I’ve been spending a lot of time in Nashville recently, and each visit reminds me how Southern flavors shape the food I cook. On a recent trip I devoured Nashville hot chicken and ladled honey and hot sauce over buttery biscuits.
A stop at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg inspired me to create Sticky Tennessee Honey Wings. These wings balance heat, sweet honey and a splash of Tennessee whiskey for a sticky, flavorful glaze.
Make them on a pellet grill, kamado, kettle or gas grill. The key is using both indirect and direct heat: cook the meat gently over indirect heat so it reaches a safe internal temperature without burning, then finish over direct heat to char and caramelize the sauce.
Begin by cooking the wings over indirect heat for about 45 minutes until they reach 165°F internally.
After the initial cook, toss the wings in the glossy, addictive sauce so every piece is coated.
Finish them directly over the fire to gently char the glaze and crisp the skin.
If you want the ultimate sticky touch, try serving the wings with honeycomb. I love the chewy sweetness and how a little hot sauce wakes the flavor. I first found locally jarred Ozaki honeycomb at a BBQ competition in Logandale, Nevada—and I admit I sometimes eat it by the spoonful.
More Wings Recipes
Chicken Wings on a Drum Smoker
Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings on the Ninja FlexFlame
How to Cook Chicken Wings on a Griddle
How to Grill Chicken Wings on a Gas Grill
Want more grilling recipes and tips? Subscribe to the newsletter and follow for the latest grilling adventures. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below.
Sticky Tennessee Honey Wings
Ingredients
Sticky Tennessee Wing Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp butter
Grilled Chicken Wings
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 30 chicken wings
Instructions
Sticky Tennessee Honey Wing Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, brown sugar, honey, chicken broth, soy sauce, Tabasco and salt. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the butter until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Grilled Chicken Wings
- Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne (if using). Separate the wing flaps from the drumettes and rub the spice mixture over all the wings.
- Prepare the grill with a direct and indirect heat zone. If using a pellet grill, set it to 275°F. Cook the wings over indirect heat for about 45 minutes, or until they reach 165°F internal temperature.
- Toss the cooked wings in the Sticky Tennessee Honey Wing Sauce until evenly coated.
- Move the sauced wings to direct heat and grill, turning frequently, until the sauce is slightly charred and sticky. On a pellet grill, raise the temperature to about 400°F for this step.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.