Memphis Barbecue Chicken Wings

Memphis BBQ Chicken Wings are crispy, smoky, and coated in a bold, sticky-sweet sauce that’s easy to make and impossible to stop eating!

If you’re serving Buffalo Wings for game day, you probably have a side of BBQ Chicken Wings too! This tasty party Appetizer Recipe is your favorite BBQ wings with a homemade sauce!

Sabrina’s Memphis Barbecue Chicken Wings Recipe

If you are from the Memphis area, you know dry rubs are preferred for slow-smoked ribs, or really any cut of meat. And the best way to serve smoked meat is with a side of tangy sauce. This Memphis Barbecue Chicken Wings recipe gives you the best of both worlds: the smoky dry rub flavors and a bold, sticky hickory sauce.

Recipe Card

About this Recipe

Memphis Barbecue sauce is a tomato-based sauce with smoky Worcestershire sauce, sweet brown sugar, tangy vinegar and mustard, and spices to give it that signature bold flavor. It’s no wonder it’s the most popular BBQ sauce for grill masters and wing lovers everywhere. These are a crowd-pleasing appetizer for holidays and game days. They are perfect for dunking in cool Ranch Dressing, Blue Cheese Dressing, or just more Memphis Barbecue Sauce. For a tasty Southern BBQ dinner, serve them with Mac and Cheese and Coleslaw.

Chef’s Note: Traditional

If you prefer a traditional Memphis dry rub for chicken wings, try the spice blend included in this post. You should soak your wings in apple cider vinegar for a few hours before smothering them generously with the dry rub. Bake as usual, flipping halfway through. Make the Memphis Barbecue Wing sauce on the side for dipping!

Can this be Made Ahead of Time

The sauce for Memphis Barbecue Chicken Wings can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make extra Memphis Barbecue sauce and use it on other BBQ favorites like Baked Chicken Thighs, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, or Slow Cooker Ribs.

How to Serve and Store

• Serve: Baked chicken wings can be out at room temperature for up to 2 hours before they should be refrigerated.
• Store: Keep your Memphis Barbecue Wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Cool chicken wings completely, or freeze on a baking sheet for one hour, and place in a sealed container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations

• Tomato Base: This recipe uses ketchup for the tomato base, but you can substitute either a cup of tomato paste or tomato sauce, depending on how thick you want your BBQ sauce.
• Tangy: Give your BBQ sauce a different tangy kick with apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar. For the mustard, you can swap in spicy brown mustard or dijon mustard.
• Sweet: Instead of brown sugar, you can use traditional molasses, dark corn syrup, maple syrup, or honey. Start with half the amount and add to taste, since some swaps are much sweeter than others.
• Smoky: This sauce uses Worcestershire sauce for the hickory element, but you can also use steak sauce, liquid smoke (very small amount!), or even soy sauce instead.
• Spicy: Make Spicy Memphis Barbecue Sauce by adding ¼ cup of hot sauce or increasing the cayenne pepper by a ⅛ teaspoon at a time until it reaches the spice level you like.
• Spices: Some more spice suggestions for your barbecue sauce are celery salt, garlic powder, sweet or smoked paprika, and ground dry mustard. You can also try the dry rub recipe below. Mix the ingredients to use in many recipes. It will stay good in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground dry mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper

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These photos were used in a previous version of this post