Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings Recipe

If you’re ready to upgrade your game-day menu, these grilled jerk chicken wings are a must-try. They’re tangy, sticky, smoky, and spicy, with an incredible flavor that sets them apart from your normal BBQ or buffalo wings.  

Read on to find out how to make grilled jerk chicken wings — it’s easy if you’re handy at the grill — and what to serve with them.

What you need for grilled jerk chicken wings

You might need to make a grocery store run to collect all the spices for this one. Here’s your list:

• 3 lbs or so of chicken wings
• 6 green onions
• 1 onion  
• 1 jalapeno pepper, or any pepper of your preferred spice level
• ¾ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

Substitutions

You can swap in coconut aminos for the soy sauce and any mild vinegar for the white vinegar. You can also use whatever oil you have on hand in lieu of vegetable oil.

Brown sugar’s easy to replace, too. Try coconut sugar or maple syrup instead.

I wouldn’t leave out any of the seasonings because this combination is magic. But, if you don’t have allspice or don’t want to buy it, you can make a pretty good substitute from cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

How to make grilled jerk chicken wings

These chicken wings are super easy to make. The most time-consuming part of the prep is measuring the marinade ingredients into your blender or food processor. Let’s go through it, step by step.

1. Make the marinade  

Start by chopping your green and white onions into pieces so they’ll blend nicely in the marinade. Toss those into your blender or food processor.

You can do the same with the jalapeno if you don’t mind the spice. If you’d rather keep things mild, use half the jalapeno and remove the seeds.

Follow with everything else on the ingredient list:

• ¾ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

2. Wait

Place the marinade and your chicken wings into a container. Flip the chicken pieces so they’re coated on all sides. Put the container into the refrigerator.

Ideally, you want the chicken to marinate overnight. You can go as short as 4 hours, but I wouldn’t go less than that.

3. Grill

Clean and oil the grates on your barbecue and then fire it up. Once it’s hot, place the wings on the grill. Toss any leftover marinade.

The wings should take 6 to 8 minutes per side to cook. Verify that the internal temperature has reached 165°F or 74°C with an instant-read thermometer. You could even go to 170°F or 77°C with wings. I like them better a little more cooked.

Remove them from the grill and they’re ready to go.

What to serve with grilled jerk chicken wings

I like these grilled wings with fried or grilled plantains. Those two dishes make for an easy, but very satisfying meal. If plantains aren’t your jam, here are some other side dish ideas:

• Rice and peas: Jamaican rice and peas is made of coconut milk, kidney beans (the peas), and aromatic spices.
• Roasted sweet potatoes: Try peeling sweet potatoes, coating them with cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and then roasting them.  
• Coleslaw: Coleslaw’s refreshing and crunchy nature provides a cool contrast to the spicy chicken.
• Grilled pineapple: The sweetness of grilled pineapple can balance the heat of the jerk
• Corn on the cob: Grilled corn on the cob with a sprinkle of lime and chili powder is a flavorful and easy side dish.
• Grilled vegetables: A colorful array of grilled veggies such as zucchini, bell peppers, and onions is a healthy and tasty option.

Drink pairings for grilled jerk chicken wings

You know I won’t leave you hanging without some drink ideas to pair with your jerk chicken. Here are some boozy and virgin drinks that go nicely with spicy, grilled chicken:

• Rum drinks: Rum is a popular beverage in the Caribbean, where jerk chicken originated. A classic rum cocktail like a mojito or a dark and stormy can provide a refreshing and complementary sip.
• Beer: A crisp, cold beer can be a great pairing with jerk chicken. Lean into lighter options like lagers or wheat beer.  
• Iced tea: A cold glass of sweetened iced tea can be a refreshing and cooling drink to enjoy with spicy jerk chicken.
• Fruit juices: A tropical fruit juice like pineapple or mango can add a sweet and fruity complement to the spicy jerk flavor.
• Sparkling water or soda: The bubbles in carbonated beverages can help refresh your palate between bites of spicy chicken.