Grilled Chicken Wings with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce

A summer grilling tradition

We have gotten into the habit of grilling chicken wings every week in the summer months. As a result, we've been able to perfect our method for grilling super tender chicken wings with perfectly crisp outsides. One of our favorite ways to enjoy this summer tradition is to make Grilled Chicken Wings with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce, which are smoky, sweet, and the perfect way to enjoy summer stone fruit before it disappears.

Not only are grilled chicken wings it a super tasty tradition to look forward to when the sun comes out, I also love that it makes meal-planning during the summer months easy because we already know which night is wing night. Grilling these wings should take you about 20 minutes and (for the most part) can be done with a cold drink in one hand.

Let's talk about the Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce for a minute

This Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce combines summer-sweet peaches, spicy and smoky chipotle chili peppers, tangy apple cider vinegar, savory tomato, and a generous kick of sweetness from both brown sugar and honey. This tasty bbq sauce just made to be slathered on grilled chicken wings! This sauce comes together in 15 minutes or less and is just as delicious on these wings as it is smothered on other grilled meats and veggies.

If you are a fan of this bbq sauce, make sure to check out these other bbq sauce recipes:

• Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
• Spicy Red BBQ Sauce

Zone grilling is the key to perfectly crisp wings with tender insides

My favored method for grilling chicken wings is to use zone grilling. Though you're likely to find slight nuances in zone grilling methods, the common thread is that the chicken wings (or other grilled items) cook over low or no direct heat on one side of the grill first and then are finished over direct high heat. This prevents the wings from drying out as they reach a safe internal temperature and results in perfectly crisp wings.

This is my personal preferred way to zone grill on a gas grill:

1. Preheat your grill - Turn all of the burners to high and allow to preheat to 500° F.
2. Turn one side of the grill to low heat - Once the grill has reached the correct temperature, turn the burners on one side of the grill down to the lowest heat setting. Some zone grilling methods suggest you turn the burner on one side completely off, but I prefer to instead turn the burner on that side to the lowest setting so it gets just a bit more heat rather than turning it totally off. This is especially helpful if you're working with wings that are still slightly frozen.
3. Grill the chicken wings on the low-heat side first - Add your chicken wings in even rows to the side of the grill that you have lowered the heat, directly opposite of the high-heat side. Allow the wings to cook for 7-8 minutes (depending on how large your chicken wings are) then flip the wings and cook the opposite side for an additional 7-8 minutes. One way to tell if your wings need more time is if they stick to the grill when you go to turn them. If they stick badly, allow them to cook for another minute or so, then try flipping again. I prefer to rearrange the wings so that the wing row that cooks closest to the flame the first 7-8 minutes is switched to be the farthest row away from the flame once flipped to the second side.
4. Test the internal temperature of the wings - Using a meat thermometer, test the internal temperature of the wings; They should have reached atleast 165° F.
5. Char and baste the wings on the high-heat side to finish - Once the wings have completed their internal cook on the low-heat side of the grill, turn the grill on the low-heat side off and transfer the wings over to the high-heat side of the grill. Grill the first side of the wings for 1 minute, then flip the wings and baste the charred side in Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce while the opposite side chars for 1 minute. Flip the wings again and baste the opposite side with sauce while the first side chars for 1 minute further. Flip a final time and allow the second basted side to cook for one minute further. When finished, each side of the wings should have received a total of 2 minutes of direct high heat on each side and received some lovely charred grill marks in the process.

* For charcoal grills, you will want to utilize coals on only one side of your grill (your high-heat zone) and leave the opposite side of the grill coal-free (your indirect-heat zone).

What side dishes to serve these Grilled Chicken Wings with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce with

• This Strawberry Peach Summer Salad (peaches + peaches = dinner magic)
• Swap the grilled chicken breasts out of this BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing and serve it as a side to these wings
• This Crunchy Greek Salad with Avocado and Feta takes 10-minutes or less to assemble and is a tasty summer staple at our house
• This Cucumber Radish Salad is made for warm summer grilling weather
• This Spicy Cabbage Slaw is a 5-minute favorite for easy summer dining

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

• A gas or charcoal grill
• Grill tongs
• A meat thermometer
• A basting brush

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

A note for special diets

These Grilled Chicken Wings with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce can be friendly for grain-free and gluten-free diets -- however, you'll want to pay attention to the ingredient list on the chipotle chili peppers that you use in this sauce recipe as many contain gluten or grain. I usually purchase San Marcos brand, which offers an option that contains chipotle peppers, tomato puree, onions, vinegar, canola oil, salt, paprika, garlic, and a small amount of sugar (2g per serving).

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