to loosen them and move them around after about 5 minutes
Anna says
Ok, sounds good, will give it a try 😀
Becky Harris says
Looks delicious..I added 6 large garlic cloves grated with microplane..used Agave nectar instead of sugar..& added onion salt..The last 15 minutes I finished on a “HOT” cast iron grill. Used marinade as a sauce…Making for a party tonight!
Shea @ Dixie Chik Cooks says
Beautiful wings!! I’m trying them out this weekend 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Shea, I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!!
Best Foodies says
I have missed visiting your site. I am passing along this chicken recipe to my daughter. She just returned from Mexico with a beautiful bottle of the best smelling tequila! I can’t really have the drink but sure would love to try the chicken!!!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m so glad you stopped back Karen, I haven’t been blogging as much as I should have since we moved, but I’m finally get back to it. Stay tuned for more deliciousness!!
RavieNomNoms says
This looks so very tasty!!! You can’t go wrong with tequila and lime!
Chef Dennis Littley says
that was my thinking Raven, its a good thing I made them live on my show or I may have been drinking the Tequila!
Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction says
Chef Dennis,
Your wings look delicious. My hubby would love these.
Annamaria
Chef Dennis Littley says
They were delicious Annamaria and a nice change from buffalo wings
GERRY SJODIN says
I’m a chicken lover, and will definitely give this a shot.
Chef Dennis Littley says
they’re delicious and easy to make Gerry, I hope you enjoy them!
Larry says
These sound delicious Dennis and your buffalo wings recipe is the one we use and the ones I judge others by as well
Chef Dennis Littley says
thank you Larry! These were a tasty change and next time I’m going to grill them!
Liz says
These look delicious Chef. Thank you for the recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley says
you’re welcome Liz, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
[email protected] says
these look so good! but no one but me likes wings in my family…:( eh i will just make them for myself!
Chef Dennis Littley says
sometimes its good to make something special for yourself Anna!
KimberlyNewman says
You can use skinless boneless chicken thighs, they turned out great
Candace @ Cabot says
I adore Chicken Wings. If they’re drunk, so much the better! Can’t wait to give these a try.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks Candace! Hope all is well in Snowy Maine