These grilled cajun wings are seasoned with a savory and spicy rub, then grilled over high heat until crispy and delicious. There's just something special about grilled wings. All the flavor you get from the grill combined with the Cajun spices seem like the perfect pairing. And bonus, if you need some ranch I have a couple recipes that will go perfect!
What Cajun spices go best on wings?
I will admit that sometimes I just go for the pre made rubs because they are just easy to use. I recently found a great one called T Don's. They are a small company out of Louisiana and they really know their stuff. They have an all purpose Cajun rub as well as a southern spicy ranch rub, which are both amazing.
I used the rub on these wings and it was the perfect blend of savory, spicy, and herbaceous.
If you need a good homemade cajun rub recipe, here's one that you can whip up really quick. This rub is perfect for Grilled Cajun Chicken pasta and Grilled Cajun Shrimp Po Boys too.
To start, mix 3 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoon fine kosher salt, 2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon onion powder,1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1tbsp cayenne, and ½ tablespoon dried thyme in a bowl. You can store this seasoning in a sealed container for up 6 months.
Making grilled Cajun wings
Anytime I'm cooking wings, I like to buy the whole fresh ones and then separate the drums from the flats. Then I place them on a wire rack and place them in my fridge uncovered for 24 hours. This dries out the wings which will help crisp them up during the cooking process. You will notice in the picture below how the wings have dried out some.
Next pat the wings dry to remove an excess moisture and then place them in a bowl. Drizzle on some olive oil and season with Cajun rub. Toss together well to incorporate.
Fire up your grill to 375-400 °F and place your wings on the grates. The high heat will ensure the skin crisps up. I'm using my Pitboss grill which will also give them a little smoke flavor in the process.
Once your wings reach 165°F they are safe to eat. However, I like to take wings to an internal temperature of 185° to make sure they are crispy. Don't worry they will not get dried out.
Once the wings are done, remove them from the grill and make the ranch if you want! I used TDon's spicy southern ranch which combines the rub with mayonnaise, lemon juice, and milk.
I have a great ranch recipe if you don't have the rub! Check it out here: Homemade Ranch.
All there's left to do is dunk your wings in that delicious ranch and dig right in! I love the combination of flavors from the spicy and savory wings, to the char grilled flavor, to the ranch that seems to give a great balance. Give these tasty wings a try, they are really good!
If you love wings check out these recipes:
Grilled buffalo wings with ranch
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Grilled Cajun Wings
These grilled cajun wings are seasoned with a savory and spicy rub, then grilled over high heat until crispy and delicious
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs chicken wings
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Cajun rub (TDon's)
Cajun Rub (If making homemade)
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Separate drums from flats if using whole wings
- For crispier wings lay them out onto wire baking rack and place them in your fridge uncovered for up to 24 hours. (If you don't have time, it's ok to skip this step)
- Place wings into a bowl, add olive oil, and Cajun Rub, then mix together well to incorporate.
- Preheat grill to 375-400°F and grill wings until an internal temperature of 185°F. Flip occasionally if necessary.
- Serve with ranch dressing if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Cajun
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