How To Smoke Chicken Wings - And A Delicious Dry Rub Recipe Too! (2024)

Jump to Recipe

If you are looking for a simple and delicious way to smoke chicken wings – this is it!

Have you ever walked outside when someone is grilling and felt instant envy?

That smell of charcoal? Or even better – wood chips smoking gently?

We used hickory wood for our smoked chicken wings this week.

Over this past weekend, we finally had a couple of extra hours at the house that we could dedicate to our home project list.

We decided to take advantage of that opportunity to heat up our gas smoker. We began to search our freezer for what we could smoke and found several pounds of chicken wings and drums just waiting to be used.

And in an instant, we had the perfect dinner planned – it was time to smoke chicken wings!

The key to smoking any type of meat is “low and slow”. This is especially true with chicken wings since it isn’t a thick cut of meat and the wings can become dried out quickly.

Using a smokeradds so much natural flavor and keeps the meat nice and juicy. So juicy that traditional wing sauces aren’t even necessary.

That definitely saves on the amount of calories consumed and also the amount of napkins needed.

With our easy how to smoke wings instructions below – you can create amazing wings for any party, tailgate – or like us, an amazing dinner!

The recipe for the dry rub below combines a variety of blends of spices which can be adapted to your individual preference.

Add more cayenne pepper for additionalheat, or add more smoke paprika for more of a barbecue flavor.

The possibilities are endless – and they all let you smoke chicken wings perfectly!

Easy to make dry rub – adjust the seasonings to your own taste

Racks of wings cooking low and slow.

Check the temperature with a thermometer to ensure a safe consuming temperature

No barbecue sauce is necessary, but if you would like additional flavor add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking

Ingredients:
3 pounds chicken wings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

How To Smoke Chicken Wings:

*If wings are frozen, thaw.

1. Place approximately 3 cups of wood chips in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit for at least one hour prior to heating.

2. Rinse wings with water and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

3. Place wings in a large bowl/plastic bag and rub olive oil evenly into each piece.

4. Combine all seasonings in a bowl.

5. Sprinkle half of the season mix onto the chicken wings and rub in. Flip wings and sprinkle remaining half onto wings and rub in.

6. Let the dry rub sit on the wings for at least 30 minutes.

7. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees.

8. Place chicken wings on the racks, placing the largest pieces (usually the legs) closest to the heat source.

Basket of wings right off the smoker – they won’t last long in our house!

9. Add water-soaked wood chips to the box/tray on your smoker

Keep that temperature steady…

10. Smoke/heat wings maintaining a 250 degree temperature for the 45-60 minutes.

11. Flip wings and add more chips if desired (not necessary). After 90 minutes, check internal temperature of wings. Heat to 165 degrees.

12. Increase temperature to 375 degrees F and crisp the outer edge for approximately 20-30 minutes.

13. Remove from heat and cover until served.

**If wing sauce is desired, brush on the wings for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.

Enjoy!

**If you would like to receive ourRecipe Of The Week– be sure to sign up to follow the blog via email in the right hand column, “like” us on theFacebook, or follow us onTwitter. This post may contain affiliate links.

Mary and Jim

Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings

How To Smoke Chicken Wings - And A Delicious Dry Rub Recipe Too! (7)

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds chicken wings
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. If wings are frozen, thaw.
  2. Place approximately 3 cups of wood chips in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit for at least one hour prior to heating.
  3. Rinse wings with water and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
  4. Place wings in a large bowl/plastic bag and rub olive oil evenly into each piece.
  5. Combine all seasonings in a bowl.
  6. Sprinkle half of the season mix onto the chicken wings and rub in. Flip wings and sprinkle remaining half onto wings and rub in.
  7. Let the dry rub sit on the wings for at least 30 minutes.
  8. Preheat smoker to 250 degrees.
  9. Place chicken wings on the racks, placing the largest pieces (usually the legs) closest to the heat source.
  10. Add water-soaked wood chips to the box/tray on your smoker.
  11. Smoke/heat wings maintaining a 250 degree temperature for the 45-60 minutes.
  12. Flip wings and add more chips if desired (not necessary). After 90 minutes, check internal temperature of wings. Heat to 165 degrees.
  13. Increase temperature to 375 degrees F and crisp the outer edge for approximately 20-30 minutes.
  14. Remove from heat and cover until served.

Notes

If wing sauce is desired, brush on the wings for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.
Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g

How To Smoke Chicken Wings - And A Delicious Dry Rub Recipe Too! (2024)

FAQs

Do you add dry rub before or after cooking wings? ›

I definitely highly recommend that you do because this helps air circulate around the wings so they get crispier. Do you add dry rub before or after cooking chicken wings? Before! This allows the flavor of the spices to adhere to the wings.

How long do you smoke chicken wings for and at what temperature? ›

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.

How do you get dry seasoning to stick to wings? ›

Our advice is to coat the wings just before serving them to avoid sogginess. Ever seasoned your chicken wings but the seasoning just hasn't stuck? The key to fully coated wings is flour! Before you toss the chicken in the sauce, coat them with your chosen bulk herbs and spices dry mix and a little flour!

Do you flip chicken wings when smoking? ›

No, you don't need to flip the wings while they're smoking, especially because they're only smoking for 30 minutes and over indirect heat.

When should I put dry rub on wings? ›

The best way to apply a rub to your chicken wings is the night before cooking. This allows much more time for the spices to blend into the chicken. We also recommend adding the spices by hand, rubbing the rub on all sides of the wings.

How do you make crispy wings when smoking? ›

The Secret to Crispy Smoked Chicken Wing Skin

Add 2 Tbsp of the rub you used in the brine and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Seal the bag and flip it a few times to get all of the wings coated and then throw them in your smoker at 150 degrees.

What is the best temp to smoke wings? ›

Cook the wings at 250°F (121°C) for 30 minutes to smoke them, then crank the heat on your smoker up to 425°F (218°C) and cook the wings until they reach 175°F (79°C) internal temp. (Wings are high in connective tissue and need to be cooked to a higher temperature than breast meat to become tender and tasty.

Do you cover wings when smoking? ›

Smoke the wings over indirect low heat—over the empty side of the charcoal grill or the unlit burners—for 1 hour, with the grill lid on, flipping once. Note: I got 28 to 34 chicken wings in 5 pounds. If your chicken wings are large, with less than 28 wings, smoke them for 15 minutes longer.

Is it better to dry rub or wet chicken wings? ›

You dip the wings into your seasoning, which can be any mixture of sweet, savory, spicy or umami spices. That step yields better flavor: A dry seasoning sticks a whole lot better to chicken wings than any marinade or sauce can. It's baked (or fried!) right in.

How do you make seasoning stick better? ›

Saute your food on the stove with 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) of water, vegetable broth, cooking vinegar, or wine to help your seasoning stick without oil. Spritz your food with water or cooking vinegar before seasoning it, then place it in the oven to roast. Or, dry roast your veggies and season them afterward.

How do you keep moisture out of seasoning? ›

Store in airtight containers: Transfer your spices from their original containers to airtight glass or plastic jars. A proper seal keeps moisture and air out, maintaining the spice's texture and flavour. Keep spices in a cool, dark place: Light and heat can accelerate the hardening process.

Do you need a water pan when smoking chicken wings? ›

It is best to smoke the chicken wings uncut – with the three sections intact. I find when smoking cut-up chicken wings they tend to dry out. I also smoke them above a water pan, the steam helps cook the wings and allows for moist, juicy wings when finished smoking.

Can you overcook wings on a smoker? ›

Smoke the wings for 2 hours. By this time the wings should have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. If they're slightly over 165, that's fine. Any internal temp up to 180°F means the wings will still be juicy and tender when cooked low and slow on the smoker.

Why are my smoked chicken wings tough? ›

The ideal temperature to cook your chicken should be around 275 °F – 320 °F (135 °C – 160 °C). As you start to decrease temperature beyond this threshold, the skin will become rubbery. The chicken fat needs to be cooked into the meat, and that cannot happen when your temperature is very low.

Can you put dry rub on wings after cooking? ›

Do You Put Dry Rub On Wings Before Or After Cooking? In this recipe add all of your dry rub seasoning before. Now, you could wait until they are done cooking to season as well but I suggest adding before just due to how I prepared them.

How long to dry rub before cooking? ›

Be sure to let the rub sit for 30 minutes or up to 1½ hours to allow the salt and spices to penetrate the meat before cooking.

Should you dry rub in advance? ›

Wet and dry rubs are easy to use. Rub them onto and into the meat, every surface, full coverage. For dry rubs, this can be done up to 24 hours in advance. If you have added salt to the rub, the salt will work its magic while the surface of the meat dries out making for crispier skin or a better bark when smoking.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Twana Towne Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5721

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Twana Towne Ret

Birthday: 1994-03-19

Address: Apt. 990 97439 Corwin Motorway, Port Eliseoburgh, NM 99144-2618

Phone: +5958753152963

Job: National Specialist

Hobby: Kayaking, Photography, Skydiving, Embroidery, Leather crafting, Orienteering, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Twana Towne Ret, I am a famous, talented, joyous, perfect, powerful, inquisitive, lovely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.