Smoked Chicken Wings
Smoked chicken wings are a delicious alternative to traditional fried wings. These flavor packed wings get seasoned with a barbecue rub and slow smoked to finger-lickin good perfection!
I love my smoker.
It’s an easy way to make anything more flavorful.
Even dishes like barbecue rubbed wings that would already be so zesty and bold get an extra layer of flavor when you smoke them.
And don’t worry- that extra flavor doesn’t mean extra spice!
Just a smoky background that gives the wings so much depth and takes them from good to outta this world.
And even if you aren’t a fan of traditional breaded, fried hot wings, give these smoked chicken wings a try.
They aren’t fried so they are lighter and not slathered in wing sauce but instead seasoned with your favorite barbecue rub that can be as mild or as hot as you like.
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Chicken wings– Separate the drums and flats.
- Olive oil– To rub into the wings
- Barbecue rub– Your favorite kind.
- Sauce– Barbecue or wing sauce for serving. Whatever you like
Once you’ve gathered you’re ingredients, you’re ready to get started.
How to Make
Smoked chicken wings are so easy to make!
To make them, preheat your smoker to 225° with whatever wood you prefer.
Pat the wings dry using paper towels.
Then rub the olive oil into the chicken wings and sprinkle on the barbecue seasonings.
Transfer the seasoned wings using tongs to the grates of a smoker and cook them for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, with tongs carefully transfer the hot wings from the smoker to a waiting plate or platter.
Cover the wings loosely with foil and set aside.
Turn the heat up on the smoker to 400.°
Once the smoker comes to temperature return the wings to the grates and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, flipping and finishing when they skin’s nice and crispy.
Carefully transfer the finished hot wings using tongs to a serving platter of your choice.
Serve them warm as is, or toss them in a sauce of your choosing.
Enjoy!
What Wood to Use to Smoke Chicken Wings
You can really use any wings you like but a bolder flavored wood works wonderfully with this.
We like:
- hickory
- mesquite
- pecan
- cherry
These are our favorites for smoked chicken wings, but it’s merely a suggestion. You can use whatever variety you enjoy.
Can I finish smoked wings in the oven instead?
Prefer to finish the wings in the oven?
Set one of the oven racks 1/3 of the way down in the oven, then preheat the broiler on high heat.
Arrange the wings in a single layer on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.
Broil for 2 minutes and then flip the wings over and broil another 2 minutes.
Remove the wings from the oven, and let them cool slightly to handle safely.
Serve as is or toss in your favorite sauce.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat them in a hot oven until warmed through or crisp them back up in the air fryer.
Tips and Tricks
- If you are using frozen wings, make sure they’re completely thawed prior to seasoning them to be smoked.
- Don’t skip patting the wings completely dry before seasoning them. This helps the skin crisp up while they cook.
- For extra crispy wings add 2 tsp of cornstarch to the seasoning before coating the wings.
- If tossing them in sauce before serving, be sure to use room temperature sauce so that it doesn’t cool down the wings.
- Don’t like barbecue rub? You can use salt and pepper, a specific chicken seasoning, lemon pepper or any other seasoning you enjoy on your chicken/wings.
Other Smoker Recipes
Smoked chicken wings are a delicious twist on traditional wings.
Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other smoker recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried these SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Smoked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings separated drums and flats
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp barbecue seasoning
- sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225° using hickory, mesquite, or pecan chips.
- Pat the wings dry using paper towels and then spread the olive oil over the chicken wings. Rub the oil into the chicken.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 lbs chicken wings
- Sprinkle the seasonings evenly out over the chicken wings.2 tbsp barbecue seasoning
- Using tongs transfer the seasoned chicken wings to the grates of a smoker and cook them for 2 hours.
- Remove the hot wings from the smoker using tongs and transfer them to a waiting plate or platter. Cover loosely with foil and set aside.
- Increase the heat on the smoker to 400°, and once there return the wings to the grates (using tongs) and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, flipping and finishing when they skin's nice and crispy.
- Carefully remove the hot wings using tongs and transfer them to a serving platter of your choice.
- Serve them warm as is, or toss them in a sauce of your choosing before enjoying.
Notes
- If you are using frozen wings, make sure they’re completely thawed prior to seasoning them to be smoked.
- Don’t skip patting the wings completely dry before seasoning them. This helps the skin crisp up while they cook.
- For extra crispy wings add 2 tsp of cornstarch to the seasoning before coating the wings.
- If tossing them in sauce before serving, be sure to use room temperature sauce so that it doesn’t cool down the wings.
- Don’t like barbecue rub? You can use salt and pepper, a specific chicken seasoning, lemon pepper or any other seasoning you enjoy on your chicken/wings.
Nutrition
