Master the Art: How to Cook Chicken Wings on a Gas Grill Using Indirect Heat

Listen up, grill masters and wing enthusiasts! If you’ve been frying your chicken wings or (gasp!) baking them in the oven, it’s time to level up your wing game. Today, I’m gonna share my foolproof method for grilling the most amazingly juicy, tender, and crispy chicken wings on your gas grill using indirect heat This technique has seriously changed my wing game forever!

Why Indirect Heat is the Secret to Perfect Wings

Before we dive into the how-to let’s talk about WHY indirect heat is absolutely essential for grilling chicken wings.

Wings are tricky little things. They’re small, they have skin that needs to get crispy, but they also need enough time to cook through without burning. Direct high heat will char the outside before the inside is done, leaving you with burnt-on-the-outside, raw-on-the-inside wings (yuck!).

Using indirect heat solves this problem by

• Cooking the wings slowly and gently
• Allowing fat to render out properly
• Giving you time to develop flavor
• Setting you up for the perfect crispy finish

What You’ll Need

• 3 pounds of chicken wings (separated into drumettes and flats)
• Kosher salt
• Neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
• Your favorite wing sauce or dry rub
• Gas grill
• Tongs (preferably long ones)
• Instant-read meat thermometer
• Optional: beer or buttermilk for brining

Step 1: Brine Your Wings (Optional but Recommended!)

While you can technically skip this step, I don’t recommend it if you want truly outstanding wings. Even a quick 15-minute brine makes a difference!

Beer Brine Method:

1. Place wings in a large container or resealable bag
2. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt
3. Pour in 16 ounces of beer (a hoppy IPA, porter, or stout works great)
4. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 3 days

Buttermilk Alternative:
Not a beer fan? No problem! Substitute buttermilk for the beer. If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk.

The salt in the brine does some cool science stuff – it actually draws moisture out of the chicken then replaces it with the flavorful liquid. This is the secret to keeping wings juicy on the grill!

Step 2: Prepare Your Gas Grill for Indirect Heat

This is where the magic happens! Setting up your gas grill for indirect heat is super simple:

1. Preheat your grill for about 15 minutes
2. Turn ONE side of your burners to medium-low heat
3. Leave the OTHER side of your grill OFF completely

This creates two distinct cooking zones:

• Indirect heat zone: Where the burners are OFF (this is where most of the cooking happens)
• Direct heat zone: Where the burners are ON (this is for finishing and crisping)

If your grill has three burners, you might turn on the outer two and leave the middle one off, or vice versa. The key is having a spot where wings aren’t directly over flame.

Step 3: Season Your Wings

If you brined your wings, take them out of the liquid and pat them dry with paper towels. If you skipped brining, now’s the time to season.

For basic wings:

• Toss with a couple tablespoons of neutral oil
• Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper

For dry-rubbed wings:

• Apply your favorite dry rub before grilling

For wet-sauced wings (like buffalo):

• Wait to sauce them until after they’re cooked (otherwise the sauce will burn)

Step 4: Grill the Wings Using Indirect Heat

Now for the main event!

1. Place your wings on the INDIRECT heat side of the grill (the side where the burners are OFF)
2. Position them as close to the direct heat as possible without being directly over the flame
3. Close the grill lid (super important for circulating the heat!)
4. Cook for about 7-10 minutes
5. Flip the wings and rotate them (move the ones that were closest to the heat furthest away and vice versa)
6. Close lid again and cook for another 7-10 minutes

The wings should be cooking slowly and gently here. Don’t rush this part! Depending on the size of your wings, this might take 15-20 minutes total. The goal is to cook them almost completely through using indirect heat.

Step 5: Finish with Direct Heat for Crispy Skin

Here’s where we get that amazing crispy, charred skin that makes grilled wings so special:

1. Once wings are nearly cooked through, move them over to the DIRECT heat side
2. Watch them closely! They can burn quick at this point
3. Flip them frequently, getting char marks on all sides
4. This should only take 2-3 minutes per side

If you’re doing buffalo wings, this is when you can start brushing them with sauce, letting it caramelize a bit on the grill.

Step 6: Check for Doneness

Safety first! Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Use your instant-read thermometer to check a few wings, especially the larger ones.

I find that using the 2-zone method makes it nearly impossible to overcook wings. Unlike chicken breasts, wings have enough fat to stay juicy even if they go a bit past 165°F.

Step 7: Sauce ‘Em Up!

If you’re going the buffalo route:

• Mix 3/4 cup Frank’s RedHot Original with 4 tablespoons melted butter
• Add a heaping teaspoon each of garlic powder and smoked paprika
• Toss hot wings in the sauce right after they come off the grill

For other flavor ideas:

• BBQ: Brush with your favorite BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of grilling
• Lemon Pepper: Season before grilling and squeeze charred lemon over hot wings
• Teriyaki: Use a teriyaki marinade instead of the brine
• Greek: Try a lemon, garlic, and herb marinade

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Starting with cold wings – Let them come to room temp for about 30 minutes before grilling
2. Skipping the brine – Even a quick 15-minute brine makes a difference!
3. Cooking with direct heat only – This leads to burnt outsides and undercooked insides
4. Saucing too early – Most sauces burn easily, so add them at the end
5. Walking away from the grill – Especially during the direct heat phase, wings need your attention

Why This Method is Better Than Deep Frying

I know fried wings are traditional, but honestly, I think grilled wings are superior! Here’s why:

• Less mess (no hot oil to deal with)
• Healthier (excess fat drips away during grilling)
• Amazing smoky flavor you can’t get from frying
• Crispy skin AND juicy meat
• You can enjoy the outdoors while cooking!

Perfect Pairings for Your Wings

What’s a wing without the perfect dipping sauce and sides? Here are some ideas:

Dipping Sauces:

• Blue cheese dressing (classic!)
• Ranch dressing
• Quick Greek yogurt ranch (½ cup Greek yogurt, chopped garlic, herbs, splash of vinegar)

Side Dishes:

• Celery and carrot sticks
• Grilled corn on the cob
• Potato salad
• Mac and cheese

Final Thoughts: Practice Makes Perfect

The first time you try the indirect heat method, you might need to experiment with your particular grill. Gas grills vary in how hot they run and how well they maintain temperature. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll never want wings any other way!

I used to get annoyed when cooking wings because they’d either burn or stay raw in the middle. But this 2-zone indirect heat method solved all my problems! Now my friends actually ask me to make wings for game day instead of ordering takeout.

So fire up that gas grill, grab your favorite beverage, and get ready to impress everyone with your wing game. Trust me, once you master this technique, you’ll be the wing champion of your neighborhood!

Got any questions about grilling wings with indirect heat? Drop them in the comments below! I’d also love to hear about your favorite wing flavors and sauces.

Happy grilling!

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Bonus Tip: If you’re cooking for a crowd, you can keep the first batch warm in a 200°F oven while you grill the rest. Just don’t cover them tightly or they’ll lose their crispiness!

To grill chicken wings using indirect heat, you’ll typically cook them for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached. This method helps render out the fat and crisp the skin.

Grilling chicken over indirect heat typically takes 25-45 minutes, depending on the size and whether it’s bone-in or boneless. For bone-in chicken, aim for 30-40 minutes, while boneless cuts may cook in 20-30 minutes.