You can grill, roast, fry, or bake chicken wings -- but for wings with the most wood-fired flavor, smoking is the way to go. Smoked chicken wings are a staple at any tailgate, backyard barbecue, and guys' night out Learn how to smoke them through this expert guide.

Grilled vs. Smoked Chicken Wings

What's the difference between grilled chicken wings and smoked chicken wings? It can be a little confusing.

In general, when people talk about grilled chicken wings, they usually mean wings that were cooked over relatively high heat for a short period of time. The high heat usually gives the wings crispy skin.

When people talk about smoked chicken wings, they usually mean wings that were cooked over lower heat, for a longer amount of time. The skin isn't likely to crisp up, but you can fix that with a last-minute sear.

The difference in cooking time between grilling and smoking isn't that big. Because chicken wings aren't very large, you wouldn't want to cook them for several hours -- that's good for large cuts of meat like pork shoulder or brisket, but chicken wings would dry out if cooked for that long. So while "grilled" wings might be cooked for 20 to 25 minutes, "smoked" wings might be cooked only an hour.

But there are no hard and fast rules. You should feel free to experiment with times and temperatures to get your wings how you like them. The best way to keep a close eye on your internal temp is with a MEATER 2 Plus wireless meat thermometer.

Because chicken wings are usually cooked with the bone in, they are less prone to drying out than, say, chicken breast. But smoked chicken wings can sometimes turn out a little less juicy than grilled chicken wings. There are ways to combat this result, such as brining the chicken wings before smoking, which we'll discuss below.

How to Season Smoked Chicken Wings

The most common ways of seasoning chicken wings for smoking are brines, marinades, dry rubs, and glazes.

Smoked Chicken Wing Brines

Brines are a mixture of salt, water, and aromatics like herbs. They work by allowing salt to seep into the skin and meat, helping to flavor the wings, and to keep them moist during cooking. Typically, chicken is refrigerated in a brine overnight.

Because smoked wings stay on the grill for an hour or more, brining may help them retain moisture. You do not have to brine your wings before smoking. It is a completely optional step, and you can still make delicious, juicy wings without brining.

Smoked Chicken Wing Marinades

A smoked chicken marinade will typically include a sweet element, a spicy element, some sort of liquid, and a binding element (like oil) to help the marinade adhere to the wings.

Marinades work by seeping into the cracks and crevices of chicken wings, helping to flavor the skin and the meat. They also serve as a barrier between the heat and the chicken to prevent the wings from drying out.

You can refrigerate chicken wings in a marinade from 30 minutes up to 24 hours.

Smoked Chicken Wing Dry Rubs

Dry rubs are all about flavor. Most dry rubs are a combination of herbs and spices, usually with a spicy component. Nearly all dry rubs contain salt, which helps lock in moisture and deepen the flavor of the wings.

Dry rubs can be applied immediately before cooking, or applied to the wings and refrigerated overnight.

Smoked Chicken Wing Glazes

Glazes are usually a mixture of sweet and hot elements. They add extra flavor and appetizing color to wings. A glaze must be somewhat thick and sticky so it adheres to the wings.

A glaze is usually applied in the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking when finishing wings over high heat. The high heat will cook the glaze into the wings.

How Long Does it Take to Smoke Chicken Wings?

If you smoke wings at 225 degrees, it will take about one hour to reach 165 °F, the safe internal temperature for wings. The best way to monitor your wings temperature is with a MEATER wireless meat thermometer. Larger wings will take longer to get to165 °F. Smaller wings won't take quite as long.

If you don't have a thermometer, there's another way to test the internal temperature. If the meat starts to pull away from the bone, that's a sign that the wings are fully cooked.

How to Get Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings

The best way to get crispy wings is to sear them at the end of the cooking process. One way to do this is to cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit at a low temperature (180-225 degrees), then remove them, turn up your grill to a higher temperature (375 degrees), and sear them until the skin is crispy.

If your smoked wings have rubbery skin, try this searing method to crisp them.

How to Smoke Chicken Wings Step-by-Step

Here is our tried-and-true method for smoking chicken wings. We combine marinating, dry rub, glazing, smoking, and searing for crispy, flavorful wings.

1. Marinate the wings in a refrigerated, sealed plastic bag. Our go-to is Italian dressing, and we marinate for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Set your Traeger (or other smoker) to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and use cherry wood pellets.
3. While the smoker is preheating, remove the wings from the marinade, shake off any excess, and dry rub with Traeger Chicken Rub.
4. Smoke wings until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately one hour.
5. Remove the wings and turn the Traeger up to 375 degrees.
6. Toss the wings in a glaze such as Traeger BBQ Sauce. If you want a spicier kick, mix the barbecue sauce with hot sauce before applying.
7. Once the Traeger reaches 375 degrees, place the wings back on and sear them, turning occasionally to prevent burning, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. It's okay to cook them a little past that, if you need to, to get the proper sear.
8. Remove the wings from the grill and let them rest for five minutes to allow the juices in the meat to settle.
9. Serve with a wing sauce (or two) for dipping.

Classic Buffalo Wing Sauce

• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Sauce
• 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sriracha Wing Sauce

• 1/2 cup sriracha
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup honey

What to Serve With Smoked Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are traditionally served with something cool and crunchy like celery and carrot sticks. They are a good contrast with the heat of smoked chicken wings, and can also be dipped in the sauce.

If you want to serve something heartier, the tanginess and texture of this smoked bean salad might make for a good pairing.

How to Reheat Smoked Chicken Wings

To reheat smoked chicken wings, take the cooked wings out of the fridge and preheat your Traeger (or oven) to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the wings on a sheet pan lined with foil. The wings will get closer to room temperature as the Traeger preheats.

Once the preheating is complete, place the sheet pan in the oven and close the lid. Allow the wings to heat up for 5 to 6 minutes, then turn them over and allow them to heat for 5 to 6 minutes more.

These wings get a dry rub the night before cooking, and a slow smoke before a final roast. Then they're tossed in a spicy, savory butter sauce.

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 pounds chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce