As soon as I started smoking chicken wings, I could never look back. I can’t even eat chicken wings at restaurants anymore because of it. They’re THAT GOOD. Many people are hesitant to smoke chicken because it can dry out but I have found that as long as you keep an eye on them, they turn out great and never dry. In fact, they’re the perfect level of juicy without the fat that you would get if you fried, or even baked, chicken wings.

I’ve tried tons of different rubs and haven’t really had a bad one yet. This rub recipe is a great base and and can be modified to suit your taste. For sweeter, add Brown Sugar. For smokier, add more Smoked Paprika and Chili Powder. For spicier, add more Cayenne. The recipe will cover 20-24 wings.
I start by trimming the wings up by removing any excess skin and dividing the drummette, the wingette, and the tip, which is discarded. Most of the time, I buy the wings whole and then cut them up. This is a big pain so if you can find them pre-cut, buy those instead to save time.
In a large bowl, I toss the wings in Olive Oil and then toss in the rub. You could use a large plastic bag for this as well but I found that the seasoning distributes better using a bowl and tongs.
Smoked Chicken Wings
Course: Appetizers, MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: MediumSmoked Chicken Wings are one of the very best ways to enjoy wings at home. This dry rub is a great base and can be modified to suit your taste. Eat as is or toss in your favorite sauce and enjoy!
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cayenne
Directions
- Trim and divide wings into drummette, wingettes, and tips. Discard tips.
- Using a bowl and tongs, toss wings in Olive Oil.
- Combine remainder of ingredients in a small bowl.
- Using the same bowl and tongs, toss wings in the dry rub ingredients pouring a little at a time and tossing.
- Let wings sit with rub on them. You can do this the night before or as little as right before smoking. If done right before cooking, toss them in the rub and let them sit long enough to get to room temperature.
- Set smoker to 250 degrees.
- When smoker reaches temp, set wings directly on grate and close lid.
- Check in one hour by using a thermometer. Chicken is done at 165 degrees. If not done, check again every half hour.
- Remove from smoker and serve.
Notes
- Wings will be done between 1 and 2 hours.