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Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

Grilled Dry Rub Chicken Wings

Published: Sep 8, 2019 · Modified: Apr 4, 2025 by Chef Dennis Littley

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When you want to up your grilling game, try my Grilled Dry Rub Chicken Wings. Crispy perfection with charred bits on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Seasoned with the best dry rub you’ll ever taste.

white platter of grilled dry rub chicken wings with chopped parsley sprinkled on top.
Table of Contents:
  • Audio Player
  • Ingredients
  • How do I split Chicken Wings?
  • What spices should I use for my Dry Rub?
  • How to make Dry Rub Chicken Wings
  • Can  I cook dry rub chicken wings in the oven?
  • Can I cook dry rub chicken wings in an air fryer?
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Chicken Wing Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Dry Rub Chicken Wings

Audio Player



 

Perfectly seasoned with a simple blend of seasoning, my grilled dry rub wings are perfect for game day or anytime your friends gather to enjoy life and all the deliciousness it has to offer.

I know you’ll agree that this is the best chicken wing recipe you’ve grilled in a long time! With just a few minutes of prep, it’s an easy meal for a busy weeknight.

Ingredients

ingredients to make recipe.

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make grilled dry-rub chicken wings. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

  • chicken wings – Leftovers can be used up in my tasty smoked chicken wings recipe.
  • brown sugar
  • salt
  • onion powder
  • garlic powder
  • chili powder
  • smoked paprika
  • ground cumin
  • black pepper

If you like heat, add a little cayenne pepper to the seasonings. And if you’re not a fan of a particular flavor, leave that spice out of the mix. Cooking is all about making changes. It’s important to cook with ingredients that you and your family enjoy eating.

How do I split Chicken Wings?

Let’s talk about safety first. 

Always use a cutting board to cut meats, seafood, or vegetables. That being said, always make sure your cutting board has been properly cleaned and sanitized between uses. Use your favorite household cleaner, and always wash the board twice.

*You can also place the once-cleaned cutting board into your dishwasher for a really good cleaning. This is super important when cutting any meat or seafood.

one hand holding chicken wing while the other hand holds a chefs knife cutting thru the joint of the wing.

Cutting whole chicken wings is really simple. All you need to do is locate the joint and cut through it.

Hold one end firmly and securely while cutting through the joint carefully. I leave the wing tips on for some of the wing dishes I create but feel free to chop off the wing tip if you prefer. (If you do remove the wing tips, save them in a ziplock bag in the freezer for the next time you make chicken soup)

Chef Dennis Tip: If you keep the knife down low (directly on the joint) you’ll have less chance of cutting yourself.

What spices should I use for my Dry Rub?

A lot of what I do is my take on foods I’ve seen or eaten on my travels. These wings were recreated from a dishful of deliciousness I enjoyed on a recent adventure. I simply pulled out a few spices from my cabinet and started blending until I got the flavor profile just right.

Cooking is rocket science, and lots of times, it comes down to using ingredients that you like rather than exactly what the recipe calls for. I went through a few variations of spice combinations to come up with the one I eventually used for my dry rub, and hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

How to make Dry Rub Chicken Wings

glass bowl of mixed spices for dryrub and metal bowl of raw cut chicken wings.
  • Mixing the seasonings together in a small bowl.
  • Rinse the wings in cold water. Split them if necessary, then pat them dry with paper towels.
raw seasoned wings on a white platter .

Rub the chicken wings on all sides with a generous amount of my spice rub. Feel free to use less seasoning, I like my dry-rubbed chicken wings bursting with spicy flavors!

overhead view of recipe cooking on the grill.
  • Place dry-rubbed wings on the grill allowing them to cook for 6-8 minutes. Turn wings occasionally to crisp them all over. They can cook longer if you like really crispy skin on the chicken wings. *Be careful not to burn in the wings, the sugar in the dry rub can cause the wings to burn.
  • Move the chicken wings to indirect heat and continue to cook with the lid closed for another 8-10 minutes. Or until an instant-read thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

I love the charred parts, as you’ll find most men do. Just serve green vegetables or a big salad along with them to add as a detox for the charring. Here’s a good article to read about foods that help detoxify the body.

Recipe cooking on aluminum foil sheet on top of a grill.

You can reduce charing by placing a double sheet of aluminum foil on the grill. This can be used as early in the process as you like, but I would recommend getting a little color on them before placing them on the foil.

*You will still need to turn the wings often, even on the foil.

Can  I cook dry rub chicken wings in the oven?

You certainly can. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place the prepared wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet on an oven rack placed in the top third of the oven. After 7-10 minutes, turn the wings over and return to the oven.

Turn the oven down to 350 and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the wings have good color and the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you love oven-baked chicken, try my Crispy Chicken Legs Recipe.

Can I cook dry rub chicken wings in an air fryer?

It’s easy to make crispy air fryer chicken wings. Just place the dry rub wings in a non-preheated air fryer at 375°F and let them cook for about 20 minutes. The dry rub wings should be crispy on the outside and fully cooked through in the center.

white oblong platter with grilled dry rub chicken wings

Wouldn’t you love to sit down to this delicious plate of grilled dry rub chicken wings? After one bite I know you’ll agree these are the best dry-rub wings!

Serve these delicious crispy wings with celery sticks, bleu cheese dressing, homemade buttermilk ranch dressing or your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipe FAQ’s

Do you put the dry rub on before or after cooking?

Definitely before is the preferred method of using this wing seasoning. But you can always add a little more using a shaker to apply the seasoning after cooking if you like.

How do I get the dry rub to stick to the chicken wings?

The natural moisture in the wings will attract the seasoning, allowing you to get a good coating on the wings.
You can dry the wings with paper towels and add a light coating of oil to the wings before the seasoning, but this step isn’t really necessary.

How long should I let the dry rub marinate the wings before cooking?

You can let the rub marinate on the wings for up to 8 hours, but 30 minutes should be more than enough time to let the seasonings penetrate the wings.

More Chicken Wing Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Tequila Lime Drunken Chicken Wings on a white platter next to a kitchen towel
    Tequila Lime Drunken Chicken Wings Recipe
  • chinese sticky wings on a white platter with chopped scallion garnish
    Chinese Sticky Chicken Wings
  • buffalo chicken wings with celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing on a white plate
    Buffalo Chicken Wings
  • overhead shot of grilled dry rub lemon pepper chicken wings on a white platter
    Grilled Dry Rub Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

grilled dry rub chicken wings on a white platter

Dry Rub Chicken Wings

Chef Dennis Littley
When it comes to Dry Rub Chicken Wings, my recipe will make you look like a Grilling Superstar at your next get together or family dinner! They are easy to make and oh so delicious!
4.84 from 155 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Listen to the Post
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 169 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 pounds chicken wings split at first joint. *remove wing tip if desired
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Measure all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and thoroughly mix to fully incorporate spices.
  • Rub the chicken wings on all sides with a generous amount of the dry rub.
  • Preheat the grill to medium high heat (350º-400ºF)
  • Place dry-rubbed wings on the grill allowing to cook for 6-8 minutes. Turn wings occasionally to crisp them all over. They can cook longer if they don’t look crisp enough.
  • *Be careful not to burn in the wings, the sugar in the dry rub can cause the wings to burn.
  • Move the chicken wings to indirect heat and continue to cook with the lid closed for another 8-10 minutes.

Video

Notes

*Check the wings with a meat thermometer, it should read 165 degrees.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 11gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 492mgPotassium: 140mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 425IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1.1mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    4.84 from 155 votes (116 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

    September 16, 2019 at 8:11 am

    5 stars
    I WISH I could grill! I have sadly never owned a grill in my adult life. Maybe I’ll get a discounted one when grilling season is over 😉

    Reply
  2. Jo says

    September 16, 2019 at 4:16 am

    5 stars
    I can’t resist chicken wings any time of the day. With dry spice rub, it’s even more amazing. The flavors are perfect. Can’t wait to try this chicken wings soon.

    Reply
  3. Daniela says

    September 15, 2019 at 11:36 pm

    Whoa these chicken wings def do look OMG! Drooling! Thanks so much for sharing :)!

    Reply
  4. Amy says

    September 15, 2019 at 8:20 pm

    5 stars
    These look delicious! I love a good dry rub and this rub looks so full of flavor and I love the spice! I cannot wait to try out these wings!

    Reply
  5. Lauren says

    September 15, 2019 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    Grilled chicken wings are a favorite in this house! The spice rub on these wings is so flavorful yet not overpowering!

    Reply
  6. Kate says

    September 14, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    I love those little charred bits on the wings, that’s the best part! And I appreciated that you added in directions for the oven, it’s about to get cold where I live so I will definitely want to make these inside! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jenni LeBaron says

    September 13, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars
    You’re totally right about tinkering with spice rubs until you get them just right. I love the idea of making half a batch one way and half a batch another so you can really fine-tune the seasoning fast! This dry rub sounds excellent and I love a good wing recipe! These will be perfect for fall get-togethers!

    Reply
  8. Denise says

    September 12, 2019 at 2:11 pm

    5 stars
    Dry rubs are amazing. This one sounds like it could be used well with other things too!

    Reply
  9. Paula Montenegro says

    September 12, 2019 at 10:28 am

    5 stars
    The charred bits are everything! These wings sound sensational and the perfect way to spend a weekend grilling outside and enjoying every seasoned inch of them! Thanks for sharing Chef.

    Reply
  10. Kelly Anthony says

    September 11, 2019 at 2:10 pm

    5 stars
    I also love to feed people too and sit around the table and enjoy what I’ve made. It fills my heart with so much joy!

    Reply
  11. Nikka Shae says

    September 11, 2019 at 12:36 am

    My hubby loves chicken wings and your recipe looks amazing too! I will have to try it!!

    Reply
  12. Amy H says

    September 10, 2019 at 11:02 pm

    Oh my! Those chicken look delicious! I haven’t tried using rubs with my chicken.

    Reply
  13. Catalina says

    September 10, 2019 at 3:31 pm

    5 stars
    I am drooling over these wings. Now I know what I will make for dinner tonight!

    Reply
  14. Kelli A says

    September 10, 2019 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    Dry rub chicken wings are my hubby’s favorite way to eat wings. Wings are his favorite to begin with, but this recipe is right up his ally! Will definitely show him!

    Reply
  15. Lisa Favre says

    September 10, 2019 at 9:35 am

    5 stars
    My husband would be oh-so grateful if I made these wings for him. He absolutely adores wings and this recipe looks top notch!

    Reply
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My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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