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    Home » Appetizers for Game Day

    Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings

    Apr 5, 2023 · Leave a Comment

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    Dry rub smoked chicken wings and sauce in a paper serving basket.
    Overhead view of dry rub smoked wings in a parchment paper lined basket.
    Dry rub smoked chicken wings ingredients and the finished wings in a basket.
    Smoked dry rub chicken wings and sauce.
    Overhead view of smoked dry rub wings in a basket.
    Smoked dry rub wings and dipping sauce in a parchment lined basket.
    Smoked dry rub wings and a cup of dipping sauce in a basket.

    Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings are incredibly delicious and perfect for game day, parties, or a casual dinner at home. These crispy and juicy chicken wings with mouth-watering dry rub seasoning will make your taste buds dance. It's the best dry-rubbed chicken wing recipe for an electric smoker or Traeger pellet grill.

    Dry rub smoked chicken wings and a cup of sauce in a parchment lined paper serving basket.

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Table of Contents

    • What Makes Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings the Perfect Game Day Wing? 
    • Why You Should Try This Recipe?
    • Ingredients You Will Need 
    • How to Make Dry Rub Wings 
    • What Type of Wood Pellets Should You Use for Smoking Wings
    • What Goes With Smoked Chicken Wings
    • How to Store the Leftovers
    • What Is the Best Way to Reheat Smoked Wings
    • More Chicken Wing Recipes
    • Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings

    What Makes Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings the Perfect Game Day Wing? 

    Eating wings while watching sports on TV is just about as all-American as it gets. Sure, traditionally, most people chow down on fried wings, but this smoked wings recipe is a tasty alternative.

    Combining a classic dry rub of herbs and spices with flavorful smoke gives these wings a one-of-a-kind taste that no other cooking method can match.

    Why You Should Try This Recipe?

    Smoking is just about the easiest way to cook wings because there is no need to babysit them or worry that they aren't cooked all the way through. Do you want to change things up? Just use a different spice rub!

    Between the ease and flexibility of this smoked wings recipe, it is definitely one you have to try.

    Ingredients You Will Need 

    For the dry rub, you'll need:

    • Smoked paprika
    • Granulated garlic 
    • Onion powder 
    • Cayenne pepper
    • Chili powder 
    • Cumin powder
    • Kosher salt 
    • Ground black pepper 

    For the chicken, you'll need:

    • Chicken wings
    • Vegetable oil

    If you can't find granulated garlic, use garlic powder instead.

    Dry rub smoked chicken wings ingredients on a tray.

    How to Make Dry Rub Wings 

    To make the dry rub:

    1. Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub in a mixing bowl. 
    2. Whisk well and place to the side. 
    Chicken wing dry rub mix in a bowl.

    To prep the chicken wings:

    1. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking tray.
    2. Cut the chicken wings into wingettes and drumettes. Discard the wingtips or put them in the freezer to make stock. 
    Raw chicken wing flats and drums on a baking sheet.
    1. Put half the dry rub and half the vegetable oil in a large plastic food storage bag.
    2. Add half of the cut chicken wings.
    3. Shake the bag to coat the wings, and then massage the spices into the chicken wings. 
    4. Place the spice-rubbed chicken on the wire rack and repeat with the remaining spice rub, vegetable oil, and chicken wings. 
    smoked dry rub chicken wings on a wire rack.

    To smoke the chicken wings:

    1. Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
    2. Add your preferred wood pellets. See below for more information about which type of wood works best for chicken wings. 
    3. Smoke the wings until they reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F. Use an instant-read or meat thermometer and check several wings before pulling them from the smoker. Start checking the temperature of the wings after about an hour. 
    4. Once you remove the chicken wings, crank the smoker or grill up to 450°F. Grill the wings for three to five minutes per side or until crispy. 
    5. Serve immediately. 
    Dry rub smoked chicken wings on parchment paper in a serving basket.

    What Type of Wood Pellets Should You Use for Smoking Wings

    Woods that produce milder smoke work well with smoked dry rub wings. Applewood smoke is mild but has a sweet flavor that goes wonderfully with a spicy rub. Cherry wood smoke is also a good choice for its sweetness and the beautiful reddish color it imparts to chicken.

    If you prefer a stronger smoke, hickory is a great choice.

    Whether you use wood chips on a charcoal grill or pellets in a pellet smoker, the wood you choose for smoking does affect the flavor.

    What Goes With Smoked Chicken Wings

    A high crunch factor is the name of the game when pairing sides with smoked dry rub wings. You can keep it old school with crispy fries, onion rings, or loaded nachos. Serve as an appetizer with celery sticks, carrots, and ranch or blue cheese dressing.

    Chipotle or brown sugar BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce would also be great to toss on these wings.

    Or try taking a modern route with pickled vegetables or a cucumber and tomato salad.

    How to Store the Leftovers

    Let the chicken wings cool and store them in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to three days. If freezing the chicken wings, prevent them from sticking together by flash freezing:

    1. Lay the cooled chicken wings out on a baking tray.
    2. Put the baking tray in the freezer until the chicken wings are frozen, about three hours. 
    3. Transfer the frozen chicken wings to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months. 
    4. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. 

    What Is the Best Way to Reheat Smoked Wings

    The easiest way to reheat thawed chicken wings is in the oven to get the crispness of when they were originally prepared:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    2. Take the thawed chicken wings from the fridge and let them come up to room temperature. 
    3. Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking tray. Place the chicken on the wire rack.
    4. Pour a few tablespoons of water into the rimmed baking tray to prevent the chicken from drying out. 
    5. Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and heat for eight minutes.
    6. Take off the aluminum foil, increase the heat to 450°F, and cook a few minutes more until the chicken is crispy. 
    Overhead view of dry rub smoked chicken wings and a cup of sauce in a basket.

    More Chicken Wing Recipes

    • Baked BBQ Chicken Wings
    • Louisiana Hot Sauce Wings

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    Dry rub smoked chicken wings.
    Print Recipe

    Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings

    Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings are a tasty appetizer for game day or a party.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Smoker Recipe
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 288kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 pounds chicken wings
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    Instructions

    • Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
    • In a small bowl, combine the paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well.
    • Cut the chicken wings at the joints, separating them into drumettes, wingettes, and wing tips. Discard the wing tips or save them to make stock.
    • Pat dry the drumettes and wingettes. Place half of them into a large plastic zip-top bag along with half of the dry rub and half of the oil. Massage the seasoning blend over the chicken. Then remove the chicken from the bag and place it onto a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, spices, and oil.
    • Smoke the wings for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. At this point, remove the wings from the smoker.
    • Increase the temperature of the smoker to 450°F. When the proper temperature has been reached, return the wings to the smoker for 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken wings from the smoker and serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 383mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 493IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Stephanie Manley

    Hi, I'm Stephanie! I love to cook and share my recipes with all of my viewers. I want to inspire people to cook at home and make great memories of sharing meals with their friends and family

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