Charcoal Smoked Honey Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

Whether it’s game night or you have a hankering, this recipe for Charcoal Smoked Honey Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe is the one you should reach for when you want wings. Tangy and sweet, sticky and garlicky, this BBQ chicken wings recipe will have you licking your fingers. Smoke-roasted using the authentic flavors of charcoal, this wing recipe is easy and produces the best results. Get excited for wings and beer with the buds and feast on these finger-licking, lip-smacking morsels of goodness.

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

40 min

Yield

4 to 6

Difficulty

Easy

Charcoal Smoked Honey Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

2 lbs. (907 g) split chicken wings
1 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Seasoning

1 tbsp. oil
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or hot pepper powder)
1 tbsp. brown sugar

Sauce

2 tsp. sesame oil or butter
6 to 8 cloves garlic, grated
½ cup (125 ml) honey
¼ cup (62.5 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice or cider vinegar
2 tsp. cornstarch

Method

Coat wings with a blend of salt and baking powder and arrange them on a rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered until grilling time, at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
Prepare the charcoal grill by removing the cooking grids and creating a parallel setup. Make a small pile of charcoal to either side of a drip pan in the middle of the barbecue, include a few chunks of your favorite smoke wood, like maple, cherry, or apple. Ignite ¼ to ½ of a load of charcoal in a Charcoal Starter. Once hot, divide the lit charcoal between the two piles. Close the lid and adjust the vents to heat the grill to 400°F (200°C).
While the grill is heating, toss the dried wings with oil, and the seasonings, ensuring they are well coated. If you did not dry the wings the night before, add the salt to the seasoning mix.
Spray the Rotisserie Grill Basket with nonstick spray and then dump in your seasoned wings. Feed the spit rod through the basket and load everything onto the grill. Turn on the motor and close the lid.
If you don’t have the rotisserie basket you can place the cooking grids on the grill and arrange the wings between the two piles of lit charcoal. You will want to check on the wings periodically if using this method to ensure that the middle wings get color and the wings close to the fire don’t get burned.
While the wings are cooking, make the sauce. Heat the oil or butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and allow it to cook a little before pouring in the honey, soy, and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes. You can simmer to thicken, or you can combine a couple spoons of sauce with the cornstarch in a separate dish. Mix until smooth and then add this mixture to the saucepan. This will thicken the sauce quickly.
After about 35 to 40 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the wings. You are aiming for around 165°F (74°C). Once to temp. Remove the wings from the grill and toss with the honey garlic sauce.
Serve the wings with your favorite sides and drinks.

This recipe takes one of the most “typical” wing flavors and upgrades it to new levels. Charcoal Smoked Honey Garlic Wings uses the authentic feeling of charcoal and makes wing night the best night. What is your favorite wing sauce flavor? Share your grilled wing recipes, ideas, and photos on our social pages like Facebook and TikTok, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrill.

Happy Grilling!

Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.