Smoked Chicken Wings
Tender, smoky chicken wings with a crispy exterior and tender, fall-apart meat inside. Low and slow smoking with a simple dry rub creates restaurant-quality wings at home.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 412
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints (flats and drumettes separated)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels by pressing firmly on each piece, so the skin will crisp up when smoked.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon salt.
- 3
Sprinkle the dry rub mixture generously over all the chicken wing pieces, using your fingers to coat every surface evenly.
- 4
Fill your smoker's water pan with hot water and set it to 225°F, using wood chips (hickory, apple, or oak) according to the smoker manual.
- 5
Once the smoker has reached 225°F and is holding steady (verified by the thermometer), arrange the wings on the racks skin-side up.
- 6
Smoke the wings for 2 hours, checking the temperature stays between 225°F and 250°F, without opening the door unnecessarily.
- 7
After 2 hours, pierce the thickest part of a drumette with a fork—the meat should pull apart easily, not offer resistance.
- 8
Remove the wings from the smoker and let them rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before serving, so the juices redistribute.
Tools you’ll need
- smoker (barrel, offset, or electric)
- long-stem meat thermometer
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- paper towels
- metal smoker racks or grates
- cutting board
- fork
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