Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

48 reviews

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

If you’re in the mood for smoked chicken wings, why not make the best crispy smoked chicken wings ever? These wings combine the best of both worlds. You get all of that tasty smokehouse flavor but with extra delicious crispy skin!

extra crispy smoked chicken wings slathered in wing sauce on a wooden cutting board

Smoked Chicken Wings

I consider myself a connoisseur of smoked chicken wings, and the point of perfection has got to be how to achieve tender and juicy meat while getting that crispy crunchy skin on the outside. There are several methods I’ve tried and each produce the desired effect with a different cooking process.

I’ve cooked wings that require a drying time in the fridge and others that are smoked and then flash fried. Both give me crispy skin, but the first method takes a bit of planning ahead and deep frying can be quite messy. The smoked chicken wing recipe I’m showing you today is by far the easiest of the bunch in terms of prep time, and it requires the least steps. And the final result is awesome: you get the perfect doneness inside and mega crispy skin outside.

How to Smoke Chicken Wings

Scroll below for my full, printable recipe card on how to smoke chicken wings, then check out these tips below to help you make the best crispy smoked chicken wings ever:

  1. Start with super dry chicken wings. Pat down the chicken wings with paper towels to get all moisture off of the skin. You want these nice and dry.
  2. Toss the wings in baking power and salt. Please note, you need to use baking powder, NOT baking soda. The baking powder helps remove all the moisture from the skin of the wings so they can crisp.
  3. Smoke your wings at a lower temperature to start. You can really use any wood you like with wings. This step helps render the fat from under the skin, add in loads of smoky flavor, and dry out the skin.
  4. After smoking you will need to increase the heat to really crisp that skin. If you’re using a pellet smoker, you can simply turn up the temperature. If your smoker can’t jump up in temp quickly, your best bet may be to move the wings to a preheated oven. Place the wings on an elevated cooking rack above a baking sheet to catch drippings if you’re finishing these in the oven.
  5.  Toss in your favorite sauce or serve plain. If you do decide to sauce, simply toss the wings in sauce that has been heated through to avoid cold sauce softening the crispy skin.

How Long to Smoke Chicken Wings

It takes less than a hour to smoke chicken wings with your smoker running at a consistent temperature. For this recipe, smoke the chicken wings for 30 minutes at 250 degrees F. Next, increase the heat to 425 degrees F until the wings reach 175 degrees F internal temperature.

Make sure to use a thermometer to check for doneness (this is my favorite instant read thermometer). Wings are actually best cooked to 175 degrees F, instead of the usually recommended 165 degrees F for chicken. The higher temperature breaks down some of the tight connective tissues in wings and makes them fall-off-the-bone tender. Plus, the wings are fatty enough to stay nice and juicy.

smoked chicken wings covered in Buffalo sauce on a wooden cutting board

Best Sauce for Smoked Chicken Wings

I always recommend using flavors and sauces you like best, so when it comes to saucing up these wings, you can’t go wrong with anything you choose.

I’m a big fan of Buffalo sauce on my wings. To make awesome Buffalo sauce for wings, simply heat 1 cup of Buffalo sauce and 2 Tablespoons of butter. Warm the sauce and butter over medium heat and stir until combined. Don’t bring the sauce to a boil or the butter will separate from the sauce. If you like BBQ sauce on your wings, you’ve got to give my Apple Jalapeno BBQ Sauce a try!

More Smoked Chicken Wings Recipes

Looking for even more delicious smoked chicken wings recipes? You’ve come to the right place! Hey Grill Hey LOVES making chicken wings, and we have quite the variety to please any palate. Check out these smoked chicken wings recipes below for more wing goodness:

Smoked Then Fried Chicken Wings
Honey Heat Smoked Chicken Wings
Smoked Jerk Chicken Wings

Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

Follow the recipe, and I’ll teach you the simple steps to making your own smoked chicken wings at home. Hey Grill Hey is dedicated to help you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes and videos on YouTubeInstagram, or our Facebook Page.

Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

By: Susie Bulloch (heygrillhey.com)
4.78 from 48 votes
If you're in the mood for smoked chicken wings, why not make the best crispy smoked chicken wings ever? These wings combine the best of both worlds. You get all of that tasty smoke-house flavor but with extra delicious crispy skin!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Servings6 people

Video

Ingredients
 

  • 5 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Dry your chicken wings thoroughly on all sides with a paper towel. Place them in a zip top bag.
  • Add the baking powder and salt to the wings, close the bag, and toss to coat evenly.
  • Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F using your favorite wood. Place the wings directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for 30 minutes.
  • Increase the heat in your smoker to 425 degrees until the internal temperature of the wing reads 175 degrees F.  You can rotate or flip the wings as needed to maintain even cooking and avoid any hot spots on the grill.
  • Remove the wing from the grill and serve. You can serve plain, toss in your favorite BBQ seasoning, or hot sauce.

Notes

I adapted my recipe for Smoked Chicken Wings from Nagi at RecipeTin eats. If you want an oven version of this recipe, check it out here: https://www.recipetineats.com/crispy-oven-baked-chicken-wings-honey-garlic-sauce/

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 823mg | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

**This post was originally published January 2019. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.

About

FOUNDER/BBQ BOSS LADY

Susie is the BBQ Brain behind the Hey Grill Hey website. Her passion for smoked meats and developing fun, new recipes have landed her on the Food Network, cooking turkeys with Shaq, and on a couple of Guinness World Records. When she’s not grilling, she is hanging out with Todd and their three kids, preferably outdoors!

Related Recipes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Reader Reviews

175 Reviews

  1. gary says:

    is it just a teaspoon of salt, the video looks like more?can I go from my treager for the smoke to my flat top to finish them at 400?

  2. Lorenzo says:

    This came out amazing, found the recipe after I had already marinated chicken, so I dried them and added the baking powder…this is a must try

  3. M. Fox says:

    Can’t wait to try this out for a group of friends soon!One quick question. The rub recipe I’ve used in the past, and will combine with the baking powder, advises a very light coating of oil to help the rub adhere and give the meat that golden roast color. Do you think doing the same here would ruin the dryness for the crispy chemistry, or actually help improve it by giving the entire surface a little extra fat for the crisping process?Thanks!

    1. Hey Grill Hey says:

      I’d follow the recipe as written first, and then try with your adjustments!

  4. Marty says:

    You don’t taste the baking powder?

    1. Michael Fuentez says:

      You do not. However you’ll want to make sure you find a brand that doesn’t have aluminum.

  5. Keith says:

    Can I wet brine these first and then use baking powder and rub?

    1. Amy says:

      Yes! That’s how I do it and it works well.

  6. Stetson says:

    So I love how crispy Quaker Steak wings are when you bite in and this recipe nails what I was after. I followed the recipe aside from a few different things. I put about 5 tablespoons of Baking powder in and then put some dry rub(I think a salt garlic) that wouldn’t be overpowering, maybe 5 tablespoons but it was seasoning. I put those back in the fridge and smoked the 250 for 30 mins and then 450 for about 50 mins. The drums got up to 180, but it didn’t impact it, they were still crispy and juicy.They turned out great, everyone loved the skin flavor and crispness.

  7. Halye says:

    These are the absolute best wings ever and they are SO EASY!! I’ve made them for my honey and several friends and everyone says best wings they’ve ever had. Thanks so much!

  8. Brian Cassidy says:

    There is NO way that there was only 1 tsp. of salt in that bowl, and put into the plastic bag. Both the written recipe and you stated “1 tsp. salt”. What is the correct amount of salt? Cheers!

    1. Hey Grill Hey says:

      Salt to taste!

  9. Dave says:

    Love this recipe! It’s been my “go to” way to cook.

  10. Laureen says:

    Made these Saturday for football watching and they are fabulous!!! We will be making them again soon. Thanks, Susie for the great recipe and great instructions!