Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings
Fire up your Traeger grill and make these Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings that are juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. They promise to be the hit of your next backyard barbecue!
Servings: 4
Calories: 520kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 4 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats)
- ½ cup buffalo sauce (optional)
Dry Brine Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Pat wings dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. You want them to be as dry as possible! Squeeze each wing with a paper towel until all the moisture is gone.4 pounds chicken wings
- Mix the dry brine in a small bowl. If you have a large group, you'll need to make extra seasoning to cover all of the pieces.¼ cup brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Place pieces in a large baking pan. Sprinkle dry rub over chicken until each wing is fully coated. Turn them over and sprinkle again.
- Turn the smoke setting to 225 degrees F on your Traeger grill. Go ahead and add the chicken directly to the grill grates in a single layer as the smoker is heating up. This helps infuse intense smoke into the meat as the unit is preheating.
- Once the temp reaches 225 degrees F, close the lid and smoke the wings for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the wings and turn up the temperature of the smoker to 450 degrees.
- When the smoker temperature reaches 450 degrees, add the chicken wings back to the grill.
- Continue to cook chicken about 30 more minutes until the internal temperature of the wings reaches 175 degrees F, or even higher. Turn each piece over frequently with tongs to make sure the skin is getting crispy and not burning.
- Remove chicken from the smoker and serve as is, or toss in your favorite bbq sauce or buffalo sauce. Be sure to provide plenty of Homemade Blue Cheese Dip, Blueberry BBQ Sauce, or Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce for dipping!½ cup buffalo sauce
Notes
- My Homemade Blue Cheese Dip recipe is shown in the photos.
- Use fresh or frozen wings - If using frozen, be sure to thaw completely before beginning recipe.
- Leftovers - Store leftover chicken wings in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer - You can freeze cooked chicken wings in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat - The best way to reheat wings is to cook them in an air fryer, or put them back on a smoker and reheat to at least 165 degrees F.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 1686mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg