Tequila Lime Chicken Wings
Looking for an easy summer dinner or a BBQ party-worthy appetizer that’s both simple and bold? These Tequila Lime Chicken Wings are packed with bright citrus flavors, a hint of agave warmth, and a sticky sweet glaze. They can be baked or grilled.
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Makes: 4 servings (as an entree)
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings cut into drumettes and wingettes (I like to buy them already cut as "party wings")
- 2 tablespoon tequila (I recommend tequila blanco)
- Zest and juice of 2 limes (roughly 1 tablespoon zest and ¼ cup juice)
- 2 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 cloves)
- 1 mined jalapeño (about 2 Tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Tequila Lime Glaze
- 4 tablespoon tequila
- 3 tablespoon lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Chopped cilantro, mint, or chives for serving
Instructions
- In a large Ziplock bag or in a bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients (from tequila to pepper). Add the wings and toss well to coat. Cover and put in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Be sure not to marinade any longer than this or tequila and lime juice may start to break down chicken.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and place a wire rack on it. Spray or brush rack lightly with cooking spray.
- Place wings on prepared rack and pat lightly with a paper towel. Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping them once halfway through bake time, until they're cooked through and golden.
- When wings are almost ready to come out of the oven, make glaze. Combine tequila, lime juice, honey, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add red pepper flakes.
- Place cooked wings in a large bowl, pour glaze over the top, and toss well to combine.
- Optional: After tossing wings in glaze, place back on the baking rack and put them under the broiler for about 30 seconds per side to crisp them up and caramelize them. Be sure to watch them carefully so they don't burn.
- Serve wings with chopped cilantro, mint, chives, or the herbs of your choice.
Notes
Instructions for grilling:
Marinate the wings as instructed. When you remove the wings from the marinade, don't pat them with a paper towel. Let the excess marinade drip off and place them right on the grill heated to medium-high (the moisture will help them stick).
Grill the wings over direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side, without moving them around. This will help build a gorgeous char and caramelization.
Once the wings are nicely seared, move them to a cooler spot on the grill. Close the lid and cook for about 15-20 minutes, flipping the wings every 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Make the glaze and toss the wings in it the same way you would if you were baking them.
Optional: After tossing in the glaze, you can put the wings back on the grill (direct heat) for about 30 seconds per side to help them crisp up even more. Just be careful as the wings will quickly caramelize and you don't want the grill to flare up and burn them.
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