Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

There are so many ways to cook chicken wings, but smoking them is definitely one of my favorites - not only for the perfect crispy skin but also for the incredibly tender and juicy meat. Plus, with summer in full swing, why let your smoker sit idle? Best of all, this method doesn’t require babysitting. Just spend 10 minutes getting everything ready, and then let the smoker do its thing. So, let’s get started and make these smoked chicken wings for your World Cup party!

RELATED: Oven-Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Equipment:

• Charcoal smoker, pellet grill or kettle grill
• Wireless grill thermometer
• Tongs

Best Wood for Smoking Chicken Wings

Poultry soaks up smoke fast. Too much of a heavy wood, and your wings taste like licking a campfire floor. Sweet, mild woods like apple or cherry are the safe bet, but pecan or a mix of apple and hickory works well too. You can easily find these wood chips and chunks at most grocery and big box stores.

How to Prepare Chicken Wings for Smoking?

Do this the night before if you can. If not, at least an hour ahead.

Step 1: Pat the wings dry. Take the wings out of the package. Blot every single wing with paper towels.

Step 2: Dry brine. Put chicken wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Sprinkle just salt over them, and put the whole thing in the fridge uncovered.

Step 3: Dry rub. When you’re ready to smoke, mix the rest of the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, toss the wings with oil, then sprinkle the rub over them. Use your hands to make sure every wing gets coated.

Step 4: Let them sit. Let them sit on the counter while you fire up the smoker. Twenty minutes or so.

How to Smoke Chicken Wings?

Set your smoker to 275°F. Not 225. I know a lot of recipes say low and slow. But low and slow gives you rubber skin that you have to fix later. 275 gets you good smoke and decent texture from the start.

Step 1: Get your smoker ready. Wait until the temperature holds at 275 before you put the wings in.

Step 2: Insert the wireless thermometer. Take your probe and stick it into the thickest wing. Make sure the probe tip is in the center, not touching bone. Set the alert to go off at 175°F.

Step 3: Smoke chicken wings for 30 minutes. Spread the wings out, close the lid, and walk away.

Step 4: Flip the wings. After 30 minutes, flip every wing once. If they look dry, give them a light spritz of apple cider vinegar and close the lid again.

Step 5: Sear with high heat. Once the internal temperature of your chicken wings reaches 175°F, crank the smoker to 425°F, and then sear them at this temperature for 2 minutes per side. Rotate or flip as needed to ensure even cooking.

You May Also Like: Sous Vide Chicken Wings

How Long to Smoke Chicken Wings?

It takes about 1 hour total to smoke chicken wings at 275°F. Always use a thermometer to check for doneness. When it says 175°F, they’re done. Chicken wings have more connective tissue than breasts, so they’re actually better at 175°F than the recommended 165°F.

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What to Serve with Smoked Chicken Wings?

You don’t need much. A few cold beers. Some celery and carrot sticks. Ranch or blue cheese for dipping.

But here’s where you can get creative - the sauce. You already finished the wings with high heat to lock in that crispy skin. Now serve the sauce on the side so nothing gets soggy.

Homemade Buffalo

Half a cup of Frank’s RedHot, two tablespoons of melted butter. Stir. That’s it. Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire if you’re feeling fancy. This is the baseline. Works on everything.

Alabama White Sauce

Mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, horseradish, black pepper, a pinch of sugar. Sounds weird on chicken. Tastes incredible. The tang cuts through smoke better than any red sauce. Duke’s mayo is the right move here.

Honey BBQ

Take your favorite BBQ sauce - Sweet Baby Ray’s or Stubb’s - and mix in two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Thins it out so it coats without glooping. Good for people who don’t like heat.

Garlic Parm

Two tablespoons melted butter, two cloves of fresh garlic minced or a teaspoon of the jarred stuff, a quarter cup of grated parmesan. Add a pinch of black pepper. Toss the wings in this right before serving. Don’t let them sit.

Sriracha Lime

Three tablespoons sriracha, juice from one lime, one tablespoon honey, one teaspoon fish sauce. Shake it in a jar. Spicy, sour, a little funky. Works great with pecan-smoked wings.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers?

Put leftover wings in a covered container. Fridge for up to 4 days Alternatively, lay wings on a baking sheet, freeze two hours, then bag with a vacuum sealer machine. Keep 3 months.

To reheat, put thawed wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet, and bake in 350°F for 10 minutes. Then flip and bake for another 5 minutes. You can also reheat them in an air fryer preheated to 375°F. 4 minutes later, shake, then 2 more minutes.