Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings

Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings

Grilled Thai curry chicken wings are an easy homemade flavor-packed way to switch up a classic wing recipe. A healthy and easy grilled chicken recipe the whole family will love!

Classic grilled chicken wings are always a fan favorite, but sometimes I like to enjoy different flavor profiles when it comes to chicken. That’s why I made these Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings!

Wings are the perfect cut of poultry to experiment with too! While I love these butter chicken hot wings and these grilled firecracker chicken wings, these Thai curry wings are going on repeat!

If you’re new to making wings, be sure to read through the full grilling guide to crispy chicken wings before you start.

Grab all the info you need below to see a list of ingredients, grilling tips and instructions, and the best way to eat and enjoy them too. Let’s dive in!

“School” Supplies:

  • Paper Towels
  • Baking Sheet
  • Large Bowl
  • Small Pot
  • Whisk
  • Measuring Cups/ Spoons
  • Tongs

“Class” Notes:

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Use the guided notes below where I often answer commonly asked questions I get from readers and cooks just like you.

This information is meant to help you have a stronger understanding of this recipe and the process so you can find success all on your own.

Ready to begin cooking? Simply jump to the recipe below and begin.

Thai Curry Rub

For the rub, I wanted to use common spices you often find in traditional Thai curry recipes to keep these authentic.

To get these wings packed with flavor, you’ll need:

  • Curry Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Paprika
  • Coriander
  • Dried basil
  • Salt and Pepper
Thai curry wing ingredients

Mix all of these ingredients together. I used enough for 24 wings, but if you are cooking fewer wings then adjust the recipe as needed. Reserve a little bit of this spice mix for the Thai Curry sauce that you will make to coat the wings.

Once the rub is evenly mixed for the allotment of wings, I set this aside and prep the wings themselves This is super important to achieve crispy chicken skin on the grill. The first step is to remove any excess moisture from the skin on the chicken wings.

If you don’t do this, you end up steaming your wings and this will prevent them from getting crispy! Yuck! I find layering some paper towels out on a baking sheet and placing them evenly across the pan works the most efficiently for this.

Next, bust out a large mixing bowl, your spice rub you just made, and some baking powder. Yes, I said baking powder…

Raw Chicken wings with thai spices

I promise I am not crazy and that there is a good reason for baking powder in this recipe. OK, I might be slightly crazy (ha) but not about this cool trick!

You see, baking powder does this really amazing thing when it sits and coats chicken skin for a few hours or overnight.

It helps absorb the extra moisture on the outside of the skin and makes these grilled wings taste (in my opinion) better than fried wings!

You do have to let the rub and the baking powder sit however for this to work, so have a little extra patience or plan ahead and let them rest covered in the fridge as needed.

Grilling Instructions:

When you’re ready to grill your chicken wings, you can use two methods (I have done both and both work great, use what you’re most comfortable with).

Grilling your wings can be done hot and fast over direct heat, or low and slow over indirect heat.

Thai curry chicken wings being grilled

The direct heat method is good if you are ready to stand in front of the grill and give the wings your time and attention. You’ll want to make sure that the wings don’t burn by staying on one side for too long.

The indirect method is good if you want to walk away or sit and drink a beer while you are cooking. This method can also add some smoky flavor to your wings.

For the direct heat method (and my usual go-to), set your grill to medium heat. Flip them often until they reach a minimum temperature of at least 165 F per FDA guidelines (though I cook mine to 180 F. as I find it helps break down and tenderize the connective tissue better).

For the indirect heat method, heat your grill to medium as well, but place your wings on the cooler side of the grill. Let the wings cook slowly and don’t try to flip them too often.

You can flip these once about halfway if you prefer to get both sides nice a crispy.

Dry rubbed thai chicken wings

The beauty of grilling with either method is that you actually do not need to grease your grill grates or add olive oil to the wings beforehand.

The heat will naturally allow you to move and lift the wings from the grates when the skin is crisp and cooked!

Let the meat guide you through this process, don’t force the wings to come off the grill if they aren’t ready, and you’ll do just fine.

Thai Curry Sauce

I wanted to make this sauce out of basic household items and with no added sweeteners in order to keep this friendly for all my keto low carb readers out there. The beauty of this is that there was honestly no compromise on taste or overall flavor!

For this delicious, tangy sauce you’ll need:

  • About 1 tablespoon of the Thai Curry Rub from earlier
  • Butter
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Fresh Ginger
  • Full Fat Coconut Milk
  • Fish Sauce
  • Soy Sauce/Coconut Aminos
  • Red Chili Paste

Begin by toasting the reserved rub spices a bit over medium-low heat in a pot on the stove. They will smell fragrant and lively!

Then, add the butter and allow it to melt, toss in some fresh garlic and fresh ginger (if you have it). I find the fresh ingredients also add a lot to the overall taste of the sauce.

thai curry hot sauce poured over chicken wings

Combine the coconut milk, some red chili paste, and a little fish sauce and soy sauce (sub with coconut aminos if needed).

Mix everything together until it’s heated through, and let it rest either off the heat or on low. I find the longer this sits the more the flavors will marry together!

sauced thai curry chicken wings

When the wings are done, simply toss the sauce on the wings if you’re serving them all at once (it really makes the perfect party recipe). Not interested in eating all the wings at once? Keep the skin crispier and easier to reheat by leaving the sauce on the side too.

If you’re not about that wing life… I won’t judge you (much). But, this sauce would be a great glaze on grilled chicken breast or with shrimp too.

Garnish with some green onion slices, a little lime juice, zest, or even a few grilled lime wedges too.

cooked thai spicy chicken wing in a hand

Tips for Serving

  • If you want to make these grilled Thai curry chicken wings ahead of time, wait to toss the wings in the sauce. Grill the wings and store them in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. Put them on the grill for a few minutes to heat up and keep that crispy skin, or pop them in the oven! Once warm, toss them in the warm sauce.
  • If you do store the wings with the sauce already on them, then make sure to reheat them on the grill or in the oven to get them as crispy as possible. You can add a little extra sauce after if needed!
  • Serve these wings with some Easy Cauliflower Rice or my Low Carb Jicama Fries to make this a delicious meal!

Find the full recipe below and be sure to check out more of my grilled chicken recipes, like this Crispy Grilled Chicken Quarters or my Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, too. Not ready to make these today but want to save this recipe? Bookmark it in your browser or save it on Pinterest!

Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings

Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings

These crispy grilled wings bring the heat with this keto friendly, flavorful Thai inspired curry style hot sauce. So get the grill fired up and be ready to bring the heat for game day or your next dinner party!
4.91 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Grilling
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 24 Wings
Author: Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

  • 24 Chicken Wings
  • 2 tbsp. Baking Powder
  • Thai Spice Rub-
  • 2 Tbsp Curry Powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander
  • 2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Dried Basil
  • 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • For The Thai Hot Sauce
  • 4 tbsp Butter melted
  • 1 Minced Garlic Clove
  • 1/2 tsp Fresh Minced Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Thai Spice Rub from above
  • 1/2 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
  • 1 tsp Fish Sauce
  • 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
  • 1/4 cup Red Chili Paste

Instructions

  • Combine all the spice rub ingredients together in a bowl and reserve 1 tbsp of it for the sauce. Set it aside.
  • Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, toss the baking powder and the spice rub over the wings and mix them so they are completely coated. Let the wings sit for at least an hour like this in the fridge or overnight.
  • To make the sauce, toast the reserved 1 tbsp of spices in a small sauce pan just until they smell fragrant. Add the butter and let it melt, then saute the fresh garlic and ginger. Finally, mix in the coconut milk, chili paste, soy sauce and fish sauce. Whisk it together until its mixed and heated through. Turn off the heat and leave it on the stove top.
  • Set your grill for direct or indirect heat. Please read the post above in regards to utilizing these cooking methods for this. Cook the wings to a minimum temperature of 165 F per the FDA safety guidelines (I prefer to actually cook mine to about 190 F for tenderness however).
  • Remove from the grill and place in a bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss them in with the sauce and serve. Garnish with lime wedge or zest and some green onion (optional).

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