PRIMO ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WINGS
Crispy glazed chicken wings for the win! Game day or any day, the best chicken wings are achieved by playing these 6 secret moves; baking powder, cornstarch, air-dry, Primo Grill Rotisserie, glaze, and a fire finish!
My Primo Rotisserie Chicken Wings post is sponsored by PRIMO CERAMIC GRILL, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Merry Recipe! As you all know, #iLoveMyPrimoGrill
WHY GRILL CHICKEN WINGS IN A ROTISSERIE BASKET
Super Bowl Sunday is almost here! No wonder, many BBQ enthusiasts, from rookies to pros, are deciding on their final game-day-eats move! And of course, I’m not talking about on the field but inside the grill. For me, that means lighting up the lump charcoal in my Primo Ceramic XL Grill, and tossing in a few smoking wood chunks or chips.
I love smoking rotisserie chicken wings on my Primo Ceramic Grill because the rotisserie does all the work in turning them. That rotation means the chicken wings keep basting in their own juices from fat to skin. That’s why there is no fear of drying out chicken wings when they are cooked in a rotisserie basket. PRIMO ROTISSERIE BASKET.
I love that chicken wings take only 45 minutes on the grill. The chicken wings start out at 300°F for 30 minutes then the easy to regulate vents are opened wide to allow more air. The heat shoots up to 425°F degrees for that fire finish we all crave. Plus, the short cook time means you can make a few batches which you will definitely need to feed the team!
HOW TO COOK CHICKEN WINGS USING PRIMO'S ROTISSERIE KIT
Season the chicken wings and place on a rimmed pan with a rack to air-dry. Set in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up until overnight.
After the chicken wings have air-dried, arrange a small layer of lump charcoal on the bottom of the fire pit for direct cooking. Ignite the lump charcoal allowing the charcoal heat to build with the lid and vents open. Once the charcoal is beginning to turn gray, 10 minutes after lighting, close the lid. Adjust the vents to achieve 300°F.
Place 4 pounds or less of seasoned chicken wings into the Primo Rotisserie Basket and fasten latches.
Set the Primo Rotisserie Frame onto the firebox. Attach the motor and plug it in.
Prepare the Primo Grill to 300°F. Place the seasoned chicken wings into the basket. Secure the basket onto the spit rod. Insert the spit rod into the motor, and let the wings cook for 30 minutes or until their internal temperature is around 160°F.
Remove the basket of wings from the rotisserie basket. Open the vents to increase the heat to about 425°F. Make the glaze and toss the chicken wings in it. Place the grill grates into the grill. Cook chicken directly on the grill grates for about 15 minutes, flipping the chicken wings over as needed. Allow the chicken wings to reach about 179°F. Note: Chicken is safe to eat at 165°. I prefer the texture when the wing temperature is over 175°F.
HOW MANY CHICKEN WINGS PER PERSON
Now this is a question with determining factors! If your chicken wings are being served as a main dish, I would recommend 6-8 wings per person. Or if the “Super Bowl Party” is going on for hours be prepared to cook up a second or third batch an hour after serving the first! If length of the party and the main food star is your determining factor, then 4 pounds of chicken wings will feed 5 people.
Also take into account if you are clipping the wing tips, and the size of the chicken wing. Some chicken wings are huge.
If the addicting sticky chicken wings are not the featured meal then the number of wings is 3-5 per average person is plenty! Of course, take in to consideration if you have little kids and dainty women.
Overall, you probably won’t have too many chicken wings because they disappear fast. Plus, leftover chicken wings are delicious.
A good ratio is a pound of chicken wings per person because there are usually 4-5 chicken wings per pound.
HOW TO SEASON PRIMO ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WINGS
Primo Rotisserie Chicken Wings are loaded with flavor due to the garlic pepper rub with hints of smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, onion and ground guajillo chili pepper. You can create your own rub blend, but trust me, my recipe below turned out finger-licking delicious.
In my recipe, cornstarch and baking powder are added to the rub to help “dry” out the skin to create crispier skin. There is a debate on which medium is more effective for chicken wings, baking powder or baking soda. Baking powder will soak up the chicken juices allowing the skin to blister and raise a bit. Baking soda will raise the pH and will help in browning and crisping the skin but might leave a funky taste. Take your pick but do not use both together. Lastly, when using baking powder it is a must that it is aluminum free for taste purposes.
After seasoning the chicken wings the other tip to developing super crispy baked wings is to place them on a baker’s rack and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight. Who would know that a simple make-ahead step would benefit a crunchier delish chicken skin! Score!
The next secret move in making a smoked chicken wings that will score big with the team is to add 1-2 wood chunks or a handful of smoking chips to the coals before attaching the Primo Rotisserie Frame. My favorite wood chunks/chips for chicken wings are cherry wood or mesquite.
The last secret moves that make my Super Bowl Chicken Wings the best are to smoke them in the Primo Rotisserie at 300°F for 30 minutes or until the wings reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Next, the chicken wings are removed from the Primo Rotisserie Basket and tossed in an easy glaze of maple, lemon juice, whole grain mustard and sriracha. The chicken wings are placed directly over high heat, about 425°F, for a fire finish. The added high heat develops that rich sticky skin that is addicting.
PRIMO ROTISSERIE TIPS
The Primo Grill Rotisserie Kit https://shop.primogrill.com/products/rotisserie-kit is easy to assemble, and set on the Primo ceramic basin. However, I do have two important tips I’ll give you after multiple cooks using my Primo Rotisserie attachment.
#1. The Primo Grill Rotisserie frame, when placed on the Primo ceramic firebox, does not allow for a completely snug fit like the dome lid does. What does this mean to you? That means you will need to close the vents more to create a lower heat. As you know air feeds fire, and that little tiny opening will act as a vent giving the fire oxygen.
#2. After a few cooks using my rotisserie I noticed the spit rod was moving itself out of the motor. The spit rod didn’t fall down or anything all that happens is the rod stops turning. There is a solution! Fortunately, after inquiring at Primo Grill about my problem they let me know the solution. Take the Primo Rotisserie assembly, and remove the three screws that hold the metal plate to the motor housing. Remove the three black spacers. Reinstall the metal plate using the 3 screws. I’ve never had a problem with the spit rod walking out of the rotisserie motor again!
WHAT YOU NEED FOR ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WINGS
Primo Rotisserie Kit
Primo Lump Charcoal
4 pounds trimmed chicken wings
Smoking wood chunks, optional
FOR THE RUB:
Primo Garlic Seasoning Rub or a steak seasoning rub
Light or dark brown sugar
Ground cumin and ground coriander
Ground guajillo chili pepper or ancho powder or even chili powder Onion powder
Cornstarch
Baking powder
FOR THE GLAZE:
Agave syrup or maple syrup
Whole grain mustard or spicy brown mustard
Lemon or lime juice
OTHER WINNING PRIMO SUPER BOWL RECIPES
There are so many popular game day dishes that can be found on the Primo Grill Recipe website, and on A Merry Recipe. Here are my faves:
CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES at A Merry Recipe
Fun Fact!
Chicken wings are the number one food choice at the Super Bowl, according to the National Chicken Council. They state that Americans consume more than 100 million pounds of chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday!
Primo Ceramic Grills Offers Attachments!
Primo Grills has come out with lots of new accessories over the last few years. To name a few:
Need more drool-worthy Primo recipe ideas?
LET’S ROTISSERIE CHICKEN WINGS!
Primo Rotisserie Chicken Wings
Quick Info
Serves: 6
Chicken Wings Internal Temperature: 165°F to 180°F
Season: Year Round
Category: Poultry
INGREDIENTS:
Chicken Wings & Rub
4 pounds chicken wings, trim to your preference
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Primo Garlic Pepper Rub
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/12 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground guajillo chili pepper or preferred ground chili pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
Chicken Glaze
1/4 cup agave syrup or maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice, or to taste
1/2 tablespoon whole grain mustard
PREPARATION INSTRUCTION
Prepare the Chicken Wings: Clip off the wing tips to prevent tips from burning. It is optional to cut between the drummette (part with 1 bone) and the flat (part with 2 bones).
Prepare the Rub and Glaze: Combine all rub ingredients then toss with chicken wings to thoroughly coat. Combine the glaze ingredients and place on a medium rimmed pan, and set aside.
Air Dry Chicken Wings: Place seasoned chicken wings on rack and place on a rimmed pan. Loosely cover with paper towel and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.
Prepare the Grill: Arrange Primo Lump Charcoal on the bottom of the firebox for direct zone cooking. Wedge 1 or 2 Primo Quick Light starter cubes in the charcoal, and light. Wait 10 minutes for the charcoal to build a small bed of embers. Close the dome, and fully open the draft door on the bottom. Adjust the top vent as the thermometer begins to reach 300°F. Add 1-2 smoking wood chunks or a handful of smoking chips, if desired.
Prepare the Rotisserie: Place the Primo Rotisserie Frame onto the firebox. Attach the motor and plug the electrical plug into power.
COOKING INSTRUCTION
Remove air dried chicken wings from the refrigerator, and place into a rotisserie basket. Lock the rotisserie basket by fastening the latches.
Thread the spit rod through the rotisserie basket. Center the chicken wings basket on the spit rod, and tighten the screws to secure.
Insert the spit rod with chicken wing basket into the rotisserie motor, and turn it on.
Smoke the chicken wings for 30 minutes or until it has an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove the partially cooked chicken wings from the rotisserie basket. Toss in glaze.
Open the vents on the bottom and top of the Primo, allowing the heat to increase to about 425°F! Remove the rotisserie frame and insert the grill grates.
Arrange the chicken wings over high heat on the grill grates. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken wing internal temperature is over 175°F. Rest the chicken wings a few minutes before devouring. Serve with ranch, blue cheese, and bbq sauce.
Chef’s Notes:
Make Ahead! Season the chicken wings and air dry the day before serving.
Feed the Team! 4-pounds of chicken wings fit comfortably in the Primo Rotisserie Basket. Do not overstuff the basket.
Stay Safe! I use food safe gloves when working with raw meat. The USDA guideline for eating cooked chicken, at a safe temperature, is 165°F. However, chicken wings love higher!
