The Easiest Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

This smoked chicken wing recipe is the best because it combines the perfect balance of flavor and texture. It’s super simple to throw together and the wings will come out perfectly every single time! Whether you are a seasoned smoker or a novice cook, this recipe is easy to follow and guaranteed to impress your guests. So, if you’re looking for the ultimate smoked chicken wing recipe that will leave you wanting more, look no further!

Smoked Chicken Wings

• Once you smoke chicken wings, you’ll never want to cook them any other way! The smoky flavor that the wood pellets impart is unlike any other method of cooking. It’s everything you love about classic chicken wings but with smoky flavor and tender, juicy chicken!
• If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my smoked chicken thighs, smoked baby back ribs, and my smoked mac and cheese.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken Party Wings: Party wings are a package of drummies (drumettes) and flats from a chicken wing. I prefer to buy them like this because they’re ready to go. You can also buy whole chicken wings and separate them yourself. You may also be able to find just flats or just drumettes at your grocery store.
• My Easy Dry Rub Recipe: My easy dry rub recipe has everything you need to add sweet heat to the wings, including brown sugar, Kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper. You can substitute it with any dry rub or spice blend you like best.
• Baking Powder: Just a little bit of baking powder on the wings will help them crisp up beautifully. If you don’t have baking powder or want to try something else, you can also use cornstarch instead.

How to Smoke Chicken Wings

Heat the smoker to 250 degrees. Pat wings dry with paper towels. Combine dry rub and baking powder.

Seasons wings on all sides until well coated.

Place wings on the grill and smoke for 45 minutes, flipping about halfway through.

Turn the smoker to 400 degrees or “high”, flip the wings again, and smoke wings until they reach an internal temp of 175 degrees.

Toss in your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy!

Make Them Extra Crispy!

To get the skin on the wings extra crispy you can:

• Air fry them at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or so.
• Pop them in the oven and broil them for a minute or two. Keep a close eye on them though; they can go from crispy to burned in seconds!
• If you have a smoker that also acts as a grill, cook the barbecued wings over direct medium-high heat for a minute or so on each side to get them extra crispy.
• Also! Give them a try just plain before adding the BBQ sauce! While they’re super delicious slathered in sauce, they’re also really tasty without! Try it both ways and see which you like best.

Best Types of Wood Pellets from Smoking Wings

• I love using fruit wood, like cherry wood or apple for these smoked chicken wings. The wings absorb the smoky flavor quite well so a wood pellet that’s a little lighter will work best. Mesquite or hickory may be too robust a flavor for these chicken wings. It’s important to remember that if you use too strong a wood it will overpower the actual flavor of the chicken.
• If you’re looking for a heavier smoked flavor, try using apple, cherry, maple, or pecan wood pellets combined with hickory or mesquite. This will give you a more intense smoky flavor without going overboard.
• If you need more help deciding what type of wood to use, check out this article.

Expert Tips for Making the Best Wings

• If you like it spicy, add some cayenne pepper to my dry rub recipe!
• The best way to know if they are done is to take the internal temperature. Some smokers come with a thermometer, if yours does not, just use a regular meat thermometer to take the internal temp of the chicken wings.
• Some recipes recommend cooking the wings to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, but if you cook them to 175 they become fall off the bone tender!
• The heat of the dry rub and the smoky flavor of these wings means they are perfectly paired with all of your favorite dips and wings sauce! Serve these wings with garlic Parmesan sauce, garlic butter sauce, avocado sauce, chipotle sauce, honey mustard, lemon dill yogurt sauce, jalapeno cream sauce, or burger sauce. You could also try blue cheese dressing, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, BBQ sauce, or hot sauce.

Are you new to smoking?

Looking for an affordable smoker?
Not sure which wood pellet grill is best for your needs?

Click here to check out my full review of my favorite Z Grill wood pellet smoker! I’ll share with you everything I love about this grill and why you’ll want to add it to your backyard space right now!

Serve With

• smoked mac and cheese
• street corn pasta salad
• roasted potato salad
• air fryer asparagus
• air fryer green beans
• cilantro lime slaw
• tomato cucumber salad
• broccoli cheddar twice-baked potatoes

How long do you smoke chicken wings?

The exact cook time is going to vary depending on what type of smoker you’re using and the size of your wings. Generally, it will take about 45 for the initial smoke and then another 20-30 minutes or so to finish smoking and reach an internal temperature of 175 degrees.

Why is baking powder important for crispy wings?

Baking powder helps by removing some moisture so that the wings can get a nice and crispy skin. Scientifically speaking, baking powder is made of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. When it is mixed with water (or moisture from the chicken) it creates carbon dioxide bubbles. The bubbles expand when the skin of the chicken is heated and releases moisture creating that light crispy texture.

Are smoked chicken wings keto?

In general, chicken wings naturally have zero carbs which makes them keto. And this recipe keeps them that way! None of the ingredients in this chicken wing recipe will change the carbohydrates of the wings.

Are smoked chicken wings pink?

They can be. It is part of the slow cook process. Because of the low temperature, indirect heat, and long cook time, the myoglobin in the meat doesn’t break down creating a slightly pink tinge. That’s why I definitely recommend using a meat thermometer to double-check the internal temp and make sure they are cooked through.

Are smoked chicken wings crispy?

Yes! If you turn up the heat and cook them for a little while at a higher temperature or if you finish them in the air fryer or oven you’ll end up with perfectly smoked, crispy wings! then the fat as well as the spices will crisp up. The added baking powder will also help create a crunchy crust.

Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

• Make-Ahead: These chicken wings are great for making ahead, especially if you’ve got guests coming over and you’re preparing a bunch of delicious appetizers. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Storage: Store chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Freezing: To freeze chicken wings, smoke them as directed and then place in freezer-safe bags and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheating: Reheat wings on a baking sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until heated through. Broil for a minute or two to crisp up the skin on the outside. You can also reheat them in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe