Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

A white plate with smoked chicken wings and a bowl of ranch dressing on a straw placemat with chopped parsley to the left.

No party is complete without a platter of these crispy smoked chicken wings with all the fixings! After cooking low and slow for the perfect smoky flavor, these wings are blasted with a blaze of heat to ensure you get that crispy skin everyone loves — talk about one crowd-pleasing party snack. Whether you’re hosting a casual backyard cook-out or tailgating on game day, these best-ever smoked wings belong on your menu.

Course Appetizers

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 3

Servings people

Calories 282kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

2 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheets with wire racks
Smoker
Wood pellets or wood chips hickory, apple and cherry wood recommended

Ingredients

4-5 pounds whole chicken wings thawed
Salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
Olive oil
Favorite wing sauce for serving, optional
Ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for serving, optional
Celery and carrot sticks for serving, optional

Instructions

Trim off the wing tip. Locate the knob-like bone at the bottom of the drumette. Cut right underneath that bone to separate the drumette and flat into two pieces. Repeat for all wings.
Pat the wings dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the skin with salt. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for at least eight hours and up to 24 hours to dry brine. For best results, 24 hours is recommended.
Stir together the baking powder, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and mustard powder in a small bowl. Remove the wings from the refrigerator and toss with the baking powder mixture to coat evenly.
Place the wings skin-side up on a greased wire rack in a baking sheet, ensuring that the wings don't touch to avoid overcrowding. Let the wings sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the smoker to 250 degrees F.
When the smoker reaches temperature, place the baking sheets in the smoker with a water pan. Close the lid and smoke for two hours.
Remove the wings from the smoker and crank up the heat to 400-425 degrees F. As the smoker heats, brush the wings with olive oil. When the smoker reaches 400 degrees F, place the wings back in the smoker and let the wings finish smoking until they hit an internal temperature of at least 175 degrees F, though they can go up to 180-200 degrees F for the meat to easily fall off the bone. This should take about another 20-30 minutes. Remove the wings from the smoker, allow them to rest for five minutes and then toss with your favorite sauce if desired. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing, celery and carrots sticks. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftover wings can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. When you're ready to reheat, remove them from the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes. Spritz them with water and bake in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes, flip and bake for another five minutes.
To freeze leftover wings, place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze flat. Thaw them by placing them in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat them as directed above.
Don't mix up baking powder with baking soda. They are not interchangeable.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition