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Is it possible to top the perfection of a sticky, savory chicken wing? I may have cracked the code: grill them! These tangy, sweet, and smokey cilantro lime grilled wings are actually heaven in your mouth! Fall apart tender, a little sticky, and bursting with a unique flavor, they are the perfect meal for a crowd (or yourself because, why not?).

Cilantro Lime Marinade

The key to this recipe is the marinade. It is packed with strong flavors that seep right into the chicken. Also, because of the sugars from the honey, it also serves as a basting liquid that will reduce on the chicken while cooking to pile on that flavor. The best thing is, it is an awesome marinade to use in so many other ways like chicken thighs, pork loin, or shrimp. First, take a large mixing bowl and add the following:

⅓ cup olive oil
⅓ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ cup cilantro minced
2 tbsp lime zest
¼ cup honey
4 cloves garlic minced
¾ tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tbsp onion powder
3 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp smoked paprika

Take 2-3lbs of trimmed chicken wing sections and add them to the marinade, tossing to coat. Let the chicken sit covered at room temperature for 30min to 1 hour, tossing once or twice to make sure the marinade is evenly spread around.

Grilled Chicken Wings

While your chicken marinates, heat your grill to 400°. I like to use a hot and cooler side of the grill, so I turned on 3 burners on medium high, and the other 3 on the lowest setting. Place the chicken on a seasoned grill (I started mine on the cooler side) and reserve the marinade. PRO TIP!!!! For ease, slide your chicken onto two parallel skewers so they flip easily, but this is totally optional.

Allow the wings to cook for about 5 minutes or until light grill marks form and they no longer stick, then flip and brush with reserved marinade. Repeat, making sure to close the lid between flips. I like to repeat this 2-3 times, allowing a nice caramel color to develop. When the chicken is just about cooked through, transfer to the hotter side (crank that heat up if you need to) for a few minutes to allow for some charring and crisping of the skin.

Don’t have a grill? No problem! Heat your oven to 425 and place the wings on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Cook 5-7 minutes per side, flip, and baste until they desired color and temperature is reached. Place on a platter and sprinkle with additional fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and cilantro ranch. Then CHOW DOWN! These cilantro lime grilled wings with transform your Wing Wednesday.

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