Nashville Hot Wings Recipe

These Nashville Hot Wings are packed with bold, spicy flavor and cooked to crispy perfection using your choice of the grill, air fryer, or oven. Coated in a fiery homemade Nashville Hot Seasoning rub, they’re the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer or game day snack.

Why You’ll Love These Nashville Hot Wings

Juicy & Tangy Flavor: Brining the wings in pickle juice infuses them with a subtle tang that balances beautifully with the heat of these Nashville hot wings! It also helps keep the meat tender and juicy, especially during high-heat cooking.

Crispy Skin Every Time: No matter which method you choose—grilled, air fried, or oven baked—this Nashville hot wings recipe ensures crispy skin thanks to proper drying and high temperatures. Tossing the wings in mayo or oil before seasoning also helps the spice blend stick and encourages browning.

Flavor-Packed Homemade Nashville Sauce: The buttery, spicy finish ties everything together with the signature Nashville chicken flavor. By pouring the sauce on after cooking, you preserve the crispiness while adding an irresistible kick!

These Nashville hot chicken wings are perfect for game day, cookouts, or anytime you need a spicy, satisfying appetizer. Give them a try and let me know your favorite way to cook them!

Supplies Needed

• Large mixing bowl or zip-top bag (for brining)
• Paper towels (for drying wings)
• Tongs
• Grill, air fryer, or oven + baking sheet
• Small saucepan (for sauce)
• Meat thermometer
• Large bowl (for tossing with sauce)

Ingredients

• Chicken Wings: Use split wings for even cooking, but whole wings work too. If they were frozen, make sure they are fully thawed!
• Pickle Brine: Use the juice from any jar of dill pickles. This adds moisture and subtle tang.
• Mayo or Olive Oil: Helps the seasoning stick and creates a crispy crust during cooking.
• Nashville Hot Seasoning Rub: Look for one with cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, and garlic powder. Or make your own by using my Nashville hot seasoning recipe!
• Butter: Melt it low and slow and blend it with the spices.

Preparation Methods

Brine the Wings

1. Brine: Place chicken wings in a large bowl or zip-top bag and cover with pickle juice. Let the wings brine in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Do not exceed 1 hour to prevent overly salty wings.
2. Pat Dry: Remove wings from the brine, pat them completely dry with paper towels, and discard the brine.

Season the Wings

1. Coat in Oil or Mayo: Place the dried wings in a large bowl and drizzle with mayo or olive oil, tossing to coat evenly.
2. Add Seasoning: Sprinkle Nashville Hot Seasoning Rub over the wings and toss until fully coated.

Cooking Methods

Cooking the Wings

1. Grilled Wings: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375–400°F) and set up for indirect heat. Grill wings for 25–30 minutes, turning every 5–7 minutes until skin is crisp and internal temperature reaches 175–180°F.
2. Air Fryer Wings: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Arrange wings in a single layer in the basket (cook in batches if needed). Air fry for 22–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and fully cooked when they hit an internal temperature of 175–180°F.
3. Oven Baked Wings: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a wire rack. Arrange wings in a single layer and bake for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway. For extra crisp, broil the wings for 2–3 minutes at the end.

Saucing and Serving

1. Melt the Butter with Seasoning: In a small pan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the Nashville hot seasoning and mix until the spices are blended well into the butter.
2. Add to Wings: Pour the seasoned butter over the wings and toss to combine.
3. Serve & Enjoy: Serve with your favorite dressing, crispy celery, and top with some pickle de gallo if desired.

Tips For Making Nashville Hot Wings

• Don’t over-brine! Stick to 30–60 minutes max. Longer, and you risk overly salty wings due to the acidity and sodium in pickle brine.
• Dry your wings thoroughly. Patting them completely dry is the secret to crispy chicken wings. Any leftover moisture will steam the wings and soften the exterior.
• Use a meat thermometer for accuracy. Wings should hit 175–180°F for the perfect texture. This ensures they’re fully cooked but still juicy.
• Flip regularly. Whether grilling, baking, or air frying, flipping the wings helps cook them evenly and prevents burning.
• Sauce after cooking. Don’t sauce your wings too early, or they’ll lose their crunch. Toss them while hot, just before serving!
• Broil for extra crunch. If using the oven method, finish the wings under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. This crisps the skin and caramelizes the seasoning beautifully.

What To Pair With Your Wings

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve these spicy Nashville hot wings:

• As a meal: Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch or blue cheese dressing along with some celery sticks and carrot sticks. On a side, serve them with some crispy muffin tin potatoes, crispy potato salad or smoked biscuits!
• As an appetizer: Top them off with some pickle de gallo along with a spread of other appetizers like tri tip sliders, high protein buffalo chicken dip, or smoked BLT dip!

More Recipes To Try

• Peruvian Chicken Wings
• Grilled Lemon Pepper Wings
• Thai Curry Chicken Wings
• Summer Shandy Wings
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Wings