Smoked Chicken Wings

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Smoked Chicken Wings are smoky, juicy, and finished hot so the skin turns crisp instead of rubbery. The wings get their flavor from my homemade barbecue spice blend, with smoky paprika, brown sugar, garlic, onion, chili powder, and just enough cayenne heat.

The method is simple: dry the wings, season them well, smoke low for wood-fired flavor, then finish hot to render the skin. Serve them dry and crisp or toss them in sauce right before they hit the table.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Servings: servings

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

4 lb chicken wings flats and drumettes
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp barbecue seasoning dry rub or your favorite dry rub
1 tsp kosher salt
avocado oil spray optional, for the hot finish if the wings look dry
1 cup Kansas City-style BBQ sauce optional, for dipping or tossing

Instructions

Preheat the pellet grill or Traeger to 225°F. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
Mix the baking powder, barbecue spice blend, and kosher salt together.
Sprinkle the mixture over the wings on a sheet pan or in a bowl and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Place the wings on a wire rack over a sheet pan and spread them out so they are not crowded or touching. If you have time, let them rest in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours so the skin can dry out for optimal crispiness.
Place the wings directly on the grill grates in a single layer. Smoke for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the wings reach about 150°F to 160°F internal temperature and the skin looks set.
Increase the grill temperature to 400°F and flip the wings over so they cook evenly.
Continue cooking until the skin is crisp and the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F. For better wing texture, cook them closer to 175°F to 185°F.
Pull the wings from the smoker and rest them for 5 minutes. Serve them dry with dipping sauce on the side, or toss them lightly with warm sauce after the skin has crisped.

Notes

Crispy Skin

Dry wings crisp better. Pat the wings dry before seasoning, then rest them uncovered on a wire rack if you have time.

The fridge helps. A 4 to 24 hour uncovered rest dries the skin and gives the rub time to settle in.

Use baking powder, not baking soda. Baking powder helps with browning, while baking soda can taste harsh.

Temperature

Start low for smoke flavor. Smoke the wings at 225°F until the wings' surface looks set and slightly dry, and the internal temperature is around 150°F to 160°F.

Finish hot for texture. Raise the grill to about 400°F and cook until the skin crisps. Wings are safe at 165°F, but they are much better closer to 175°F to 185°F.

Sauce

Sauce after the wings crisp. Toss finished wings in warm sauce or brush on a thin glaze during the last few minutes of the hot finish.

Keep sugary sauces under control. Watch closely so that the sugars in the sauce don't burn. We want a tacky glaze instead of a singed, bitter glaze.

Reheating

Reheat with dry heat. Use an air fryer at 400°F for 3-5 minutes until the wings are crisp and ready to eat. You can also use an oven or pellet grill at 375°F until crispy and warmed through.

Nutrition