You’re going to love the juicy meat and smoky flavor of my Smoked Chicken Wings. Tender chicken with a hint of cherry wood in every bite will make these crispy smoked chicken wings a hit at your next barbecue.
![smoked chicken wings on a white platter.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smoked-wings-hero-10-1.jpg)
My smoked chicken wing recipe couldn’t be easier to make. Just add the seasonings, let the chicken wings marinate for a few minutes as they come to room temperature, then load them up in the smoker, and in a short time, you’ll be enjoying delicious smoked chicken wings.
![smoked chicken wings on a white platter.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smoked-wings-close-up-10.jpg)
I don’t know about you, but I love chicken wings! And these smoked chicken wings might just be my new favorite.
If you love chicken wings, check out our Grilled Dry Rub Chicken Wings.
Ingredients to make Smoked Chicken Wings
![ingredients to make recipe.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/chicken-wing-ingredients-10.jpg)
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Macaroni Salad. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Made with simple ingredients
- chicken wings
- kosher salt
- smoked paprika
- cumin
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper (optional)
Can I use other spices in my dry rub?
Yes, you can. The key to making delicious smoked chicken that you and your family will love is to use seasonings that you enjoy eating. Changing up the spices in this simple dry rub is easy and definitely something you can do each time you prepare smoked chicken.
Other seasonings you could add to your spice rub are cumin, chili powder, dry oregano, ground ginger, turmeric, and coriander. You can also use your favorite seasoning blend. Cajun seasoning, jerk seasoning, barbecue seasoning, and Old Bay seasoning can be used instead of making your own dry rub. You can also add brown sugar to the seasonings to make a sweet rub.
For heat, cayenne pepper is usually the best way to kick up the flavor of your smoked chicken legs. But be careful because a little can go a long way.
What type of chicken wing should I use?
I like buying chicken wings that have already been cut into drummettes and wingettes, that way, I don’t have to deal with the wing flaps. But if you prefer using whole wings, they’ll work with this recipe. Or cut the drummette off and leave the flap on the wingette. It’s all about personal preference.
How to make smoked chicken wings
Add your favorite wood chips or wood chunks to the smoker and preheat the smoker temperature to 250 degrees F. I used cherry wood to smoke the wings.
![collage of seasonings.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Chicken-Rub-2.1-1.jpg)
- Add the seasonings to a small bowl
- Mix seasonings thoroughly to fully combine the spice rub.
![chicken wings with seasoning in an aluminum pan.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smoked-chicken-wings-1.2.jpg)
- Pat the skin of the chicken wings using a paper towel.
- Spread the chicken rub generously over the chicken, making sure to season all sides of the wing for a well-balanced flavor.
For maximum flavor, let the seasoned chicken set for 30 minutes to give the dry brine time to penetrate the chicken and marinate it with the flavors. This also gives the chicken time to come to room temperature prior to putting it in the smoker. *This step gives the rub time to soak into the skin and meat, but if you’re in a hurry, it can be skipped.
When cooking with a smoker, it’s all about low heat, and slow smoking is the key to perfect smoked chicken wings. Higher temperatures using high heat are not your friend when it comes to good barbecue.
![collage showing smoker closed and loaded.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smoker-2.1.jpg)
- Place wings in a shallow foil pan and place the pan on a smoker rack in the preheated smoker and cook the chicken wings for 60 – 75 minutes or until an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees is reached. *Alternatively, for crispy skin, you can place the chicken directly on the wire rack in the electric smoker, placing a drip pan on the rack below the chicken to catch the drippings and excess fat.
*Use an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer inserted in the chicken wing to make sure the internal temperature of the smoked chicken wings is at least 165 degrees f.
I used an electric smoker to make my smoked chicken wings, but feel free to use a pellet smoker or charcoal smoker to make this recipe.
![smoked chicken wings on a white platter.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smoked-chicken-wings-LS-10-1.jpg)
After one bite, I know you’ll agree this is these are the best smoked chicken wings you’ve ever tasted!
If you love buffalo chicken wings, coat these wings in my homemade buffalo sauce and serve them with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks for the ultimate buffalo wings.
![smoked chicken wings with barbecue sauce on a white platter.](https://www.askchefdennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/bbq-smoked-wings-hero-10.jpg)
The smoking process adds a lot of great flavor to the meat, but you can’t beat a good barbecue sauce. Using your favorite sauce and adding a few ingredients allows you to create your own signature bbq sauce, elevating the smoked chicken wings to a whole new level of barbecue deliciousness.
Use a basting brush to coat the smoked wings with the bbq sauce and serve the bbq chicken wings with your favorite side dishes.
Save any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you smoke wings at 250 degrees, it will take about 60 minutes to reach 165 °F, the safe internal temperature for wings. Just to note that the size of wings can vary, and larger wings can take longer to get to 165 °F. while smaller wings won’t take quite as long to cook.
Lower temperatures are generally the best way to make sure you have tender, juicy meat. Either temperature will work for chicken wings as both are low temperatures.
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These are the products I use to smoke chicken: