Doritos Crusted Chicken Wings

Introduction

These Doritos crusted chicken wings are seriously crunchy, packed with cheesy BBQ flavour and juicy inside. They take a little preparation, but the extra effort is worth it. Cooked over high indirect heat on a Weber kettle, these wings make an excellent appetiser and are guaranteed to disappear quickly.

About These Doritos Chicken Wings

I've been making Doritos crusted chicken wings for years, tweaking the recipe every time in an attempt to make them even better.

This version combines Nacho Cheese and Supreme Cheese Doritos with BBQ seasoning to create a seriously crunchy, flavour-packed coating around juicy chicken wings.

Versions of my Doritos chicken wing recipe have also been used by multiple BBQ competition teams to win awards, so there's a bit of history behind these wings.

Choosing the chicken wings

For this recipe, ask your butcher for chicken wings separated into flats and drumettes.

You can separate whole wings yourself, but getting your butcher to do it saves time and gives you pieces that are ready to coat.

You'll need 1 kg (2.2 lb) of chicken wings for this recipe. If possible, choose wings that are reasonably similar in size so they cook evenly.

Drying the wings

One of the important preparation steps is drying the wings.

After seasoning, the wings are placed uncovered in the refrigerator on a wire rack for four hours. This allows moisture to evaporate from the surface of the chicken, helping the coating stick and giving you a better final texture.

Keeping the wings elevated on a wire rack also allows air to circulate underneath them.

The Doritos coating

The coating uses two 170 g (6 oz) bags of Doritos: one Nacho Cheese and one Supreme Cheese.

The Doritos are blitzed with BBQ rub until they become coarse crumbs. You don't want a fine powder here. The larger crumbs create the texture and crunch we're looking for.

The wings are then coated using three stages:

Seasoned flour → egg wash → Doritos crumbs

The coated wings are chilled again before cooking, which helps the crust firm up and stay attached during the cook.

Equipment

• 57 cm (22-inch) Weber kettle
• Kettle Kone
• Heat Beads Coconut Briquettes
• Chimney starter
• Food processor
• Wire rack
• Large tray
• 3 bowls
• Tongs
• Instant-read thermometer

Recipe Tutorial

Stage 1: Prepare the Chicken

Start by patting the chicken wings thoroughly dry using paper towel.

Place the 1 kg (2.2 lb) of chicken wings into a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon of your favourite BBQ rub.

Toss the wings thoroughly, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed.

I'm using Four Monkeys Chicken Rub because it works incredibly well with this recipe, but any BBQ chicken rub you enjoy can be used.

Place the seasoned wings onto a wire rack sitting over a tray.

Make sure there is some space between the wings so air can circulate around them.

Place the tray into the refrigerator uncovered for 4 hours.

This gives the surface of the chicken time to dry out before we start building the coating.

Stage 2: Make the Doritos Coating

While the chicken is drying, prepare the coating.

Add one 170 g (6 oz) bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and one 170 g (6 oz) bag of Supreme Cheese Doritos to a food processor.

Add 4 tablespoons of BBQ rub and pulse until the Doritos become small crumbs.

Don't process them into a fine powder. You want some texture remaining in the crumbs so they create a proper crunchy crust.

Transfer the Doritos mixture to a bowl.

In a second bowl, add 1 cup (approximately 125 g / 4.4 oz) of plain flour and 1 tablespoon of BBQ rub.

Whisk the flour and seasoning together.

In a third bowl, add 4 eggs and whisk until they're well combined.

You now have your coating station ready:

Seasoned flour → egg wash → Doritos crumbs.

Stage 3: Coat the Wings

Remove the wings from the refrigerator.

Place all the wings into the seasoned flour and toss until they are evenly coated.

Shake off any excess flour and place the wings onto a plate.

Working with approximately three wings at a time, place them into the egg wash.

Use tongs to turn the wings over and make sure they're completely covered in egg.

Allow the excess egg to drain off, then place each wing into the Doritos mixture.

Cover the wing completely with the crumbs, then press the Doritos firmly onto the chicken.

This pressing step is important. It helps the crumbs stick to the chicken and gives you a thicker, more even crust.

Place each coated wing onto a clean tray and continue until all the wings are coated.

Once finished, place the tray back into the refrigerator while you prepare the BBQ.

Keeping the wings chilled helps the coating firm up and reduces the chance of it falling away during cooking.

Stage 4: Set Up the BBQ

Set up your Weber kettle for high indirect heat, aiming for approximately 240°C (464°F) or higher.

If you're using a Kettle Kone, fill a chimney starter approximately three-quarters full with briquettes.

Light the briquettes and allow them to burn until they're covered with a layer of grey ash.

Place the Kettle Kone in the centre of the charcoal grate and carefully pour the lit briquettes into it.

Replace the cooking grate and put the lid on.

Open the top and bottom vents fully and allow the BBQ to heat for approximately 10 minutes.

If you don't have a Kettle Kone, you can use two charcoal baskets positioned together. For this setup, use approximately a full chimney of briquettes.

Stage 5: Cook the Wings

Remove the coated wings from the refrigerator and place them around the outer section of the cooking grate.

With the Kettle Kone setup, this is where the high indirect heat is being forced around the kettle.

Put the lid back on and let the BBQ do its thing.

We're aiming for approximately 240°C (464°F) or higher.

The wings should take around 30 minutes to cook, although the exact time will depend on the size of the wings and your BBQ temperature.

The coating should become crisp while the chicken cooks through.

Don't rely solely on cooking time. Use an instant-read thermometer and cook the wings until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F).

Stage 6: Rotate the Lid

There's a handy trick with a Weber kettle that can help even out the cooking temperature.

The lid vent creates a hot spot because air is drawn through the bottom vents, travels around the charcoal and food, and is then pulled out through the top vent.

To help distribute the heat, rotate the lid approximately one-third of a turn every 10 minutes.

This changes the position of the lid vent and helps prevent one section of the kettle from cooking significantly hotter than another.

The Payoff: Serve the Wings

Once the wings are cooked through and the Doritos coating is beautifully crisp, carefully remove them from the BBQ using tongs.

Remember, they're going to be hot.

Give them a couple of minutes to cool slightly before serving.

You should have a seriously crunchy Doritos crust on the outside with juicy chicken inside. The combination of the cheese-flavoured Doritos and BBQ seasoning gives these wings plenty of flavour without needing a sauce.

And yes, you should absolutely listen for the crunch.

Serve them as an appetiser, party food or alongside your favourite BBQ sides.

Tips & Variations

Keep the Doritos chunky

Don't turn the Doritos into a fine powder. Pulse them until they're reduced to small, coarse crumbs. This gives the finished wings a much better crunch.

Dry the wings properly

Pat the wings dry before seasoning and don't skip the four-hour uncovered refrigeration. The drier surface helps the coating adhere to the chicken.

Press the coating onto the wings

Simply rolling the wings through the Doritos isn't enough. Press the crumbs firmly onto the chicken to build a solid coating.

Chill the coated wings

Putting the coated wings back into the refrigerator while the BBQ heats up helps the coating firm up before cooking.

Experiment with Doritos flavours

Nacho Cheese and Supreme Cheese are my preferred combination, but you can swap in your favourite Doritos flavours.

Different flavours will change the final taste, so have some fun with it.

Change the BBQ rub

The BBQ rub is used on the chicken, in the flour and in the Doritos coating, so changing the rub can make a noticeable difference to the final flavour.

No Kettle Kone?

Use two charcoal baskets positioned together and cook the wings around the outside of them. You'll generally need a full chimney of briquettes for this setup.

Don't cook purely by time

The 30-minute cooking time is a guide. Wing size, BBQ temperature and weather conditions can all affect the cooking time.

Always check the internal temperature and make sure the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) before serving.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken wings, separated into flats and drumettes

Doritos coating

• 1 x 170 g (6 oz) bag Nacho Cheese Doritos
• 1 x 170 g (6 oz) bag Supreme Cheese Doritos
• 4 tablespoons BBQ rub

Flour coating

• 1 cup plain flour (approximately 125 g / 4.4 oz)
• 1 tablespoon BBQ rub

Egg wash

• 4 eggs

Chicken seasoning

• 1 tablespoon BBQ rub

Total BBQ rub: 6 tablespoons

I used Four Monkeys Chicken Rub for this recipe, but your favourite BBQ chicken rub can be substituted.

Recipe Steps

1. Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towel.
2. Place the wings into a large bowl.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of BBQ rub and toss until evenly coated.
4. Place the wings onto a wire rack over a tray.
5. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours.
6. Add the two bags of Doritos and 4 tablespoons of BBQ rub to a food processor.
7. Pulse until the Doritos become small, coarse crumbs.
8. Transfer the Doritos crumbs to a bowl.
9. Combine 1 cup (125 g / 4.4 oz) plain flour with 1 tablespoon BBQ rub in a second bowl.
10. Whisk the flour and seasoning together.
11. Crack 4 eggs into a third bowl and whisk.
12. Remove the wings from the refrigerator.
13. Toss the wings in the seasoned flour until completely coated.
14. Shake off any excess flour.
15. Working with approximately three wings at a time, place them into the egg wash.
16. Turn the wings to completely coat them in egg.
17. Allow excess egg to drain off.
18. Place the wings into the Doritos crumbs.
19. Press the Doritos firmly onto each wing to create an even coating.
20. Place the coated wings onto a clean tray.
21. Refrigerate the coated wings while you prepare the BBQ.
22. Set up a 57 cm (22-inch) Weber kettle for high indirect heat at approximately 240°C (464°F) or higher.
23. Fill a chimney starter approximately three-quarters full with briquettes.
24. Light the briquettes and allow them to ash over.
25. Place the Kettle Kone in the centre of the charcoal grate.
26. Carefully pour the lit briquettes into the Kettle Kone.
27. Replace the cooking grate and lid.
28. Open the top and bottom vents fully and preheat for approximately 10 minutes.
29. Place the coated wings around the outside of the cooking grate.
30. Cook using high indirect heat for approximately 30 minutes.
31. Rotate the lid approximately one-third of a turn every 10 minutes.
32. Cook until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F).
33. Remove the wings from the BBQ using tongs.
34. Allow the wings to cool slightly before serving.

Recipe Info

• Prep Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30–35 minutes
• Serves: 2–3
• Effort: Average
• Course: Appetiser
• Cuisine: Australian / American
• BBQ Temperature: 240°C+ (464°F+)
• Chicken Internal Temperature: 74°C (165°F)
• Hydration: 1 beer

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