The Best Chicken Recipes

Crispy wings cooked on the pellet grill until the skin tightens and the fat renders out completely. Moreover, pellet smoked wings develop a depth of smoky flavor that fried or oven-baked wings simply cannot match. Additionally, you can batch these easily for a crowd by loading up the entire grill grate. As a result, no list of the best chicken recipes is complete without a tray of smoked wings disappearing in the first 20 minutes.

Sticky, sweet, and loaded with garlic flavor, these wings get tossed in a honey garlic glaze that caramelizes and clings to every crispy surface. Specifically, the glaze reduces into a thick, lacquered coating that makes each wing impossibly addictive. Furthermore, honey garlic is one of those flavor combinations that works on everyone from kids to adults. Consequently, this is the best chicken recipe for wing night when you want something sweet without the heat.

Wings smoked low and finished with a bright garlic lemon pepper seasoning that cuts through the smokiness with citrus and heat. In contrast to the honey garlic version above, these lean savory and zesty instead of sweet. Moreover, the lemon pepper crust adds a crunch and tang that pairs perfectly with ranch or blue cheese on the side. Therefore, this chicken recipe gives you a completely different wing experience in the same cook session.

Wings hit the smoker first for wood-fired flavor, then finish over direct heat for crispy skin with bold Creole seasoning. Additionally, the two-stage cook gives you both deep smoke flavor and the snap of crispy grilled skin in every bite. Furthermore, the Creole seasoning brings garlic, paprika, and cayenne heat that builds as you eat. As a result, this is one of the best chicken recipes for anyone who wants their wings with a Southern kick.

Bone-in chicken thighs glazed with a sticky honey chili crisp sauce and grilled until the skin crackles and chars. Specifically, the chili crisp adds layers of garlic, heat, and crunch that a basic wing sauce cannot deliver. Furthermore, chicken thighs stay juicy on the grill where breasts dry out every time. Consequently, this is one of the best chicken recipes that disappears off the plate before anything else gets touched.

Grilled chicken coated in a bold smoky chipotle seasoning and served with a creamy chipotle ranch dipping sauce on the side. Moreover, the chipotle brings a warm, smoky heat that builds without burning. Additionally, the ranch dipping sauce cools everything down just enough to keep you reaching for more. For this reason, this is the best chicken recipe when you want smoky, spicy, and creamy all working together on the same plate.

Chipotle-seasoned grilled chicken sliced and loaded into warm tortillas with fresh toppings and a drizzle of crema. However, what sets these apart is the depth of smoky chipotle flavor that penetrates the meat from the grill. Meanwhile, the fresh toppings add brightness and crunch that balance the heat perfectly. Consequently, this chicken recipe proves that sometimes the simplest format delivers the boldest results.

Cubed chicken thighs threaded on skewers and glazed with a sticky honey garlic sauce that caramelizes over the flame. Moreover, the skewer format makes these easy to grab and eat while standing around the grill. Furthermore, the honey garlic glaze gets tacky and charred on the edges where the heat hits hardest. As a result, this is the best chicken recipe that kids and adults will consequently fight over equally at any cookout.

Grilled chicken skewers hit with a hot honey lemon pepper glaze that balances sweet heat with bright citrus in every bite. In contrast to the honey garlic skewers above, these lean into the lemon pepper and hot honey trend for a completely different flavor profile. Additionally, the hot honey caramelizes on the grill and creates a sticky, spicy coating that clings to every piece. Therefore, this chicken recipe gives you two skewer options that taste nothing alike on the same spread.

Chicken drumsticks trimmed into lollipop shape and smoked until the meat pulls back from the bone with a sticky BBQ glaze on every surface. Specifically, the lollipop cut exposes more meat to the smoke and glaze, which consequently creates more bark and flavor per bite. Additionally, the handle makes these the ultimate grab-and-eat format for cookouts and game day. As a result, this is one of the most visually impressive chicken recipes you can pull off with minimal effort.

Lollipop drumsticks wrapped in bacon and smoked until the bacon renders crispy while the chicken stays juicy underneath. Moreover, the bacon adds a salty, smoky layer of flavor and fat that bastes the chicken as it cooks. In contrast to the BBQ-glazed version above, these get their flavor from the bacon itself rather than a sauce. For this reason, this is the best chicken recipe for bacon lovers who want the lollipop format with a different flavor angle.

Crispy fried chicken drizzled with hot honey and stacked on a buttered, toasted bun with pickles and coleslaw. Meanwhile, frying the chicken first gives you that shatteringly crispy coating that holds up under all the toppings. Furthermore, the hot honey adds a sweet heat that soaks into every crevice of the breading. Consequently, this chicken recipe proves that sometimes the best thing you can do with chicken is fry it outdoors right next to the grill.

Golden fried chicken loaded into a sandwich with creamy Caesar dressing, crispy romaine, and shaved Parmesan. Specifically, the Caesar dressing replaces the usual mayo and brings a tangy, garlicky richness that pairs perfectly with the crunchy breading. Additionally, this is the kind of creative sandwich build that makes people put down their burgers. As a result, this is one of the best chicken recipes for anyone who wants a fried chicken sandwich with a little more sophistication.

Mini chicken sandwiches coated in a fiery Nashville hot spice blend and served on soft slider buns with pickles. However, the Nashville hot oil gets brushed on after cooking so the heat stays bold and the crust stays intact. Furthermore, the slider format means you can eat two or three without committing to a full sandwich. Therefore, these are the best chicken recipe for bringing the heat and keeping the party moving at the same time.

Golden, crispy chicken tenders served with a creamy, spicy bang bang dipping sauce that balances sweet chili heat with cool mayo. Additionally, these tenders get a crunchy coating that holds up whether you serve them immediately or let them sit on the tray. Moreover, the bang bang sauce is what makes people come back for seconds and thirds. For this reason, this chicken recipe is the one you make when you need something everyone at the table will reach for.

Blackened chicken thighs sliced thin and loaded into a hoagie roll with melted provolone, peppers, and onions. Meanwhile, the blackening seasoning creates a dark, flavorful crust on the thigh that holds up under the weight of the cheese and toppings. Furthermore, using thighs instead of breast means the meat stays tender and juicy even after slicing. As a result, this best chicken recipe takes the cheesesteak format and makes it something the grill was always meant to handle.