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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Easy Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

    Published: Jun 15, 2023 by Chef Ryan Littley

    56 shares
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    5 from 24 votes
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    You’re going to love the juicy meat and smoky flavor of my smoked chicken wings. Tender chicken with a hint of cherry wood in every bite will make these crispy smoked chicken wings a hit at your next barbecue.

    smoked chicken wings on a white platter.

    My smoked chicken wing recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Just add the seasonings, let the chicken wings marinate for a few minutes as it come to room temperature, then load the wings in the smoker — in just a short time, you’ll be enjoying delicious smoked wings.

    smoked chicken wings on a white platter.

    I don’t know about you, but I love chicken wings! And these smoked chicken wings might just be my new favorite.

    Table of Contents:

    • Ingredients to make Smoked Chicken Wings
      • Made with simple ingredients
    • Can I use other spices in my dry rub?
    • What type of chicken wing should I use?
    • How to make smoked chicken wings
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • More Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Smoked Chicken Wings
      • Equipment
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Notes
      • Nutrition

    Ingredients to make Smoked Chicken Wings

    ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Wings. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Made with simple ingredients

    • chicken wings
    • kosher salt
    • smoked paprika
    • cumin
    • garlic powder
    • onion powder
    • black pepper
    • cayenne pepper (optional)

    Can I use other spices in my dry rub?

    Yes, you can. The key to making delicious smoked chicken that you and your family will love is to use seasonings that you enjoy eating. Changing up the spices in this simple dry rub is easy and definitely something you can do each time you prepare smoked chicken.

    Other seasonings you could add to your spice rub are cumin, chili powder, dry oregano, ground ginger, turmeric, and coriander.

    You can also use your favorite seasoning blend. You can use Cajun seasoning, jerk seasoning, barbecue seasoning, lemon pepper, and Old Bay seasoning instead of making your own dry rub.

    If you’re looking for a rub with some sweetness, you can also add brown sugar to the seasonings. For added heat, Cayenne pepper adds heat to smoked chicken wings. However, it should be used sparingly. Even a small amount is enough to enhance the flavor.

    What type of chicken wing should I use?

    I like buying chicken wings that are already cut into drumettes and wingettes. This way, I don’t have to deal with the wing flaps. But if you prefer using whole wings, they’ll work with this recipe.

    Or cut the drumette off and leave the flap on the wingette. It’s all about personal preference.

    If you like smoked chicken wings, you might also enjoy my Smoked Chicken Thighs or Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters. 

    How to make smoked chicken wings

    Add your favorite wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker and preheat the smoker temperature to 250 degrees F. I used cherry wood to smoke the wings.

    collage of seasonings.
    • Add the seasonings to a small bowl
    • Mix seasonings thoroughly to combine the spice rub fully
    chicken wings with seasoning in an aluminum pan.
    • Pat dry the skin of the chicken wings using a paper towel.
    • Generously apply the chicken rub to the chicken, making sure to season all sides of the wing for a balanced taste.

    To enhance the flavor, let the seasoned chicken sit for 30 minutes. This allows the dry brine to penetrate the chicken and infuse it with flavor. This also gives the chicken time to come to room temperature prior to putting it in the smoker. You can skip this step if you’re in a hurry, but it helps the seasoning soak into the skin and meat.

    Cooking with a smoker is all about low heat — slow smoking is the key to perfect smoked chicken wings so avoid using a higher temperature. High heat is not your friend when it comes to good barbecue.

    collage showing smoker closed and loaded.
    • Place wings in a shallow foil pan and place the pan on a smoker rack in the preheated smoker. Cook the chicken wings for 60 – 75 minutes or until you reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

    For crispy skin, put the chicken on the wire rack in the electric smoker. Put a drip pan below to catch drippings and fat.

    Check the internal temperature of the chicken wing with an instant-read thermometer. It should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

    I used an electric smoker for my chicken wings, but you can use a pellet smoker or charcoal smoker for this recipe.

    smoked chicken wings on a white platter.

    After one bite, I know you’ll agree this is these are the best smoked chicken wings you’ve ever tasted!

    If you love buffalo chicken wings, coat these wings in my homemade buffalo sauce and serve them with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks (or carrot sticks) for the ultimate buffalo wings. You can also make hot wings by transferring the wings to a large bowl and tossing them with hot sauce.

    smoked chicken wings with barbecue sauce on a white platter.

    The smoking process adds a lot of great flavor to the meat, but you can’t beat a good barbecue sauce. Using your favorite sauce and adding a few ingredients allows you to create your own signature bbq sauce, elevating the smoked chicken wings to a whole new level of barbecue deliciousness.

    Use a basting brush to coat the smoked wings with the bbq sauce and serve the bbq chicken wings with your favorite side dishes.

    Save any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Chef's Choice
    Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
    Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
    $279.99

    An electric smoker takes all the work out of smoking your favorite meats and seafood. This is the smoker I use for all my recipes.

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    09/29/2023 04:03 pm GMT
    Chef's Choice
    ThermoPro Twin Wireless Meat Thermometer
    ThermoPro Twin Wireless Meat Thermometer
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    I love the ThermoPro wireless meat thermometers. The easy to use app makes it easy to track the temperatures of the meats and seafood your cooking.

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    09/29/2023 04:18 pm GMT
    Top Choice
    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack
    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack
    $25.99

    You get a great variety of wood chips with this starter pack. You get one bag of apple, cheery, mesquite, and hickory wood chips in each variety pack.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/29/2023 04:13 pm GMT
    Chef's Choice
    Heat Resistant Oven Gloves & Grilling Gloves
    Heat Resistant Oven Gloves & Grilling Gloves
    $15.98 ($7.99 / Count)

    These gloves take all the worry out of handling hot foods. These are perfect for grilling, smoking or removing pans from the oven.

    Buy On Amazon
    This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
    09/29/2023 04:28 pm GMT

    Recipe FAQ’s

    How long does it take to smoke chicken wings?

    Cooking wings at 250 degrees will take approximately 60 minutes to reach the safe temperature of 165 °F. Just to note that the size of wings can vary, and larger wings can take longer to get to 165 °F. while smaller wings won’t take quite as long to cook.

    Should I smoke wings at 225 or 250?

    Lower temperatures are generally the best way to make sure you have tender, juicy meat. Either temperature will work for chicken wings as both are low temperatures.

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    smoked chicken wings on a white platter.
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    5 from 24 votes

    Smoked Chicken Wings

    You're going to love the juicy meat and smoky flavor of my Smoked Chicken Wings. Tender chicken with a hint of cherry wood will make these crispy smoked chicken wings a hit at your next barbecue.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course: Appetiser, Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 287kcal
    Author: Chef Ryan Littley

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • wood chips
    • aluminum pan

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds chicken wings
    • 2 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional – more or less depending on taste
    • 1 cup barbecue sauce optional – use your favorite brand of sauce or my easy no-cook bbq sauce.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add your favorite wood chips to the smoker and preheat it to 250 degrees F.
    • Add the seasonings to a small bowl and mix to fully combine.
    • Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
    • Spread the dry rub generously over the chicken, making sure to season all sides of the wing for a well-balanced flavor.
    • For maximum flavor, let the seasoned chicken set for 30 minutes to give the seasonings time to penetrate the chicken and marinate it with the flavors. This also gives the chicken wings time to come to room temperature prior to putting it in the smoker.
      *This step gives the rub time to soak into the skin and meat, but if you're in a hurry it can be skipped.
    • Place the seasoned chicken in a shallow foil pan and place the pan on a shelf in the preheated smoker and cook the chicken wings for 60 -75 minutes or until an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees is reached.
      *Alternatively, you can place the chicken directly on the rack in the smoker, placing a drip pan on the rack below the chicken. Slather the chicken in my easy no-cook barbecue sauce or your favorite brand of sauce.
    • Slather with your favorite bbq sauce, or use my easy semi-homemade barbecue sauce recipe to perk up your favorite sauce.

    Notes

    Other seasonings you could add are cumin, chili powder, dry oregano, ground ginger, turmeric, and coriander. You can also use your favorite seasoning blend. Cajun seasoning, Jerk seasoning, Barbecue seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning can be used instead of making your own dry rub. You can also add brown sugar to the seasonings to make a sweet rub.
    For heat, cayenne pepper is usually the best way to kick up the flavor of your smoked chicken legs. But be careful because a little can go a long way.
    *Use a digital meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the drumstick to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken legs is at least 165 degrees.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 3581mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 684IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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