These Apricot-Balsamic Chicken Wings are grilled, coated with a delicious fruit and vinegar reduction, then topped with chopped onions and parsley. An insanely delicious appetizer for any party, cookout, or game-day event!ย
One thing I love just as much as a good steak is a perfectly cooked chicken wing. These apricot-balsamic chicken wings are incredible. The sweet and tangy flavors work so well together with that light kiss of smoke. They are just out of this world! You have two options for applying the wing sauce. See the instructions below for details!
Please noteย that while wings are technically safe to eat at an internal temperature of 165 degrees, I recommend letting them cook until they reach 175 degrees F to crisp up. I also recommend using a brine for these wings.
Ingredients for Apricot-Balsamic Chicken Wings:
- 3 pounds of chicken wings, flats and drumettes
- Honey BBQ Rub or your favorite sweet BBQ rub
- Balsamic vinegar
- Apricot preserves
- Red onion, green onion, or chivesย (for garnish)
- Flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)
- Brine for Chicken Wings (optional, but recommended)
Steps to Make It:
- Brine wings for 3-4 hours.
- To prepare the apricot-balsamic reduction: Pour 1 3/4 cups of balsamic into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. The mixture should be reduced by half within 8-10 minutes.
- Once the balsamic has thickened, stir in apricot preserves and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover tightly and keep warm.
Grilling the Wings:
- Preheat the grill to 325 degrees F or medium heat. Have a reliable instant-read thermometer handy!
- Remove wings from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Apply seasoning rub to wings; coat well. Place wings onto the grill and cook for 30-40 minutes, turning 4-5 times during the cooking process.ย
- Once wings have cooked to an internal temperature between 175 degrees, and are crispy, remove them from heat and arrange them onto a platter. If they are not crisp enough, remove the wings and increase the heat of your pellet grill, then place them back on for 3-4 minutes to crisp up. For charcoal and gas, place them over a direct heat source to finish off.
- If the balsamic reduction is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water to the pan and reheat to thin it out.
Apricot-Balsamic Chicken Wing Sauce:
- Option 1: Drizzle with apricot-balsamic reduction, and garnish with chopped red onion and parsley. If you’re not a fan of red onions, you can substitute them with chopped green onions or chives.
- Option 2: Brush wings with a balsamic reduction and let them cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove from grill, plate, garnish, and serve.
- Store leftover apricot-balsamic chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to retain crispness.
Grilled Apricot-Balsamic Chicken Wings
These wings are grilled then drizzled with a delicious apricot-balsamic reduction, and topped with chopped red onions and parsley. A tasty addition for any get together.
Print Pin RateServings: 4 people
Calories: 602kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings, flats and drumettes
- 1/4 cup Honey BBQ Rub or your favorite sweet BBQ rub
- 1 3/4 cups balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion sub with green onion or chives (for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley (for garnish)
- Brine for Chicken Wings
Instructions
- Brine chicken wings for 3-4 hours.
- While wings are in the brine, it is time to prepare the balsamic reduction. Pour 1 3/4 cups of balsamic into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium or medium-low. Mixture should be reduced by half within 8-10 minutes. Once balsamic has thickened, stir in apricot preserves and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover tightly and keep warm.
- Preheat grill for 325 degrees F or medium heat.
- Remove wings from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Apply seasoning rub to wings; coat well. Place wings onto grill and cook for 30-40 minutes turning 4-5 times during cooking process. Watch for burning, and move wings to cooler side of grill if needed.
- Once wings have cooked through (internal temperature between 175 degrees F.), and have a nice crispiness and grill marks, remove from heat and arrange onto platter.Option 1: Drizzle with balsamic reduction, and garnish with chopped red onion and parsley. If you're not a fan of red onions, you can substitute with chopped green onions or chives.Option 2: Brush wings with a balsamic reduction and let them cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove from grill, plate, garnish, and serve.
Notes
Photo by: repinanatoly/Depositphotos
Nutrition
Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 868IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 8mg
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