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    Home » BBQ

    Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings

    Published: Jul 4, 2022 · Modified: Sep 28, 2024 by The Kitchen Bucket List

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Bringing smoked, crispy, and tender chicken wings home tonight. And it’s right from your BBQ or smoker. These wings are simple and easy. One bite will have you making this recipe again and again.

    Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings on black serving tray. this recipe
    Jump to:
    • Why We Love Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings
    • Ingredients
    • Pro Tips for Smoked Wings
    • Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe
    • Equipment
    • Storage / Leftovers / Rewarm
    • FAQ
    • Don’t stop with the wings, give these a try.
    • What to serve with chicken wings
    • Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings

    This post may contain affiliate links, please read the disclaimer policy.

    Why We Love Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings

    Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings, left picture is crispy wings in a paper lined basket. The right has BBQ sauce added to stacked wings on a plate.
    • Dry or Wet – This is the hardest thing you have to decide. Okay, just do both. The wings are perfectly crispy and tender right off the grill. Add your favorite BBQ or hot sauce for the extra flavor.
    • Smoked and Crispy – The best of both worlds done in under an hour. I used mesquite wood for its classic intense flavor.
    • Simple dry rub – Three ingredients onion salt, smoked Paprika, and cornstarch. Cornstarch is the secret to smoked crispy chicken wings.
    • Party and Tailgating – What is better than fresh wings? You can make a bunch in no time.

    Ingredients

    • Chicken wings: fresh or frozen (thawed).
    • Cornstarch: aids in the crispiness.
    • Onion salt: brings a subtle salty sweetness.
    • Smoked Paprika: heightens the smoky flavor and a hint of pepper.
    • Smoking wood: it can bring sweetness to intense flavor from mesquite.
    Poultry ingredients with seasoning on them in a bowl.

    Pro Tips for Smoked Wings

    • Each type of smoking wood brings a unique flavor to this cook. Check out the “Smoking Wood” section in the Smoked Sausage post to add your own flavor to these smoked crispy chicken wings.
    • Smoking the chicken wings, BBQers make sure to have the wood smoking before placing the wings on the grill grate.
    • Cornstarch, a little goes a long way.
    • Need more wings, use an elevated rack to nearly double the amount of wings.

    Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

    1. Prepare and preheat – Unpack and dry the chicken wings. Preheat the BBQ or smoker to 250 degrees F. BBQers set up for an indirect cooking method. Combine the dry rub in a small bowl. Add the chicken into a large mixing bowl and coat with the rub.

    2. Smoking and Crisping time – Place your wings on the grill grate and smoke with the lid closed. Then, increase the temperature to 400 degrees F. The wings are done in under an hour.

    Collage of four pictures. Top left, rubbing seasoning into wings. Top right, shows wings seasoned in a bowl. Lower left, wings on the BBQ grill grate smoking. Lower right, wings cooked and being removed from BBQ onto black serving tray.

    3. Serve and Enjoy – Once the wings’ internal temperature reaches 190 – 195 degrees F., they are done. Now the question is how to serve them, dry or wet. Heck just do both…Yum!

    Continue down to the recipe card for full instructions and ingredient amounts.

    Equipment

    • BBQ or Smoker
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Instant read thermometer
    • BBQ tongs

    Storage / Leftovers / Rewarm

    Storage – The wings can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 – 4 days. If you made a bunch you can freeze them for up to 4 months.
    Leftovers – Take the meat off the bones and use it in one of our recipes:

    • Chicken Fried Rice
    • Air Fryer Nachos
    • Quesadillas (on the griddle)
    • Street Tacos

    Rewarm – The air fryer can have the wings hot and ready in about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. You could even put them back on the BBQ before you cook something else as an appetizer. The time and temperature will vary from the air fryer but it gives you a baseline.

    FAQ

    How long to smoke chicken wings?

    The initial low-temperature smoke is 30 minutes, then the temperature increases to 400 degrees F. for another 15 – 20 minutes.

    I don’t care for smoked food. Can I still make this recipe?

    Absolutely! Just don’t add the wood and follow the rest of the recipe.

    I see you made them dry and wet. Was that the same cook?

    Yes. That is why I love this recipe so much. We had 15 wings, so why not have the best of both worlds? The dry is perfectly moist and crispy with a hint of the smoke flavor. The wet get all the above with the addition of your favorite BBQ or Buffalo sauce.

    You use onion salt in the dry rub. Can I use garlic salt?

    Oh Yeah! That is a great substitute.

    Isn’t 165 degrees F. the safe temperature to eat chicken? Why 190 degrees F. for your serving temperature?

    Yes, 165 degrees F. is recommended, per USDA. What I have found with chicken wings is you can take them to a higher temperature to break down the connective tissue. The fat level will keep them nice and tender without drying out.

    Don’t stop with the wings, give these a try.

    • Searing a smoked ribeye with the smokers flame broiler. This recipe can be done on a charcoal BBQ too.
      Smoked ribeyes with BBQ spice rub
    • Sliced smoked meatloaf with BBQ sauce that has caramelized to form a crust. It is moist and tender.
      Smoked meatloaf recipe for the BBQ or smoker
    • The smoked meat being sliced on a cutting board.
      Smoked corned beef brisket
    • Two smoking beef short rib racks resting vertically on a BBQ grill grate.
      Smoking beef short ribs

    What to serve with chicken wings

    • Holding a piece of the crispy bacon chicken ranch quesadilla with meted cheese and a drip of ranch dressing coming from the middle. It is ready to be eaten.
      Bacon chicken ranch quesadilla
    • Seasoned air fryer gnocchi coming out of the air fryer in the basket with a beautiful golden color.
      Air fryer gnocchi
    • Smashed Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes with Colby Jack cheese melting while they crisp up.
      Smashed potatoes with cheese
    • Five nearly seared wagyu beef sliders with bacon and grilled onions on top. They are sizzling on the griddle.
      Wagyu beef sliders on the griddle
    Smoked Crispy Chicken Wing coated with BBQ sauce getting dipped into small bowl with Ranch dressing.

    What do you think of the smoked crispy chicken wings recipe? Please leave us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the review below and tag me @thekitchenbucketlist on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!

    Bringing Smoked, Crispy, and Tender Chicken Wings home tonight. And it's right from your BBQ or smoker. These wings are simple and easy. One bite will have you making this recipe again and again.

    Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings

    The Kitchen Bucket List is excited to share our smoked crispy chicken wings recipe. You can make these on the BBQ or Smoker. Simple, Easy, and Tasty!
    After you do the wings, give the Smoked Chicken Drumsticks a try.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine American, BBQ
    Servings 4 People

    Equipment

    • Smoker or BBQ
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Instant read thermometer
    • BBQ tongs

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 chunk mesquite wood (Or your favorite)
    • 3 lbs. chicken wings (15 pieces)

    Dry Rub

    • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons onion salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked Paprika

    Sauce (optional for wet wings)

    • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (coats 8 wings)

    Instructions
     

    Prepare and preheat

    • Unpack and prepare the chicken wings. Ensure they are thawed (if frozen) and dry the wings with paper towels.
    • Preheat the smoker or BBQ to 250 degrees F. and add smoking wood. BBQers use an indierct cooking method.
    • Mix together the cornstarch, onion salt, and smoked Paprika in a small bowl.
    • Place the wings in a large bowl and coat with the dry rub.

    Smoking and Crisping time

    • Put chicken on the preheated smoker or BBQ and smoke for 30 minutes with the lid closed.
    • After 30 minutes of smoking, increase the smoker or BBQ to 400 degrees F. Leave the lid closed.
    • Cook for 15 – 20 minutes, until internal temperature is 190 – 195 degrees F.

    Serve and Enjoy

    • Pull the wings from the smoker or BBQ. Now, it's decision time, dry or wet. This may help, the dry wings can be enjoyed right off the grill.
    • If you choose to do wet/sauced wings, let them rest for 5 minutes. This will allow them to cool a bit and allow the sauce to adhere better.
    • Place wings to be sauced in a mixing bowl and coat with your choice of sauce. To give you an example for the 8 wings I used a ¼ cup of BBQ sauce.
    • Serve and Enjoy!
    Keyword BBQ, chicken, chicken wings, crispy wings, dry wings, Smoked Wings, wet wings

    HAPPY SMOKING!!!

    BBQ recipes

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    • Grilled T-bones and top sirloin steaks are a favorite here. When they're thick, I reverse sear them on the BBQ. Reverse searing on the BBQ is easily done, it starts with a low and slow, a rest, and then a high-heat sear to grill the steaks to perfection.
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    • Cooked low and slow with sweet pecan wood, these Smoked Meatballs are our favorite BBQ flavor bombs this summer. The cheese brings a whole new level of flavor and texture.
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    Filed Under: 4th July, Appetizers, BBQ, Chicken, Outdoor Cooking, Quick dinner recipes, Recipes, Smoked

    Comments

    1. Jomelyn Mauermann says

      September 27, 2023 at 10:46 am

      5 stars
      Chicken wings are my favorite! I need to make this smoked wings soon. They looks yummy!

      Reply
    2. Tressa says

      September 26, 2023 at 8:42 am

      5 stars
      The mesquite flavor is absolutely unreal. Thank you for sharing the recipe. New go-to for gatherings unlocked.

      Reply

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    I'm Karina,

    After years of cooking and baking with my girls, where even dad shows up from time to time, especially for BBQ. The Kitchen Bucket List was created.
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    Modern footer. Welcome to The Kitchen Bucket List's Recipes & About footer. My name is Karina and I am very excited to share with you our Simple, Easy, and Tasty recipes. After years of cooking and baking with my girls, where even dad shows up from time to time, especially for the BBQ, The Kitchen Bucket List was created in the Spring of 2020.

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