Crispy Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings aren't for the faint of heart. Ghost pepper flakes and a blend of bold seasonings are dry rubbed on chicken wings before they're grilled to crispy perfection. Fire up the grill and let's get to cooking!
Crispy Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings Recipe
These "no sauce" hot wings will keep you at home and will save you a ton of cash, as you won't need to run out to your local wing joint. Excellent!
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE running down to one of the many local chicken wing places near my home, but there's something special about making them at home.
The rub is simple - ghost pepper flakes, dry seasonings - but the grilling gets them extra crispy. If you're a spice lover, these wings will be right up your alley!
Ghost pepper flakes really bring the heat, so make sure not to serve these to your friends with more mild palates. If you're a real spice lover, you'll thoroughly enjoy this ghost pepper wings recipe!
Ingredients in Ghost Pepper Wings
- Chicken wings
- Ghost pepper flakes
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Olive oil
How to Make Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings
Season the wings. Add chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them with the ghost pepper flakes and other dry seasonings. Toss until they are well coated.
Chill. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Prepare the grill and wings for cooking. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Toss the seasoned chicken wings with olive oil.
Grill. Grill the chicken wings for 30-40 minutes, flipping occasionally, or until they are nicely cooked through.
Boom! Done! Your 5-alarm ghost pepper wings are ready to serve! I hope you're ready for some serious heat. These are awesome!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Let them chill in the fridge. This ensures the seasoning intensifies, but also helps the wings dry out even further before grilling them. This the primary secret to "crispy" wings on the grill. Dry chicken skin. The drier the skin, the crispier they will turn out.
- Adjust the heat. I like to blacken my wings, as you'll see from the photo, but you can lower the heat and cook them a bit more slowly for less char.
- These are HOT wings! As with most ghost pepper recipes, you'll notice a HIGH heat factor that starts off with a mild burn and slowly builds.
How to Get Crispy Wings on the Grill
There are three main factors in achieving super crispy chicken wings on the grill. They are:
- Very Dry Chicken Skin. Pat the chicken skins as dry as possible with paper towels before grilling them. It helps to sprinkle them with salt afterward and set them into the refrigerator. This helps draw out the moisture from the skins, which you can wipe off again. Baking powder is another secret ingredient that can help draw out the moisture from chicken skins. Additionally, the environment in the refrigerator helps dry the skin out even further. Try leaving them in the fridge overnight, covered, and see how dry they get.
- High Heat. You won't get as hot as fry oil, but a high temperature in combination with your oil run before grilling will really help crisp up that dry skin.
- Oil. I use an olive oil blend typically, but you can use any neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil. Try them all!
Storage
Once cooled to room temp, you can store your leftover ghost pepper wings in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days. To maintain that crispy consistency, I recommend reheating the wings in the air fryer.
Check Out Some of My Other Popular Chicken Wing Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I'm happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Crispy Grilled Ghost Pepper Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon ghost pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them with the ghost pepper flakes and other dry seasonings. Toss until they are well coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Toss the seasoned chicken wings with olive oil.
- Grill the chicken wings for 30-40 minutes, flipping occasionally, or until they are nicely cooked through.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
This recipe was originally posted on 6/6/2014. It was updated on 7/19/2018 to include new photos.
Terry Roeting says
thank you for all the great recipes,the ghost wings are great for me but a bit to hot for the wife,made them with the curried rice and went together great!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed them, Terry! Definitely HOT with these. Great pairing!
Joey K. says
Just made these and they were just the right amount of spicy. Ghost peppers all the way.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Joey. Ghost peppers are one of my favorites.
Karly says
My husband would love these! The hotter the better! Thanks for sharing.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Karly!