Grilled Thai Curry Chicken Wings

Crowd Pleaser: Whether it's a casual family dinner or a large gathering, these curry chicken wings are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The combination of the crispy exterior and the juicy, flavor-packed interior makes them impossible to resist.

Versatile: This recipe is super versatile! You can adjust the heat level by adding or reducing the curry powder, or even adding in other favorite spices. Plus, it’s just as delicious baked in an oven as it is grilled.

Family Favorite: This recipe is sure to become a hit with the whole family. The combination of curry powder, garlic, turmeric, and cumin creates a combination that's irresistible for everyone in the family!

All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make these delicious curry chicken wings at home.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

• Large Chicken Wings: I like to use full chicken wings for this recipe so that I can get that crispy chicken skin throughout the whole wing. At the very end, after you are almost done grilling the wings, you will be brushing them with a bit of oil to make them even more crispy. That being said, you can use flats and drumettes as well.
• Oil: Used to brush on wings at the very end, it makes the wings crispy and gives them a beautiful golden brown color. 

For the Coconut Curry Marinade:

• Lemongrass: Provides a refreshing, citrusy aroma to the curry sauce, enhancing the overall flavor of the chicken wings. You can use fresh lemongrass stalks or frozen pre-ground lemongrass for this recipe. If you are using fresh lemongrass, use the white solid chunk at the bottom of the stalk.  Make sure you rinse it well before using it, they can sometimes be gritty and sandy. I also find it is easier to cut lemongrass after I have used a rolling pin to flatten it a little - this also releases the lemongrass oils better for more flavor. Both fresh and frozen lemongrass can be found at an Asian grocery store. The pre-ground stuff is usually found in the freezer aisle.
• Garlic cloves: An essential ingredient in many recipes, garlic gives our curry sauce a garlicky taste that compliments the other ingredients beautifully.
• Shallots: They add a subtle sweetness and depth to the curry sauce, bringing out the flavors of the other ingredients. 
• Curry powder: This is the heart of any curry recipe. It gives the chicken wings their distinctive curry flavor. I normally like using Madras curry powder in all my cooking but you definitely can use any type of yellow curry powder that is available to you.
• Ground coriander and cumin: These spices lend an aromatic warmth to the curry sauce, enhancing its overall flavor.
• Turmeric: This optional ingredient adds a vibrant yellow color to the curry wings!
• Limes: The juice adds a tangy freshness to the curry sauce, balancing out the richness of the other ingredients.
• Sweetened condensed milk (or sugar): This adds a touch of sweetness to the curry sauce which gives a nice balance to the savory and spicy flavors. I use sweetened condensed milk for this recipe because I find it mixes into the chicken wing marinade more easily and it also gives it a bit of creaminess that helps with browning the chicken wings. You can substitute this with sugar.
• Coconut milk: It gives the curry sauce a rich, creamy texture and a subtly sweet, tropical flavor. You can use either coconut milk or coconut cream to make this chicken wing marinade. I find coconut cream a bit thicker and has a more coconut flavor.
• Fish sauce: This is a staple sauce in Thai cuisine that adds a savory depth and umami flavor to the curry sauce.

Making this incredible curry chicken wing recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

Preparation

Prepare the Marinade: To prepare the marinade, you can combine everything into a food processor and blitz it until everything is well blended. Alternatively, you can chop everything by hand if you don't have a food processor but make sure you chop the lemongrass stalks finely. I'd also recommend grating the onion and garlic if you are doing it by hand since you want it to coat the chicken very well in the marinade for when you are grilling it for the best flavors. Marinade for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight if possible.

Mix the Marinade: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the chicken wings) and stir until well mixed. This will be your flavorful curry marinade.

Marinate the Wings: Add the chicken wings to the marinade in the large bowl. Make sure that every wing is coated with the marinade and allow it to sit for a minimum of four hours. For optimal flavor, marinate it overnight if you can.

Prepare the Skewers (Optional): If you are using a bamboo skewer, soak the ends in a tall cup for an hour. This prevents the skewer from burning during grilling. The pointy part will be covered by the chicken, so no need to worry about that.

Preheat the Grill: Set your grill to a temperature of approximately 275 F (135C), which is about medium low heat. A kamado grill adds a bit of smokiness to your wings, but a traditional BBQ works just fine too.

Grill the Wings: Add the chicken wings to the grill and let them cook for about 20-25 minutes. 

Cook the Leftover Marinade: Pour the leftover marinade into a small pot and let it simmer over the stove for about 5-10 minutes. Set it aside after cooking for brushing later.

Open the Grill and Apply Marinade: After 20-25 minutes, open up the grill (if you are using a kamado bbq, keep it open to get the temperature up as high as possible, if you are using a traditional bbq set the temperature to as high as possible) and apply the leftover marinade on both sides of the wings and cook it for 5 minutes per side. Watch it carefully so that it doesn't burn.

Oil and grill for crispiness: Brush vegetable oil on all the wings and grill them for another minute or so on each side until they turn golden brown and crispy.

Enjoy your meal: Now that the curry chicken wings are ready, serve and enjoy!

This delicious curry chicken wings recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

Make it Zestier: If you're a fan of tangy flavors, this variation is for you. Simply add a couple more tablespoons of lime juice to the marinade. This will not only tenderize the chicken wings more but also give them a refreshing, zesty flavor.

Extra Garlic: If you're a garlic lover, this variation will hit the spot. Double the amount of garlic cloves in the marinade. This will give your curry chicken wings an aromatic garlic flavor that pairs beautifully with the curry spices.

Spice it Up: If you enjoy a good kick in your food, add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade. This will give your curry chicken wings an extra spicy punch.

You can easily store any leftovers you have of these delicious crispy curry wings. Place your leftover curry chicken wings in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They will stay good for about three to four days. 

When you're ready to enjoy your leftover wings, preheat your oven to 350F. Place the wings on a baking sheet and drizzle a little vegetable oil over them. 

This will help restore some of their original crispiness. Bake the wings until they're heated through and golden brown.

I don’t recommend freezing these curry chicken wings since the sauce can separate during the freezing process and the texture of the wings can change.

If you made this grilled curry chicken wings recipe, I want to see! Follow Pups with Chopsticks on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @pupswithchopsticks and #pupswithchopsticks. I love to know what you are making!

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