Move over buffalo wings, this is the only Chicken Wing Marinade you’ll ever need because these wings are so juicy and flavorful they’ll melt in your mouth!
Wings are one of the things you absolutely have to have at any football game or party with friends (like New Year’s Eve parties). But in order to make the very best chicken wing marinade there are a few things you need to know. Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered – not only with the best wing marinade, but also all the best chicken wing recipes you could possible want.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Why Use A Chicken Wing Marinade?
Marinades are a great way to tenderize and add flavor to the meat. It’s especially good to use for tough cuts of meat as it tenderizes them while adding flavor. Even though chicken wings aren’t tough, it’s the perfect way to add flavor to this party food.
What Is A Good Marinade Made Of?
There are many different varieties and flavors of marinade. However, marinades usually consist of some basic ingredients – sweetener, salt, and acid.
Salt and sugar both break down muscle fibers in meat to some degree, but acid does a lot of the hard work. Once we have that covered, we can add a variety of spices and flavor enhancers to get just the taste we’re craving.
What Makes A Good Wing Good?
I have my own opinions, but I figured I’d ask a group of people what they thought a good wing has and we all agreed – the chicken wings need to be tender and fall-off-the-bone, they need to be crispy, and they need a hot and tangy sauce!
How Long Should You Marinate Your Chicken Wings?
- 20+ minutes if you’re in a pinch
- Best results: 2 – 12 hours
- Less than 24 hours – You need to be careful not to marinate the meat too long because the acidity from lemon or vinegars can actually damage the meat by breaking it down too much!
What Can You Do With Leftover Marinade?
The chicken wing marinade recipe below makes about 3/4 cups, which we have found to work great for 12 wings. Cut it down or double it as needed, but don’t worry if you end up with leftover marinade.
If you end up with leftovers, you can use the marinade as a sauce if you like. The important thing to note here is that you must bring it to a boil to kill any pathogens from the raw meat before using it. Then, whisk together a small amount of water and a tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you are trying to thicken and whisk it into the marinade mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously until thickened.
The next step is cooking the wings. My favorite way to cook marinated wings is to grill them like this. You can also bake them at 450°F until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 40 minutes, flipping them halfway though.
More Easy Marinade Recipes
- Chicken Thigh Marinade
- Greek Chicken Marinade
- Best Steak Marinade
- Fajita Marinade for Steak or Chicken
- Tri-Tip Marinade Recipe
- Apple Cider Marinade for Pork
Podcast Episode: Marinating Chicken Wings
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this recipe, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
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Best Chicken Wing Marinade Recipe
Move over buffalo wings, this is the only Chicken Wing Marinade you’ll ever need because these wings are so juicy and flavorful they’ll melt in your mouth!
This recipe makes enough marinade for 12 wings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Marinate
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce*
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. sriracha/hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. hoisin
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. fresh minced ginger (or 1/2 tsp. dried ground ginger)
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
- Place chicken wings in a large baggie, pour marinade in and let it marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
- Cook chicken wings with your favorite method.
To Bake:
Bake at 450°F until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 40 minutes, flipping them halfway though.
To Grill:
Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium heat, around 350°F. Cook around 20-25 minutes total, flipping and adjusting placement as needed.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
Notes
*You may notice that the nutritional info for this recipe shows the sodium as being quite high. That’s because the dietary numbers for this website are calculated under the assumption that you will consume the full serving of food. For marinades though, you don’t actually consume the full portion. We’re not sure how to calculate the numbers differently. However, we estimate that about one quarter of the marinade is actually absorbed by the chicken and consumed. You can therefore reduce the amounts with that in mind.
This post originally appeared in January 2019 and was revised and republished in March 2023.
Hi! Love this recipe. I didn’t have hoisin so I substituted teriyaki sauce. Marinated them overnight then dried them off and dusted them with baking powder before baking. Delicious! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Diana! So happy you loved it.
Great receipe, I will do this again. Needs to be a little hotter for me.
Thank you, Leata! Sounds like a little more hot sauce and it’ll be perfect. 🙂
Very – very flavorful, I enjoy spicy BUT burning hot that burns your mouth, tongue & taste buds……………..
I have a few spicy sauces I use & since asking 4 a Sriracha sauce, don’t have, but my concoction of hot sauces is very flavorful. Next time I think I will do an overnight marinate. Plus I used chicken legs. [didn’t have wings] Oven method & finishing them on the BBQ grill while constantly basting them. Thanks 4 your luv of food & by sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Gary! Thanks for taking time to comment.
Can I put them in the crockpot?
It’s not my favorite way to cook them, but if you finish them in the oven to crisp them up a bit, they turn out pretty good. You can look at the instructions here – https://thecookful.com/slow-cooker-chicken-wings/
This recipe is my “go-too” for wings or drumsticks. It isn’t too spicey so guests that are sensitive will still enjoy them. Great recipe!
Thank you, Scott! I’m so happy to hear that.
I love this recipe
Thank you so much, Iwona!
nice and easy thanks
You’re welcome, Deborah!
SUPER. I LOVE IT.
Thank you, Sandra! So happy you loved it.
My husband and I have now used this recipe twice and we absolutely enjoy all the flavors it presents. I’ve done them on the B.BQ. and the oven (oven method I used cookie sheets as a catcher and placed the wings on cooling racks it worked perfectly) both ways are really good. Hope to see more of your recipes and ideas. Thank you
Lori
From Oregon
I’m glad to hear it, Lori! Thanks for letting me know your cooking methods too. 🙂
Everyone in my house raves about these wings, even my grandpa and he doesn’t like chicken wings!
I replaced hot sauce with jalapeño juice and added honey and mango juice, Oh boy this was great!!!!
Wow, sounds great, Wills! Thanks for sharing your adjustments.
Great marinade I use it all the time. I even tell my friends about it!
That’s wonderful, Kevin. Thanks for telling others!
Great reviews. Just a question. To make ahead… Can you freeze the wings in the marinade?
Yes, Linda, you can freeze them in this marinade. The flavor will be quite intense but good for sure! Enjoy!
Absolutely love this wing marinade recipe!!
Easy & quick to make with awesome results. Its my family’s favorite now. 😍
Love to hear that, Sharon! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
This is the best and easiest recipe for marinade I have found. Absolutely delicious! Discovered it several months ago and is now the only marinade I use.
Thank you so much, Pat! I’m thrilled you’re loving it.
Love this recipe!!
Thank you, Mark, I’m happy to hear that!