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As game day nears, we find ourselves craving these sambal barbecue chicken wings. The wings ignite with the spice of sambal oelek, balanced by the sweetness of ketchup and enriched with umami from soy sauce. They are grilled until perfectly crispy and then coated in a delightful sauce, finishing with a topping of red onion and cilantro. Don’t forget to pair the wings with Jalapeño Dill Ranch!
If you’re on the hunt for more wing recipes, take a look at Lemon Pepper Wings or Old Bay Brown Butter Buffalo Grilled Wings.
Essential Ingredients for These BBQ Chicken Wings
Wings: Opt for a combination of flats and drums, or use whole wings. The wings are simply seasoned with olive oil and salt, as our BBQ sauce brings plenty of flavor.
Sambal Barbecue Sauce: This barbecue sauce features ketchup, sambal oelek, light brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Just simmer on the stovetop until it darkens a bit. The sauce is applied to the wings before and after grilling.
Garnishes: Finish your wings with thinly sliced red onion and cilantro on top. The fresh cilantro and crisp onions add a delightful crunch!
Steps to Prepare This Recipe
Prepare Your Wings: Begin by patting your chicken wings dry using paper towels. Then, place the dried wings into a large bowl and add olive oil and salt. Toss everything together and set aside.
Next, preheat your grill using a two-zone setup: one section on low heat and the other on medium-high heat.
While the grill is warming up, prepare your Sambal Barbecue Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine ketchup, sambal, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat on medium-low, stirring to mix, and let the sugar dissolve for about 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce should become a bit darker and thicker, yet remain pourable. Once done, turn off the heat and set aside.
Grilling the Wings: Start by placing the wings on the low-heat side of the grill, skin side down, for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. After that, move the wings, skin side up, to the medium-high heat area to allow them to char and crisp up for 3 to 4 additional minutes, again flipping them halfway.
During the last couple of minutes of grilling, brush half of the BBQ sauce on all sides of the wings, allowing them to cook for an extra minute.
Finally, transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss them with the remaining barbecue sauce. Serve on a platter, decorating with thinly sliced red onions and scattered cilantro. Pair it with Jalapeño Dill Ranch for a delicious dipping option.
Cooking Options for Your Barbecue Wings
Although this recipe illustrates grilling your wings, you can also prepare them in the oven or air fryer if preferred!
For Oven Preparation: Set your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spreading your seasoned wings in a single layer. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping midway. For extra char, you can broil them on the top rack for the last 5 minutes!
During the last 5 minutes, apply half of your sauce to the wings. Once done, toss them in the remaining sauce in a large bowl.
For Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Place the wings in a single layer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Adjust the time according to the size of your wings. Apply half of the sauce during the final 5 minutes of cooking, then toss in the remaining sauce once cooked.
Best Recipe Pairings
Here are some of our favorite dishes to complement these wings:
Common Questions
Utilize a form of molasses in your sauce, like honey or brown sugar, which acts as a sticky base. Alternatively, you can thicken the sauce with baking powder or flour when baking wings. However, if your BBQ sauce is already thickened with sugar, you might not need to do this. Another effective method is incorporating butter, such as in traditional buffalo sauce, which helps the sauce stick to the wings. Lastly, toss the wings in the sauce immediately after grilling or baking; allowing them to cool before saucing will lead to a watery and less cohesive finish.
Yes! Unless you are slow-cooking or braising the wings in the oven at a low temperature, it’s better to cook the wings first. Applying the BBQ sauce beforehand can cause the sugars to burn, so save it for the last few minutes of cooking.
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with your favorite seasonings like black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder. For this particular recipe, the sauce already provides rich flavor and heat, so we recommend keeping the seasoning simple with just salt.
Additional Chicken Recipes
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Season Your Wings: Dry your chicken wings thoroughly with paper towels. Place them in a large bowl, and mix with olive oil and salt. Toss to mix well and set aside.
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Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking, setting one side to low heat and the other to medium-high.
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Make Your Sambal Barbecue Sauce: In a small saucepan, mix together ketchup, sambal, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat on medium-low, stirring until the sugar dissolves, which should take around 3 to 4 minutes. Your BBQ sauce should thicken slightly, yet still be pourable. Turn off the heat and set aside.
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Grill Your Wings: On the low heat side, place your wings skin side down and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway. After this, shift them skin side up to the medium-high heat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, again flipping depending on charring.
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In the final moments, brush the wings with half of your BBQ sauce, allowing an additional minute of cooking.
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Place the wings into a large bowl, then toss them with the remaining sauce. Arrange the wings on a serving platter, garnished with thinly sliced onions and cilantro. Enjoy with Jalapeño Dill Ranch for dipping!
Calories: 107kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 525mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 154IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.