Indulge in the ultimate finger food experience with versatile and incredibly delicious wings. Whether you smoke them, deep fry them, or dress them up with a dry rub or sauce, the possibilities are truly endless. Follow this recipe to create mouth-watering, smoked & crispy pellet grill chicken wings and elevate your backyard grillmaster experience.
To smoke these perfect wings, I used my Traeger Timberline XL. This powerful grill comes equipped with a spacious cooking surface that allows me to cook a large number of wings at once. The temperature control from 180º – 500º allows me to infuse smoke flavor, then crank it up to get a crispy finish.
Why should you try this recipe
- Feed a crowd: Chicken wings have a wonderful way of bringing people together, creating a space for shared stories and meaningful conversations. Plus, they’re a cost-effective option for feeding a sizable group.
- Forgiving protein: With their unique composition of heavy bone density and succulent dark meat, wings are a true delight for grilling enthusiasts seeking the perfect balance of texture and flavor. When cooked at high temperatures, the collagen in the dark meat breaks down into a velvety, juicy tenderness, making wings a truly delicious choice for any grill master.
- Great finger food: As you cheer on your favorite team, dive into the mouth-watering scent of wings and take delight in the uncomplicated joys of life. With their versatility and ease of preparation, wings are a perfect reminder to take time to savor the small joys in life, especially while cheering on your favorite team with your buddies.
Ingredients for smoked & crispy pellet grill chicken wings
- 2 lbs Chicken Wings: My preference is to grab packages of the largest, full wings I can find. The full wings often seem to offer a larger final product after breaking them apart.
- 3 tbsp Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle: This spice blend is a favorite for chicken. The balance of sweet and smoky creates delicious flavor profiles, while the honey melts on to create a crispy but also sticky wing finish.
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch: Appling a small amount of corn starch helps the wings crisp up by removing the remaining excess moisture.
Instructions for making smoked & crispy pellet grill chicken wings
1. Bring smoker to temp: To add some extra smoky flavor to these wings, I set the Traeger Timberline XL to 225º and turned on the Super Smoke function while I prepped the wings.
2. Split the wings: If you want to save time, you can buy wings that are already split. However, for this recipe, I bought whole wings and then split them myself. First, I used a sharp knife to remove the end flap. Then, I separated the flat from the drum by cutting in the joint and applying pressure to cut all the way through.
3. Prep the wings: To prepare the chicken wings, I first pat them down with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Then, I place the wings into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them with some cornstarch and Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle seasoning. Finally, I mix everything together using my hands until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
4. Baking rack and season: Next, I transferred the wings to a baking rack for ease of transportation to and from the smoker. Then, I applied a generous amount of my Smoked Q Rock’s Honey Chipotle seasoning, flipping over to make sure to coat both sides evenly.
5. Smoke: To add a smoky flavor to the wings, I cooked them at 225º for 15 minutes using super smoke.
6. Grill: To finish the cook, I cranked up the smoker to 400º and ran these wings for another 35-45 minutes until they were sizzling and a beautiful golden brown color.
7. Serve: After checking a few wings that reached an internal temperature of 175º, I removed them from the grill and served them almost immediately!
Variations and Substitutions:
Alternate Rubs: Personally I really like sweet flavors on my chicken wings. If you like this too, look at using Meat Church Honey Hog or Heath Riles Pecan rub as two great alternatives for this recipe. But don’t be afraid to make your own seasoning with some pantry spices:
- 6 parts brown sugar
- 4 part paprika
- 2 parts garlic
- 2 parts salt
- 1 part black pepper
Substitution or variation: A possible variation for this recipe is to finish the wings in hot peanut oil using a shallow cast iron skillet or a deep pot on the Traeger Timberline XL induction top. This technique will result in a crispier texture.
Tips and tricks for making these smoked & crispy pellet grill chicken wings
Season both sides: Unlock the full potential of your wings by generously seasoning both sides before placing them on the smoker. The result will be a mouthwatering flavor that will inspire you to keep experimenting with new recipes.
Run the smoker at a high temp: By running the smoker at a higher temperature, with the high bone density and dark meat of wings, you can achieve a perfect balance of crispy skin and juicy meat. Don’t be afraid to turn up the heat and take your wings to the next level!
Sauce to finish: This recipe is quite versatile as you can either serve the wings as is, or add sauce for a saucier finish. If you prefer the latter, you can follow the same recipe and add sauce at the end. Simply toss the wings in a bowl with the sauce to cover them. Then place them back on the smoker for another 10-15 minutes to set the sauce. This will give you deliciously smoked and saucy wings that are sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Smoked & Crispy Pellet Grill Chicken WIngs
Equipment
- 1 Traeger Timberline XL
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
- 1 Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Wings
- 3 tbsp Smoked Q Rock's Honey Chipotle Spice Blend
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- To add some extra smoky flavor to these wings, I set the Traeger Timberline XL to 225º and turned on the Super Smoke function while I prepped the wings.
- If you want to save time, you can buy wings that are already split. However, for this recipe, I bought whole wings and then split them myself. First, I used a sharp knife to remove the end flap. Then, I separated the flat from the drum by cutting in the joint and applying pressure to cut all the way through.
- To prepare the chicken wings, I first pat them down with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Then, I place the wings into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle them with some cornstarch and Smoked Q Rock's Honey Chipotle seasoning. Finally, I mix everything together using my hands until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- Next, I transferred the wings to a baking rack for ease of transportation to and from the smoker. Then, I applied a generous amount of my Smoked Q Rock's Honey Chipotle seasoning, flipping over to make sure to coat both sides evenly.
- To add a smoky flavor to the wings, I cooked them at 225º for 15 minutes using super smoke.
- To finish the cook, I cranked up the smoker to 400º and ran these wings for another 35-45 minutes until they were sizzling and a beautiful golden brown color.
- After checking a few wings that reached an internal temperature of 175º, I removed them from the grill and served them almost immediately!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
