This Thai BBQ Chicken Wings recipe is delicious, even better than take out!! The wings are marinated in a sweet and tangy sauce, and are loaded with authentic Thai flavors. It's inspired by the traditional gai yang ไก่ย่าง.
If you like Thai food and always wonder how the restaurants make their wings taste so good, these are for you! In this post I will show you how to make Thai BBQ Chicken Wings with familiar ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Sweet and Sticky Chicken Wings
These Thai BBQ chicken wings would make a tasty Super bowl appetizer or easy to grab snack for a party! You can prepare the wings ahead and cook them the next day.
The sauce is so delicious that will make you licking your fingers after every bite.
Why This Chicken Wings Recipe Works:
- It's inexpensive to make.
- You can find most of the ingredients at your local grocers.
- It requires minimal preparation and so easy to make. You can grill, bake the wings or cook them in an Instant Pot or Air Fryer. Here's a good tutorial on how to make chicken wings in an Instant Pot.
- A delicious kid-friendly recipe.
The Best BBQ Marinade Sauce for Wings
Making your own homemade marinade sauce for wings isn't complicated.
The marinade sauce is made with a combination of lemongrass, garlic, Thai fish sauce, lime, brown sugar, honey, and cilantro.
How to Make Asian Chicken Wings
1. Prepare the Marinade Sauce
Combine all of the ingredients for marinade in a bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Marinate the Chicken
Place chicken wings and marinade sauce in a large ziplock. Massage to combine.
Marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
3. Grill or Bake the Chicken Wings
Grill the Chicken Wings:
Preheat the grill, grease, and cook the wings on medium heat. Flip the wings every 5 minutes for a total of 20-25 minutes of cooking time or until fully cooked and no longer pink.
or Oven Bake the Chicken Wings:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove chicken wings from the fridge and let your chicken sit out on the counter for 15 minutes before cooking.
Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through cooking. If the skin gets too dark, you can cover it up with foil or baking paper.
FAQ and Cooking Tips:
I do not recommend it. Once you've marinated the meat, you should throw away any leftover marinade.
You can find fresh or frozen lemongrass in most Asian grocers and larger markets like Ralph's/Kroger or Walmart super center, located in the fresh produce area.
Here's a good tutorial on how to cook with lemongrass.
You can use brown sugar. Please keep in mind that honey is sweeter than sugar, for that reason you may need to use about 12⁄3 tablespoons of brown sugar for every tablespoon of honey.
You can use soy sauce instead of fish sauce at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Do not let the cooked wings sit out at room temperature for more than two hours before being refrigerated. Store the wings in an airtight container. They last 3-4 days in the fridge or 4-6 months in the freezer.
Check Out More Delicious Chicken Wings Recipes:
- Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Dry Rub Chicken Wings
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
Check Out More Delicious Thai Recipes:
- Spicy Thai Noodles
- Greed Papaya Salad (Som Tam)
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Thai Salad Dressing
- Easy Larb Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I'd appreciate it.
📖 Recipe
Thai BBQ Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds chicken wings (pat the wings dry with paper towels)
- 1 lemongrass stalk (finely minced, white part only) - you can use a knife or food processor. Here's a good tutorial on how to cook with lemongrass.
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tbsp + 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey
- (optional) 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves
- black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil)
Method
- In a medium bowl, mix all of the marinade ingredients.
- Place chicken wings in a large zip lock, add marinade sauce. Massage and make sure all chicken pieces are covered with sauce. Marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade. Spread chicken wings on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature registers at 165°F, turning the chicken halfway through.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Thank you for the recipe!
Rika says
You're welcome, Shadi!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Love the char this has its my favorite part of the chicken when bbq's
Rika says
My favorite part of BBQ too 🙂
Jessie says
I made these in the Air Fryer, they were amazing!!! And good as leftovers for lunch today!!
Rika says
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Jessie! I am glad that you liked it.
Kalu Lor says
These Thai BBQ wings look amazing. I can't wait to try this recipe this weekend. It will pair perfectly with some white rice.
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says
Thai BBQ - OMG I WANT! Sweet and spicy is always a hit in my home
Rika says
I love sweet and spicy flavors too, Marie!
Melissa says
Your Thai BBQ chicken wings look delicious! I am going to give your recipe a try! I love grilling my wings in the summer.
Rika says
Let me know what you think about it, Melissa.
Rosemary says
Loving the tangy Thai sauce. I'm not a huge fan of chicken wings, but I will make the sauce for my chicken breasts. Yum!
Rika says
I think chicken breast will work well too, Rosemary.
Claudia says
I love chicken wings, and I love them even more when they're slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Rika says
I think sweet and spicy glaze is the perfect sauce for wings, Claudia 🙂
Gervin Khan says
Oh, wow! This one looks really delicious. I need to make this for my family and I am sure they will like it.