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Smoked chicken wings with a bold dry rub are the ultimate backyard favorite—smoky, slightly sweet, and packed with flavor in every bite. These dry rub smoked chicken wings are made with brown sugar, smoked paprika, and spices, then slow-smoked until tender with perfectly crispy skin.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings
- How to Make Smoked Chicken Wings
- What Goes in the Dry Rub?
- How to Make Chicken Wings Without a Smoker
- Recipe Tip
- How Many Chicken Wings Per Person
- How Long to Smoke Chicken Wings
- Are Smoked Chicken Wings Gluten Free?
- What are the Best Wood Pellets for Smoking Chicken Wings?
- How to Store Chicken Wings
- How to Reheat Chicken Wings?
- More Wings and Appetizer Recipes:
- Best Dry Rub Chicken Wings Recipe
Even if you think wings are just “meh,” this recipe will change your mind. The smoker adds incredible depth, while a quick blast of high heat gives you that crispy finish. Whether you’re using a Traeger or any smoker, these wings are easy, foolproof, and guaranteed to disappear fast.
I used to not like chicken wings, but chicken wings are, in fact, delicious. I don’t know how such a teensy tiny amount of meat on a bone can be so good, but these Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings are proof of the deliciousness.
If you love chicken wings, don’t miss our…
Why You’ll Love These Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings
- Easy, no-fuss dry rub (no marinade needed)
- Perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and savory
- Works on any smoker (Traeger, pellet, charcoal)
- Crispy skin without frying
- Great for game day, BBQs, or easy dinners
How to Make Smoked Chicken Wings
These Traeger smoked chicken wings are perfect for any gathering. Follow these quick steps to get tender, smoky wings with a delicious crust.
- Preheat: Set the smoker to 225°F and preheat for 10 minutes.
- Mix: Whisk together dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, kosher salt, ground mustard, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper
- Coat: Toss chicken wings in the dry rub until fully coated. Don’t skimp!
- Smoke: Arrange wings in a disposable pan and cook for 1.5–2 hours until internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Grill: Cook wings on high heat until grill marks appear on each side.
- Rest: Cover wings with foil for 5 minutes, then serve.
For more detailed instructions and tips, check out the full recipe card below.
How to Get Crispy Skin on Smoked Chicken Wings
For crispy skin on your smoked wings, wait until they’re fully cooked, then remove them from the smoker. Crank the smoker to high heat, or fire up your grill if needed, and sear the wings on both sides until nice grill marks form. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Dig in!
What Goes in the Dry Rub?
The secret to these smoked chicken wings is the dry rub—a perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and savory spices that caramelize beautifully on the smoker. It is the best dry rub for chicken wings! Here is what you need:
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds deep, rich sweetness with a hint of molasses.
- Light Brown Sugar: Provides milder sweetness and balances the dark brown sugar’s intensity.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors and helps tenderize the meat.
- Ground Mustard: Adds a subtle tangy heat and complexity.
- Smoked Paprika: Brings smoky, slightly sweet warmth that complements the wings.
- Garlic Powder: Delivers savory depth and aromatic punch.
- Oregano: Offers herbal earthiness and a touch of bitterness.
- Black Pepper: Adds sharp, spicy heat and brightness.
And before I get a bunch of questions about the two brown sugars, let me explain! A combo of dark and light brown sugar made for the best caramelization without the overwhelming molasses if you only used dark. Likewise, only using light brown or white sugar wasn’t enough flavor.
These wings are delicious on their own, but feel free to dip them in bbq sauce or ranch!
How to Make Chicken Wings Without a Smoker
No smoker? No problem. You can still make crave-worthy wings using your oven, charcoal grill, or gas grill.
Oven Method
Follow the recipe as written, then bake the wings in a preheated 425°F oven for about 30 minutes. Flip each wing and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Grill Method (Charcoal or Gas)
Grill the wings over medium heat, turning occasionally until fully cooked and nicely charred. Again, aim for an internal temp of 165°F.
Recipe Tip
If you’re not using a smoker, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the wings before you add the dry rub to mimic that smokiness with no smoker needed.
How Many Chicken Wings Per Person
I have the hardest time estimating how much food to make for large groups sometimes. If you are making these wings as the main dish, plan on about 4 to 6 whole chicken wings (8 to 12 pieces) per person.
If these wings are part of a whole array of appetizers, 2 to 3 whole wings per person should be enough. This recipe calls for 3 pounds of wings, which will be about 15-20 whole wings. You may need to double or triple this recipe if you are preparing for a large group.
How Long to Smoke Chicken Wings
At 225°F, chicken wings take about 1.5 to 2 hours to fully cook. Always cook to an internal temperature of 165°F, then finish at high heat for crispy skin.
Are Smoked Chicken Wings Gluten Free?
Yes! Chicken on its own is gluten-free, and all the ingredients for the dry rub are gluten-free.
What are the Best Wood Pellets for Smoking Chicken Wings?
When it comes to smoking chicken wings, we love to use a mild wood like apple wood, cherry wood, or maple wood works the best. A strong wood like mesquite or hickory can overwhelm the little bit of meat on the wings. But when all is said and done, any wood chips will work just fine! Test out different pellets and see which flavor you like the best!
How to Store Chicken Wings
Store leftover chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze them, let the wings cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. A food saver works great for this. Frozen wings will keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, thaw and reheat using one of the methods below.
How to Reheat Chicken Wings?
There’s nothing better than leftovers, but bringing hot delicious wings back to life after they are cold can be difficult. There are a few ways to reheat them:
Skillet: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and pan-fry the wings until warmed through. It’s fast and easy, though the skin may not crisp up like before.
Microwave: The quickest option, but you’ll lose any crispiness.
Oven: Bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes. This is our favorite method—it takes a bit longer but keeps the flavor and crisps up the skin.
Grill: Reheat over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. You may not get the crunch, but the smoky boldness stays strong.
Whether it’s your next game day party, a New Year’s party, or just plain dinner for the fam, these smoked chicken wings have made a wing lover out of me! They are healthier than your typical deep-fried chicken wings, and they have the best bold smoky flavor!
More Wings and Appetizer Recipes:
- Glazed Smoked Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Grilled Chicken Wings
- Bacon Wrapped Avocados
- Best Deviled Eggs
- All our APPETIZER RECIPES here!
Read more: Looking for Traeger recipes? Check out our Traeger Chicken Breast Recipe or our Whole Smoked Chicken Recipe next!
Best Dry Rub Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Chicken Wings
- 1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Oregano
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker with super smoke if you can with the lid closed for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to 225 degrees and preheat with the lid closed for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the rub.1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Ground Mustard, 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika, 2 teaspoons Oregano, 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder, 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- In a disposable pan, toss the chicken wings and the rub until everything is heavily coated.3 Pounds Chicken Wings
- Arrange the chicken pieces evenly in the pan and set the pan in the smoker.
- Close the lid and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours or until it reaches 165 degrees at the thickest part of the meat.
- Pull the pan off of the smoker and heat to high heat or heat a grill if your smoker doesn't allow that.
- Place the chicken directly on the grill and cook on each side until grill marks appear.
- Set aside with foil laid over the top for 5 minutes.
- Serve!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very, very good. I like mixing my own seasonings because it’s so easy to tweak the mix to personal preferences. The only thing I did different to this was add a teaspoon of ground cayenne. Having blood pressure issues, I don’t use salt much, so it was a little salty for me, but I’ll adjust that next time.
Thank you so much for the feedback and I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This rub was excellent and delicious. We cooked the wings in our Traeger pretty much following the directions. I’ve got a lot of rub left,so I think I will use it on chicken thighs and cook them in the air fryer. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Diana! We love this rub on pretty much everything! So glad you enjoyed it!
I just got a smoker and am excited to try this. Do you think the wings would benefit from sitting uncovered in the fridge before smoking, as is recommended in your smoked whole chicken recipe?
Either way will work great!
I made this recipe today with wings and it turned out amazing. A good rub to use. I used apple wood in my smoker. Saved it in my recipe file and will definitely make it again! Thank you
Yippee!! Aren’t they so good?! Now you have me craving them!
Delicious! Thanks for providing directions for the oven, too. Love these on the Traeger. 🙂
Thank you Kristina! So glad you enjoy these as much as we do!
I made this rub recipe recently for chicken thighs instead of wings, then grilled instead of smoked them. Wow. What a super yummy rub! Will be adding this into my chicken rotation during the week!
Yessss! It’s so good on thighs! Thanks for the feedback Callie!
How much of each ingredient? Otherwise… this article is useless…
The recipe can be found at the end of the post. It contains all the specific measurements for each ingredient.
The correct reply would have been something like “hey, stupid, did you read the article? “