Honey Feta Chilli Chicken Wings with Thyme and Lemon
Sweet, salty and a little fiery, these BBQ wings are glazed with honey, chilli, lemon and thyme, then finished with crumbled feta. They’re ideal when you want a richer wing platter with sticky texture, bold flavour and plenty of contrast.
Ingredients
For the wings
- 1½ kg chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
For the honey feta chilli glaze
- 4 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or mild pul biber
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 80 g feta finely crumbled
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 pinch sea salt
To finish
- 40 g feta crumbled
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 small red chilli finely sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Season the wings
- Pat the wings dry and place them in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, onion granules, paprika, dried thyme, oregano and chilli flakes. Toss until evenly coated.
- Leave them uncovered in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes if you can. That short rest helps the seasoning cling and gives the skin a better shot at crisping.
Make the glaze
- In a small bowl or pan, mix the honey, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, Aleppo pepper, chilli flakes, crumbled feta, thyme leaves and a small pinch of salt.
- Warm the mixture very gently if needed, just enough to loosen it. Don’t boil it. I want it spoonable, not cooked into a solid mass before it ever hits the wings.
Set up the BBQ
- Prepare the BBQ for two-zone cooking, aiming for roughly 200 to 220°C inside with one hotter area for finishing and one cooler area for control.
- Take the wings out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before cooking so they lose a bit of the chill.
Cook the wings through first
- Place the wings on the cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning a few times, until the skin has tightened and the fat has begun to render.
- Move them over the hotter side for another 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until browned and nearly done.
Glaze in layers
- Brush or spoon a thin coat of the honey feta chilli glaze over the wings. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes with the lid open or loosely closed, then turn and glaze the other side.
- Repeat this 2 or 3 times until the wings are glossy, tacky and properly cooked through to at least 74°C. Keep moving them to avoid hot spots. This is where the wings pick up that lacquered finish.
Finish and rest
- Transfer the wings to a platter. Scatter over the extra feta, thyme, sliced chilli and parsley. Give them a small squeeze of lemon right at the end.
- Rest them for 5 minutes before serving. The glaze settles, the feta softens slightly and the wings become much easier to handle.
Notes
These wings work because the glaze is layered rather than dumped on at the start. Honey scorches if it goes on too early, so I season the wings simply, get them cooked and only then start brushing on the sweet stuff. The thyme matters more than it looks on paper. It cuts through the honey and gives the wings a savoury, faintly woody edge that stops them tasting like generic sweet chilli wings with a bit of feta thrown over.
Feta does two jobs here. Some goes into the glaze, where it loosens slightly and turns it cloudy, salty and a bit uneven in the best possible way. The rest goes over the top for texture. I want little creamy nuggets, not a fully smooth sauce. Aleppo pepper is useful because it brings warmth and fruitiness without a harsh hit, though ordinary chilli flakes will still do the job if that’s what’s in the cupboard.
Nutrition
Calories: 596kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 37gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 425mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 710IUCalcium: 128mgIron: 2.2mg
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