BBQ Wings Recipe (Baked, Grilled, Air Fryer, Crock Pot)

This BBQ wings recipe can be cooked FOUR different ways---baked, grilled, air fried, or slow-cooked in a crockpot! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and coated with a wonderful smoky, tangy, salty, savory dry rub. You'll love how easy it is to make these wings any season, any weather condition, or any night of the week.

You Will Love These Barbecue Chicken Wings

Four Ways to Cook. I have tried these wings in every way to cook them - baked, air fried, slow-cooked, and grilled. Wings are super easy to make for dinner baked, grilled or air-fried, or slow-cooked as an appetizer for parties!

Easy Dry Rub. This dry rub is super easy to make! Put all dry rub ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until well combined. Add more or less of each ingredient to your preference. Bonus: make a double batch to store for next time!

Healthy! These wings have no sugar added to the dry rub making this a delicious low-carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free recipe. The perfect lean protein meal to pair with your favorite low-carb sides. Scroll down for ideas on how to serve these wings.

Barbecue Wings Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this BBQ wings recipe:

Chicken Wings

• Bone in Skin on Chicken Wings: substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs if preferred.
• Olive Oil: can be omitted but helps get the skin crispy.

Dry Rub

• Dried Oregano
• Cumin: this is a great spice that is used in many different international dishes, commonly used in chili, Mexican, and Indian food. It has a great earthy, mild flavor that pairs well with herbs.
• Smoked Paprika: adds a nice, slightly smoky, sweet flavor to the dry rub.
• Dried Parsley Flakes
• Garlic Salt: used in the dry rub and used to add more to taste after cooking.
• Dried Thyme
• Onion Powder
• Ground Yellow Mustard: I love to add ground yellow mustard to dry rubs, especially for chicken and pork. It adds a complimenting tangy flavor with all of the herbs and spices.
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

BBQ Wings Substitutions and Additions

• Use your own favorite dry rub in place of this homemade version.
• Use fresh herbs in place of dried ones. You will not be able to store any leftovers due to the fresh herbs wilting.
• Omit any herbs or spices as desired.
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or use boneless if preferred. If you are using chicken thighs, you may need to adjust your cooking time so the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F for safety.
• Use BBQ sauce instead of a dry rub if preferred. Add your BBQ sauce at the end of cooking for grilling, air-frying, or baking. You can add bbq sauce to the wings when slow cooking to infuse the flavor.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Wings (4 Ways)

There are 4 ways you can make these wings...yep. 4. Bake them, air fry, grill, or slow cook them. Here's how:

Be sure to see the recipe card for full details on how to make them.

Make The Dry Rub

1. In a small bowl mix the dry rub.
2. Coat the wings with olive oil and sprinkle on rub.
3. Place in an airtight container or plastic bag and let marinate for a few hours.
4. Cook using your favorite method below.

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (Tip: wingettes may be substituted. Bake at 375 35 to 42 minutes.)
2. Place wings on the baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
2. Working in two batches, add wings to the air fryer basket. Cook until done, turning halfway. Repeat for the second batch. (Tip: keep the first batch warm while the second batch is cooking. Place back in the air fryer for a couple of minutes to re-crisp.)

Grilled BBQ Chicken Wings

1. Grease the grill grates. Preheat the grill to medium heat, about 400 degrees F.
2. Place wings on the grill face down. Grill for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill another 10 minutes or until done.

BBQ Chicken Wings in Crock Pot 

1. Set oven to broil and oven rack to 6 inches away from the top. Place wings on a baking sheet and broil on all sides until golden.
2. Coat the crockpot with nonstick spray. Place wings in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours or until done. (Tip: every crockpot cooks a little differently; check the temperature of the chicken after 2 hours to prevent overcooking.)

How to Serve Barbecue Chicken Wings

Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, or garlic salt.

Serve with a favorite dipping sauce or BBQ sauce. This Carolina gold BBQ sauce recipe would pair really well with the dry rub!

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives.

Meal idea! Serve with your favorite salad sides, such as this broccoli salad recipe with bacon or this Italian "pasta" salad (use cauliflower florets instead of noodles for low carb). Or, pair it with your favorite side salad and vegetable.

Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later! 🙂

How to Store Barbecue Wings

Store any leftover barbecue wings in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 4 months.

BBQ Wings FAQs