These chipotle dry rub smoked chicken wings are tender, juicy, flavorful, and have just the right amount of spice! They are ridiculously easy to make, and all of your guests will love them! With delicious meat and tons of smoky flavor, what's not to love?
Easy Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe
I have tons of chicken wing recipes, but these chipotle dry rub smoked chicken wings are one of my favorites! They have the perfect amount of spiciness that really takes them to the next level!
🥘 Chipotle Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
- Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will work as well.
- Chipotle Pepper - 1½ tablespoons of chipotle ground pepper.
- Smoked Paprika - 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika. Regular paprika will also work, but you'll miss out on the smokey flavor. Learn about the differences here.
- Ground Mustard - 1 tablespoon of ground mustard or a ground mustard substitute.
- Cumin - ½ tablespoon of ground cumin or a ground cumin substitute.
- Salt - ½ tablespoon of salt.
- Chicken Wings - 5½ pounds of chicken wings (roughly 30 wings).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Chipotle Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings
These simple wings are essentially hands-off and require minimal effort! All you will need is your smoker, your measuring spoons, and a large storage bag.
This recipe is for 6 servings of wings.
Step 1: Make the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 1½ tablespoons of chipotle ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon of ground mustard, ½ tablespoon of ground cumin, and ½ tablespoon of salt.
Step 2: Season the chicken. Place 5½ pounds of chicken wings into a large freezer bag and pour the seasoning mix with them. Seal and 'squish' the contents around to coat the chicken.
Step 3: Chill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour to season the chicken wings (the flavor is better the longer you can let the meat sit in the dry rub).
Step 4: Prepare. Preheat your smoker to 250°F (121°C).
Step 5: Smoke. Remove the chicken wings from the refrigerator and place them either onto the smoker racks directly or onto the racks lined with foil. Smoke for 1½-2 hours or until the internal temperature reads 175°F (79°C).
Step 6: Serve. Remove from the smoker and serve immediately.
How To Make Chicken Wings In The Oven
Cook on a parchment paper lined or greased baking sheet at 400°F (205°C/Gas Mark 6) for 45-50 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy and the wings are cooked through.
Or you can try my baked chicken wings recipe!
🍽️ What To Serve With Smoked Chicken Wings
These wings are amazing as-is, but feel free to toss them in your favorite wing sauce! You could also try dipping them in ranch, blue cheese dressing, or pesto aioli.
Serve them with carrots, celery, or air fryer French fries!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Chicken wings are safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). However, they become more tender once they reach 175°F (79°C). Take a look at my post on chicken wing internal temperatures to learn more.
- Generally, smoked wings aren't very crispy. However, you can sear them on the grill or broil them for a couple of minutes to crisp them up after smoking.
- For serving, go ahead and plan on one pound of chicken wings per person (or about 4 to 5 wings each).
🥄 Make Ahead Options
You can prepare your wings the night before you need them and let them sit in the refrigerator overnight. This gives them plenty of time to absorb the flavor from the dry rub!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you have any chicken wings left over, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remember to let them cool to room temperature before storing them.
Reheating Chicken Wings
Reheat your chicken wings either in the oven or the air fryer at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) until heated through. The exact amount of time will vary depending on how many wings you are heating up.
Read more about how to reheat chicken wings here.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ How Do I Get Smoked Wings Crispy?
Using a smoker will result in tender and flavorful meat, but the heat isn't high enough to promote crispy skin. Fortunately, there are some easy methods that can make the skin crispy!
The easiest trick is to add some cornstarch into your dry rub as it promotes browning.
Take a look at my in-depth guide for tons of tips and methods that ensure you will have crispy chicken skin every time!
❓ What Type Of Wood Should I Use To Smoke Chicken Wings?
For a mild and delicious flavor, I recommend using apple or cherry wood. However you could also try mesquite or hickory, but the smoky flavor will be much stronger.
❓ Can I Smoke Frozen Chicken Wings?
No. Smoking frozen wings is not recommended. Make sure you let them thaw completely before smoking them so that they cook evenly.
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe Card
Chipotle Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon chipotle ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 5 ½ lbs chicken wings (about 30 wings)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the light brown sugar, chipotle ground pepper, smoked paprika, ground mustard, ground cumin, and salt. Place the chicken wings into a large freezer bag and pour the seasoning mix with them. Seal and 'squish' the contents around to coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour to season the chicken wings (the flavor is better the longer you can let the meat sit in the dry rub).
- Remove meat from the refrigerator/freezer bag and place it onto your smoker racks either directly or lined with aluminum foil. Our wings smoked to a crispy deliciousness at 250°F (121°C) in only 1 ½ hours, but they can take up to 2 hours. Remove from the smoker and serve immediately.
Cooking on the Grill or in the Oven
- Cook chicken wings on the preheated grill for 25-30 minutes, or until no longer pink.
- Cook on a parchment paper lined or greased baking sheet at 400°F (205°C) for 45-50 minutes until the skin is nice and crispy, and the wings are cooked through.
Notes
- Chicken wings are safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). However, they become more tender once they reach 175°F (79°C). Take a look at my post on chicken wing internal temperatures to learn more.
- Generally, smoked wings aren't very crispy. However, you can sear them on the grill or broil them for a couple of minutes to crisp them up after smoking.
- For serving, go ahead and plan on one pound of chicken wings per person (or about 4 to 5 wings each).
Susan says
Made this rub for chicken wings that I made for dinner. It was easy and I had all the ingredient other than dry mustard in my pantry but my husband must not have missed it because he loved them. I oven baked them and they came out crisp and juicy.
Glenn D says
Great recipe, I've found it works better to just sprinkle the rub over the wings in a large bowl instead of losing a lot of the rub in the zipper bag.