Beer Brined Chicken Wings Recipe

In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups beer, 2 cups water, kosher salt, and sugar. Warm gently over medium heat just until salt and sugar dissolve (do not boil), about 3–4 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add peppercorns, bay leaves, crushed garlic, and thyme. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, about 20–30 minutes. Add ice to speed cooling if desired.

Place the prepared chicken wings in a large zip-top bag or nonreactive container. Pour the chilled brine over the wings, ensuring they are fully submerged. Seal and refrigerate for 4–6 hours (up to 8 hours).

After brining, remove wings from brine, discard brine, and pat wings very dry with paper towels. Let wings sit uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes to help dry the skin (optional, but yields crisper skin).

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) if baking, or prepare grill for medium-high indirect heat. Line a sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top if using the oven.

Toss the dried wings with 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper until evenly coated. The baking powder helps dry and crisp the skin when cooked.

Arrange wings in a single layer on the rack. For oven method: bake 25–30 minutes, flip once, then bake an additional 10–15 minutes until skin is golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For grill method: sear over direct heat 3–4 minutes per side to crisp, then move to indirect heat and cook 12–18 minutes until done, flipping as needed.

Southwest (Chipotle Honey Glaze)

In a small saucepan combine 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp minced chipotle in adobo, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional). Warm gently until combined, about 2 minutes. Toss cooked wings in the glaze or brush generously and return to oven or grill for 2–3 minutes to set the glaze.

Nashville Dry Rub

Mix 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cayenne (adjust to heat preference), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. While wings are hot, toss with 1–2 tbsp neutral oil, then sprinkle and massage the dry rub onto wings to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

BBQ

Toss or brush 1 cup BBQ sauce over hot wings until evenly coated. Place back on heat (oven or grill) for 2–3 minutes to caramelize the sauce slightly. Garnish and serve.

Hot (Buffalo-style)

Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 cup hot sauce and 2 tbsp honey until emulsified. Toss wings in the hot sauce mixture until evenly coated. Serve immediately with celery and blue cheese or ranch.

After saucing or seasoning with your chosen flavor, transfer wings to a serving platter. Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley over Southwest or BBQ wings if desired. Add lemon wedges for guests to squeeze over wings for brightness.

Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side.