Pat your chicken wings dry with paper towels and place them in a large mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt to create your spice blend.

Drizzle the wings with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over all pieces. Toss thoroughly to ensure each wing receives full coverage of the seasoning, then let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F) and create two zones—one direct heat side and one indirect side. Oil your grill grates thoroughly to prevent sticking and ensure beautiful char marks on your grilled wings.

Place the smoky tailgate grilled wings recipe ingredients on the indirect heat side first, allowing them to cook for 15–18 minutes while you prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, melt butter and whisk together honey, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke over low heat.

Move wings to direct heat and brush generously with the honey glaze, then grill for 8–10 minutes, turning and recoating every 2–3 minutes. The wings should develop a caramelized, sticky exterior that's golden brown, not blackened.

Continue basting the tailgate wings with remaining glaze and rotate them frequently to achieve even cooking without flare-ups. Total cooking time should be 28–30 minutes from when they first hit the grill.

Transfer finished wings to a serving platter and top with fresh thyme and any remaining glaze for an authentic game day presentation.