The Easy Way to Make Grilled Chicken Wings Taste Fried

If fried chicken is your favorite food, you’re not alone. The blend of savory and tangy seasonings brings a burst of flavor to every bite that is simply irresistible. But what makes fried chicken so special is its texture. Hearing that crunch as you bite into the crispy skin to be greeted by flavorful, juicy meat inside feels out of this world. So it makes sense that fried chicken is one of America’s favorite foods.

Yet as much as we love fried chicken, sometimes we may want to change things up. Instead, grilling your chicken wings offers a great alternative and a way to help you reduce your consumption of fried foods. Knowing how to grill chicken wings is one thing, but making them taste like fried chicken is a whole other challenge. Even if you consider yourself a grill master, all it takes is one small mistake and you’ll end up with a bowl of charred wings that are nothing like fried chicken for lunch.

If you want perfectly grilled wings, you first need to know how to get that crispy skin. Then you can top it all off with the perfect blend of seasonings, spices, or sauces to get that fried wing taste. Although it may seem overwhelming, you don’t have to worry. You’re about to learn all the tips and tricks you need to master the art of making your grilled chicken wings taste fried.

Read more: 15 Tips for Making the Crispiest Chicken Thighs Ever

Preparing your chicken wings for the grill

Wiping the chicken skin dry is the first and most crucial step to getting crispy grilled wings, so you don’t want to skip it. Keeping the skin dry doesn’t mean flavorless, but you won’t be using your usual meat marinade this time. After separating the chicken wings into barrels and dishes, get an empty Ziploc bag and prepare a dry rub consisting of salt, pepper, and any other dry herbs or spices you typically use for fried chicken, such as garlic and onion powder, paprika and a mixture of herbs. . Throw the chicken pieces into the spice bag and toss until each piece is coated.

Now, if you’re a fried chicken lover, you’ve probably used cornstarch for batter at least once, so you won’t find this strange. Sometimes grilling with a simple spice blend may not be enough if you want real crunch. In this case, you can amp up your dry rub by adding cornstarch, which helps dry the chicken’s skin even more. Alternatively, you can coat your wings in a mixture of flour and cornmeal to give them more of a fried chicken flavor before putting them in the fridge to set.

While it’s best to add plain cornstarch to your dry spice mix for this recipe, you can use baking powder instead. After all, cornstarch is its main ingredient. However, the downside is that baking powder usually contains other ingredients, so you might end up with an unusual aftertaste.

Slow cook your wings on the grill to perfection

Once your fully spiced chicken wings are out of the fridge, it’s time to get to work. Placing them directly on the stove from the refrigerator can make the meat tough instead of tender and moist inside. Worse yet, the heat might not even reach the center of the meat to cook it properly. So it’s best to let your chicken wings rest for a little while before transferring them to the grill.

For perfect grilled chicken, you can’t be in a hurry. Using high heat is a common mistake when grilling chicken, and it can result in charred skin and raw meat. It’s best to start slowly with moderate heat for an evenly cooked final product. Once your grill is hot – around 425 degrees Fahrenheit – arrange the chicken wings in a circle so the heat reaches them evenly. The chicken wings take about 20-30 minutes to cook, but you can’t take your eyes off them for too long. Remember to turn them every few minutes so the heat reaches all sides equally without burning you. When they’re fully cooked (with an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit), remove them from the heat for one final step: let the wings rest and release the steam so they stay as crisp as if they were fried .

Read the original article on The Daily Meal.