These Whole30 salt and pepper chicken wings are simply the best! Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside you will love how easy these are to make on the barbecue or in an air fryer. You only need three ingredients to make them and these chicken wings are also gluten free, paleo and keto!
Truth be told I can’t take credit for this recipe. These Whole30 salt and pepper chicken wings are my dad’s creation. He has been grilling these chicken wings for years and I have been meaning to ask how to make them for so long. Well I finally did and I can’t wait for you to try them! These chicken wings are so darn tasty and surprisingly easy to make. They are nice and crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside. You only need three ingredients to make them and the clean up is super simple since they are grilled on the barbecue or in your air fryer! They are perfect for spring and summer nights and also make great leftovers.
Whole30 Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
What you need to make these Whole30 salt and pepper chicken wings:
- Chicken wings – get pasture raised chicken wings here
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- A cookie sheet – learn how to choose safe cookware here
- A barbecue or grill (or air fryer)
Tips for making these chicken wings:
- I always recommend using chicken that is free range and organic. This is for both your own health and the ethical treatment and health of the animals. I have written more on this topic in this post. If you would like to have pasture raised meat delivered to your door click here.
- These wings cook better if you dry them completely before grilling
- This recipe is very adaptable. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of wings you use depending on how many people you are serving.
- The drumettes/ drumsticks often take longer to cook than the flat chicken wings so you may have to remove them from the barbecue first.
- Keep the lid of the barbecue open when cooking these wings to keep an eye on the wings and ensure they don’t get over-cooked.
How to make these chicken wings in the air fryer
If you don’t have a barbecue you can make these in the air fryer instead!
- Sprinkle one side of the chicken wings with sea salt and pepper. Then lay the wings on the tray or place them in the basket of your air fryer (you want them to be in a single layer, do not pile them on top of each other or they won’t cook properly).
- Cook the wings at 400F for 10-12 minutes (the cooking time will depend on the size of the wings and how crowded they are).
- Flip the chicken wings, sprinkle the other side with sea salt and pepper and then cook for an additional 10-12 minutes at 400F, until the wings are crisp.
What to serve with chicken wings:
- My paleo potato salad
- My Whole30 broccoli salad
- Sweet potato or regular fries
- My paleo cornbread muffins (not if you are on the Whole30)
- A side salad or cut raw veggies
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
Frequently asked questions:
Truth be told I have never tried. I don’t think these chicken wings would turn out as crisp if you baked them in the oven so I do recommend grilling them.
Yes! I recommend heating them for a few minutes in your oven or toaster oven to warm them. I also like eating them cold right from the fridge!
4-5 depending on the size of the wings. 4-5 chicken wings is also considered the serving size for chicken wings.
Other recipes you will love:
- Air Fryer Pork Ribs
- Whole30 Sloppy Joes
- Whole30 Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli
- Whole30 Turkey Meatballs with Cranberries
- Whole30 Salmon Loaf with Dill Sauce
- Whole30 Air Fryer Carrots
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Whole30 Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings (paleo, keto)
These Whole30 salt and pepper chicken wings are incredibly good! Crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside you will love how easy they are to make. They are also paleo and keto!
Ingredients
- 5 lbs chicken wings
- sea salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
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Wash, dry and cut your chicken wings (or just wash and dry if you have pre-cut chicken wings)
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Turn your bbq onto high heat and let it heat up
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While your bbq is heating, sprinkle a baking tray with sea salt and pepper
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Place all the chicken wings on your bbq grill
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Cook the first side of the chicken wings for ~5 minutes and then flip them over to the other side
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Cook the other side for ~5 minutes. Then repeat this process twice more, so the total cooking time is ~20 minutes until the wings are crisp and browned on the outside.
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Transfer the chicken wings to the pre-seasoned baking tray and rub the wings into the salt and pepper to coat the bottom side. Sprinkle the top with additional sea salt and ground pepper to taste
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- This recipe is very adaptable. Depending on how many people you need to feed feel free to increase or decrease the amount of wings you make.Â
- The drumettes/ drumsticks often take longer to cook than the flat chicken wings so you may have to remove them from the barbecue first.Â
- Keep the lid of the barbecue open when cooking these wings to keep an eye on the wings and ensure they don’t get over-cooked.Â
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These chicken wings are THE BEST!
They really are!!!