Smoked Wings

Have you ever had smoked wings? If not, you're missing out! Smoked chicken wings are a delicious, flavorful alternative to traditional fried chicken wings. They're perfect for a summer cookout or game day party. Best of all, they're easy to make! Just throw some wings on the smoker, and you're good to go.

What wood is best for smoking wings?

Your personal preference is always the answer here. If you want to try something new, I like a blend of hickory and cherry wood for smoked wings. Whether you are using chunks, wood chips, or wood pellets, it is easy to create a personal blend that will satisfy the smoky flavor you want.

How long does it take to smoke chicken wings?

The easy answer is until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If you fancy yourself a chicken wing connoisseur, you will agree, crispy wings are the best. When I smoke wings, I like to cook them in two stages.

Stage One, they are at a low temp on the smoker to really absorb the smoke flavor.

Stage Two, I finish the smoked wings over high heat to get crispy skin.

If I can hold a low steady temperature at around 160°F on my smoker, I will smoke the wings for a little over an hour. Then I like to finish them over a hot charcoal grill for about 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches that safe 165°F internal temp. The total time is about 90 minutes. If you are going to keep them in the smoker at 200°F and smoke them until they are done, it will take about 2 hours.

Ingredient for Smoked Wings Recipe

Chicken Wings - I recommend 1.5 lbs of wings per two servings. That will be about 6 wings per person. The chicken wing is a delicious part of the chicken that can be cooked in a variety of ways. This popular dish is often served as an appetizer or main course. They are very popular for watching sporting events, barbecuing, or feeding a crowd.

When purchasing wings, they typically come in two parts: the wingette and the drumette. Some people don't care which piece they get. I have a strong preference for the drumette. It is easiest to eat with one hand. I usually need two hands to fully enjoy the wingette when pulling the two bones apart to get the middle meat.

Instructions for Smoked Chicken Wings recipe

Step One - Place chicken wings in the preheated smoker. Smoke the wings at 160°F for about 75 minutes. This is the moment when the wings really pick up a delicious smoky flavor.

If you want to smoke the wings until they are done, smoke them at 200°F for about two hours or until the internal temp reaches 165°F. Use an instant-read thermometer to get a reading on the internal temp.

If you want crispy smoked wings, go to step two.

Step Two - After the wings have been smoking for about an hour, preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Then take the wings off the smoker and finish them on the hot grill. Flip them over every few minutes to get them crispy on all sides. After you grill them for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165°F, they are done. Coat them with your favorite seasoning or sauce and serve. 

Other option for step two: If you are using a Traeger pellet smoker or other pellet grills, you can crank the smoker's temperature up to 500°F for step two. My only warning is that if the wings have dripped a lot of grease while smoking, there is a risk of a grease fire in your smoker at that high temperature. Be sure to inspect that before you blindly crank the temperature up. 

You can always use your oven to also crisp up the skin.

Variations

Sriracha Peach BBQ Sauce - This sweet and spicy barbecue sauce is a perfect accompaniment for your wings.

Spicy Dry Rub Seasoning: Combine equal parts of these spices: salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and Cheyenne pepper. These smoked wings will be spicy, if you want to cut the heat only use ¼ to ½ the amount of cayenne pepper. Smoked paprika is another dry rub fave in our house. Adding cumin and/or garam masala will give it an Indian curry vibe.

Easy Buffalo Sauce: Melt two tablespoons of butter and mix in red hot sauce to taste. This is one of my favorite ways to make buffalo sauce. You can add a little kosher salt and black pepper if you'd like.

Sweet Asian Sauce: Combine a tablespoon of soy and teriyaki sauces with a tablespoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon onion powder, and a teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl. Heat in microwave to cook down into a glaze. Coat wings with it for a sweet treat.

Turkey - Try some Smoked Turkey Wings to change things up!

 

What is the best way to serve Smoked Wings?

Once the wings are done cooking, I recommend dropping them into a large bowl and adding your favorite wing sauce or seasoning. Then toss them around for a perfect uniform coating.

Serve them with ranch, blue cheese dressing, or other favorite dips, and enjoy!

Other wing recipes

Traeger Wings - Traeger Grilled wings over medium-high heat for a delicious wood-fired flavor.

Air Fryer Wings - Frozen wings and not a lot of time, this wing recipe cooked in your air fryer can produce great results fast.

Honey Lemon Pepper Wings - These are sticky and delicious. This is a must-try chicken wing recipe. You can make it either with spicy hot honey or regular honey.