Apricot Glazed Chicken Wings

Something about summer and BBQ makes me crave the delicious duo of sweet and spicy. I love fruit mixed with heat. This combination goes so well on the grill because the heat chars the sugars in the fruit and balances the heat of the peppers. They meld perfectly under high heat and provide the perfect balance on your tongue. I particularly like this version because you don't need to have fresh fruit on hand to make it. A jar of apricot jam stashed in the fridge makes for an easy glaze at a moment's notice. With the glaze, you don't want to put it on right away. The sugars will burn before the chicken is cooked through. You let the chicken cook for a few minutes first unglazed. Then you add the glaze and let the heat caramelize it nicely. The wings will be full of flavor, but not burnt. I bought wings that the leg and wing were still connected. This keeps them moist, but also makes it much easier to manage on the grill. I didn't have to worry about flipping 12 little pieces. This was enough for Mark and I and it was a filling dinner. I was worried, because I thought 6 wings wouldn't fill me up, but I was wrong. This was the perfect amount for a summer meal. Apricot Glazed Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
6 whole chicken wings
Marinade:
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbs. hot sauce
2 Tbs. apricot jam
red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Glaze:
1/4 cup apricot jam
3 Tbs. hot sauce
cayenne pepper (dash to taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1. To keep the chicken moist, combine the "Marinade" ingredients together in a freezer bag and add the wings. Depending on the size of the bag, use enough wine to cover the wings. Store in the fridge for at least an hour, but up to overnight. 2. To make the glaze, whisk the "Glaze" ingredients together until they are smooth enough to be brushed on the chicken.
3. Remove the wings from the marinade.
4. Place the wings with the wing tip up on a preheated grill. You do not want them right over the hottest flame. Put them to the side where it isn't super hot.
5. Cover the grill and cook them for 5 minutes . My grill gets super hot - see how much char they got after only 5 minutes?
6. Flip them, cover, and allow to cook for another 5 minutes. 7. Now they are ready to be brushed with glaze. Brush them liberally with the glaze and flip them so that the glazed side is down on the heat. Then brush the other side.
Allow each side to cook for 2 minutes with the glaze and then flip. I did this a total of 4 times (2 coatings of glaze per side). Keep a watchful eye to make sure that the glaze doesn't burn. Once they are cooked through you can remove from the heat and serve.