Grilled Chicken Wings with an Apricot Lime Glaze

1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
1 tablespoon grated lime zest (from about 3 limes)
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro plus 2 to 3 teaspoons extra for the garnish
1 tablespoon chopped  garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
2  to 2 1/4 pounds chicken wings split into drumettes and wingettes (also known as flats)
Canola or olive oil for grill rack
Sea salt such as fleur de sel or Kosher salt
2 teaspoons lime juice for drizzling over the wings
6 lime wedges for garnish

1.Combine apricot jam, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of cilantro, garlic, ginger, and sriracha in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.

2. Place chicken wings in a glass on non-reactive dish that will hold the wings comfortably in a single layer and cover with marinade. Toss to coat well on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or even better overnight. Turn several times while marinating.

3.Remove the wings from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the marinade and strain through a sieve into a small, heavy saucepan. Set aside to make a glaze for the wings.

4.You can grill the wings on a stove top grill pan and then finish them in the oven or you can grill them on a gas or charcoal grill.

For the stove top/oven method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and with a cooling rack set over the foil. Oil a stove top grill pan with canola oil and set over medium heat. When pan is very hot, add enough wings to fit comfortably on the grill and sear until grill marks appear, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Watch carefully so you don’t burn them. Transfer the wings to the rack on the baking sheet. Continue with any remaining wings.

Bake wings, turning every 10 minutes with tongs, until tender when pierced with a sharp knife and an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees inserted into the thickest part of a wing and not touching the bone. For small wings, the time should be about 25 to 30 minutes, and for larger ones, 35 to 45 minutes or more.

For gas or charcoal grills, oil the racks with canola oil.  Sear the wings until they are charred on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes or less. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Then close grill top (with vents open on charcoal grill) and keep heat at about 350 to 375 degrees for gas grills, and indirect heat for charcoal ones. Cook turning often until chicken wings are tender when pierced with a sharp knife and a thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Remove to a serving platter.

5.While wings are cooking, place the strained marinade in the saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil and cook until mixture has reduced by more than half and is slightly syrupy, 5 minutes or more. Watch carefully so that mixture does not burn. Remove from heat.

6.When wings are done, remove from the oven and cool 4 to 5 minutes. Brush wings with glaze. Transfer wings to a serving platter and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Drizzle 2 teaspoons lime juice over wings and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 to 3 teaspoons cilantro. Garnish platter with lime wedges.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2026