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Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings with Smoky BBQ Glaze

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This recipe delivers crispy smoked chicken wings with a smoky, sweet, and tangy BBQ glaze. It uses a dry brine and two-step cooking method to ensure crispy skin and juicy meat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, skin-on
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Dash of chili powder (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
  • For the Smoky BBQ Glaze:
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • A few drops liquid smoke (optional)
  • Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss wings with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, chili powder if using, and olive oil until evenly coated.
  2. Place wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour (ideally overnight) to dry brine.
  3. Preheat smoker or grill to 225°F for low-and-slow smoking. Add wood chips like hickory or apple wood for smoke flavor. Set up for indirect heat with a water pan to maintain moisture.
  4. Arrange wings on the smoker grate in a single layer. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 150°F, about 45 minutes.
  5. While wings smoke, combine BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke in a saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with hot sauce or more vinegar if desired. Keep warm.
  6. Increase smoker or grill temperature to 400°F or preheat oven broiler to crisp the skin.
  7. Transfer wings to a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet if using oven. Brush wings generously with smoky BBQ glaze on all sides. Place under broiler or back on hot grill. Turn once and glaze again. Cook 10-15 minutes until skin is crispy and glaze caramelizes.
  8. Remove wings and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with extra smoky BBQ glaze on the side.

Notes

Dry brining is essential for crispy skin. Use hickory or apple wood chips for balanced smoke flavor. Glaze near the end to avoid burning sugar. Rest wings before serving to redistribute juices. For oven-only method, bake at 275°F for 45 minutes then broil with glaze to crisp.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoked chicken wings, crispy wings, BBQ glaze, smoky wings, chicken appetizer, backyard barbecue, easy wings recipe

Find it online: https://blairrecipes.com/crispy-smoked-chicken-wings-recipe-easy-smoky-bbq-glaze-guide/