Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings: Two Ways

This recipe uses an aromatic, heavy-garlic citrus brine to build flavor deep inside the meat, follows with indirect two-zone cooking on the kettle using the Fire Dial to render fat and crisp the skin, and finishes with two distinct styles: a rich, velvety butter-based sauce and a punchy, savory dry rub. The brine for the chicken wings was made a little different. It was heavy on the garlic so that we get real garlic flavor in the finished product. If you want garlic in the end product, use my exact brine recipe. 

Prep & Cooking Times

  Prep time: 20 mins

  Brine time: 4–8 hours

  Air-dry time: 1–4 hours (minimum 1 hour)

  Cook time: 40–50 mins

  Total yield: 3–4 lbs chicken wings (flats & drumettes)

Ingredients

1. Garlic-Citrus Wet Brine

  8 cups cold water

  ⅓ cup kosher salt

  ⅓ cup granulated sugar

  ½ cup garlic cloves, smashed

  ½ cup garlic paste

  1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

  1 orange, juiced (reserve spent halves)

  1 lemon, juiced (reserve spent halves)

  1 lime, juiced (reserve spent halves)

  4 green onions, chopped

  5–6 sprigs fresh thyme

  3–4 sprigs fresh oregano

2. Wing Seasoning (Pre-Grill)

  1 tbsp kosher salt

  1 tbsp coarse black pepper (16-mesh preferred)

3. Garlic Parmesan Dry Rub (Batch 1)

  1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

  1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

  1 tbsp roasted garlic powder

  1 tsp fine sea salt

4. Garlic Parmesan Sauce (Batch 2)

  1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted

  4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  ½ tsp coarse black pepper

  Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Or use your favorite Garlic Parmesan Wing Sauce from the store.

Instructions

Step 1: Brine the Wings

  In a large bowl or pot, combine 2 cups of hot water with the salt and sugar. Stir until fully dissolved.

  Pour in the remaining 6 cups of cold water (or ice water) to bring down the temperature.

  Whisk in the garlic paste, smashed garlic cloves, peppercorns, green onions, thyme, and oregano.

  Squeeze in the orange, lemon, and lime juices, dropping the squeezed citrus halves straight into the brine.

  Submerge the wings completely in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours (do not exceed 12 hours to prevent the citrus from over-softening the meat).

Step 2: Rinse & Air-Dry

  Remove wings from the brine and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess surface salt and herbs.

  Pat wings dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.

  Place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours). This dries out the skin, which is essential for maximum crispness on the kettle.

Step 3: Set Up the Weber Kettle

  Set up your Weber Kettle with your Fire Dial insert configured for indirect cooking.

  Fire up a chimney of B&B lump charcoal or oak briquets and target a stable dome temperature of 350–375°F.

  Lightly coat the dried wings with a touch of oil (if desired) and season evenly with the kosher salt and coarse black pepper.

Step 4: Grill the Wings

  Place wings on the grates as the Fire Dial deflects the direct heat but gives you the benefit of the radiant heat. 

  Close the lid and cook for 20 minutes.

  Flip the wings, close the lid, and continue cooking for another 20–30 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 185–190°F (higher internal temp breaks down collagen in wings, making them tender with crisp skin).

Step 5: Toss Two Ways

Divide the hot, crispy wings into two equal warm mixing bowls immediately upon removing them from the kettle:

  For Style 1 (Dry Rub): Sprinkle the prepared Garlic Parmesan Dry Rub over the wings and toss aggressively until evenly coated.

  For Style 2 (Sauce): Combine melted butter, minced fresh garlic, fresh grated Parmesan, parsley, and black pepper. Pour over the second batch of hot wings and toss until thoroughly coated in the silky sauce.

Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan and chopped parsley on top.