Bacon-wrapped chicken wings need just three ingredients–chicken wings, bacon, and black pepper–to make this stellar nosh. In about an hour you’ll have the best-grilled finger food you can imagine. And sooo simple.
The thing that amazes me about this chicken wing recipe is that I got to this point in my life without thinking of it before. It’s just a natural for the grilling carnivore because, as we all know, everything tastes better wrapped in bacon. So you simply straighten out the chicken wing, wrap it in bacon, and cook it slowly until the bacon is cooked. Magically, the chicken wing is done perfectly at the same time—like some kind of cosmic convergence. Makes you think that these two meats were meant to be together and we just never figured it out before. For me, just a little pepper is all they need, but if you’d like to brush them with a little barbecue sauce during the last few minutes or splash a little hot sauce on before eating, I think either would work well. It would be hard to do anything that would hurt this wonderful combination.–Ray Lampe
Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 10 fresh whole chicken wings
- 10 slices thinly sliced bacon*
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Soak at least 20 toothpicks in water for an hour.
- With a sharp knife, cut the tips off the chicken wings and save them for stock. Slash the inside of the wing joint but don't cut all the way through. You just want to help them cook more evenly. Working with 1 wing at a time, straighten it and then wrap it with a slice of bacon, starting at the top and spiraling to the bottom. Secure it with a couple of toothpicks. Season the bacon-wrapped wings liberally with the pepper.
- Prepare the grill for cooking over indirect heat. Grill the wings for 30 minutes. Flip and cook for another 30 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the wings are fully cooked. (In what can only be acknowledged as a serendipitous act on the part of the universe, the two are done at almost the exact same instant.) Arrange the wings on a platter and let rest for 5 minutes.
- You may serve the wings whole or you could serve them in individual segments by cutting them apart, taking care to keep the bacon in place. Remove the toothpicks and serve.
Notes
*Can I wrap my wings in thick-sliced bacon?
Everything's better with bacon, we know. But sometimes thinner bacon is better. Hear us out...to achieve a bacon-wrapped wing that gets cooked evenly, thin slices are the way to go. One-half slice perfectly wraps around each wing and both will be cooked at the same time. Reward your restraint here by cooking up those thick slabs next time you make breakfast.Show Nutrition
Recipe Testers' Reviews
These wings grilled up so beautifully. Imagine that once-exotic bacon-wrapped appetizer called rumaki, but without the chicken liver and water chestnut, and you get the idea. These were crispy-skinned, yet were juicy and tender on the inside. And it’s true: The bacon and chicken were magically done at the same time—like some kind of cosmic convergence. This is an easy main dish any time of the year or, as the recipe suggests, a winning appetizer.
Originally published June 24, 2010
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Hi there,
Do you suppose these would work as well under the broiler? Some of us apartment dwellers don’t have access to a grill.
Alexandra, I’m not sure that a broiler would work here. My concern is that the bacon would be burned before the chicken cooked through. You could try cooking the chicken wings first by baking them, then wrapping them in bacon and broiling until the bacon is cooked through.
Thanks, Angie! Great suggestion.
You’re welcome, Alexandra.
I had a sudden hankering for chicken wings at the grocery store last weekend so I got a pack (already halved, because that’s what they had) knowing a recipe would reveal itself, and this one did. We tried it tonight, halving the bacon strips to match the halved wings. As you can see from the attached photo, I also threw on some extra minced herbs from another recipe because – why not? The preparation is simplicity itself and the result is excellent.
Paul, the chicken looks great. And I love the addition of extra herbs.
Turned out perfect. Used a grill matt so they really did cook evenly with no sticking. Basted with melted Sriracha butter after turning and at table.
Baltisraul, sounds awesome!