These smoked chicken wings on the pellet grill are perfect for your next game day or cookout! They’re brined and smoked, and have crispy skin with smoky flavor. Be sure to also check out our smoked and fried wings recipe if you like extra crunch!
Whether it’s grilling season, football season, or just a random Tuesday, it’s always the perfect time to step up your barbecue game with crispy smoked chicken wings!
Marrekus whips up these smoked wings on the regular, and he’s finally giving away his secret recipe just in time for the Super Bowl.
We’ve paired these smoky wings with a homemade raspberry chipotle sauce—one of my all-time faves. But you can totally enjoy them “naked” (no sauce), dunked in buffalo sauce, or drizzled with your favorite hot sauce. The choice is yours!
If you’re wing-obsessed like us, you might also want to check out our lemon pepper wings or hot honey Old Bay chicken wings. Wings for days! 🐓🔥
What you’ll love about this recipe
- Smoky flavor you’ll love: Smoking chicken wings makes them super tasty with a rich, smoky flavor. The slow cooking process makes the wings extra juicy and full of flavor.
- Sweet and spicy goodness: The raspberry chipotle sauce is the perfect mix of sweet raspberries and a little spicy kick from the peppers.
- Perfect for game day: Smoked chicken wings are always a hit for game days or chill hangouts with friends and family.
🗒️ Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Whole chicken wings: We used whole chicken wings, but you can also use drums, flats, etc.
- Seasonings: Granulated garlic, granulated onion, and ground black pepper is our go-to. No added salt required if you’re making a brine (see below).
- Condiments: Ranch dressing, blue cheese, barbecue sauce
- For serving: Celery sticks, carrot sticks, etc.
Brine
This is a basic salt, sugar, and water brine that will infuse your smoked chicken wings with extra flavor and moisture. It’s the same brine we use for fried chicken and fried pork chops.
- Water
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Ice
Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
One of Krysten’s favorite wing sauce recipes!
- Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Lemon juice
Equipment and tools you’ll need
To prepare this smoked chicken wing recipe, you’ll need the following special equipment and tools:
- Smoker or Grill: A pellet smoker, offset smoker, grill etc.
- Wood: Pellets, wood chips, chunks, or splits, depending on your type of smoker. Marrekus likes oak, pecan, or cherry wood.
- Meat thermometer: To check the temperature of the cooked wings
🍗 Chicken wing brine
- Boil water in a pot.
- Add kosher salt and sugar, stirring until dissolved.
- Remove from heat.
- Add ice and stir until the brine cools to room temperature.
- Place chicken wings in a large bowl or container.
- Pour the brine over them, fully submerging the wings.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove wings from the brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels.
♨️ How to make smoked chicken wings on the pellet grill
- Pat the brined chicken wings dry with paper towels.
- Season them with granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper, or use your favorite dry rub.
- Preheat your pellet grill (or smoker) to 325°F (163°C).
- Add wood pellets to your smoker (or wood chips, chunks, or logs based on your equipment). If using a regular grill, set it up for indirect heat (check the FAQ for details).
- Place the seasoned wings on the grill and close the lid.
- Smoke the wings for about 2 hours, or until their internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C).
- (Optional) Transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss them in wing sauce until fully coated.
- Serve smoked wings as-is or with ranch dressing, celery, and carrot sticks on the side.
How to get crispy skin on smoked chicken wings?!
The best way to get crispy skin on smoked chicken wings is to brine the chicken wings first! After brining, be sure to pat the wings dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Excess moisture can prevent the skin from crisping up.
Bonus: Raspberry chipotle sauce
- Combine raspberries, sugar, finely chopped chipotle peppers, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add more chipotle or sauce from the can if you want extra heat.
- Carefully pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp, leaving you with a smooth sauce.
- Set the sauce aside and let it cool to room temperature before using.
How spicy is raspberry chipotle sauce, and can I adjust the heat level?
The raspberry chipotle wing sauce is a bit spicy. To adjust the heat level, begin by adding a small amount of the chipotle (about 1 tablespoon). Taste after adding the initial amount; if you find it too mild, you can gradually add more. If it’s too spicy, you can balance it by adding more raspberries or sugar.
Can I make the sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator before using it on the wings?
Yes, you can make raspberry chipotle sauce ahead of time! Cool it to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Place in the refrigerator and store it for up to one week. Before using, reheat on the stovetop over low medium heat.
✏️ Smoked chicken wings recipe tips
- Brine chicken wings before smoking to enhance flavor and juiciness.
- Choose a wood that complements the smoked chicken. Oak, pecan, or cherry wood are popular choices.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the wings. They are done when the temp reaches 190°F (88°C).
- Allow smoked wings to rest for a few minutes to help the juices redistribute.
🍽️ What to serve with chicken wings
- Dipping sauces: We love blue cheese or ranch for these smoked chicken wings—especially with that spicy raspberry chipotle sauce. It’s a match made in wing heaven!
- Side dishes: Smoked wings go great with our Southern potato salad, baked beans with ground beef, or BBQ coleslaw. Trust us, these sides will take your meal to the next level.
- Crunchy veggies: Don’t forget the carrot and celery sticks on the side. They add a refreshing crunch and pair perfectly with the wings!
❓Frequently asked questions
Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 pounds whole chicken wings
- Ranch dressing celery sticks, and carrot sticks (optional, for serving)
Chicken Wing Brine (for 6 lbs of Chicken) – Recommended
- 16 cups water
- 3/4 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Ice
Raspberry Chipotle Sauce
- 1 pound fresh or frozen raspberries 1 pound is about 3 3/4 cups
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Brine Chicken Wings (Recommended)
- Bring water to a boil with kosher salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Add ice, stirring until mostly melted and brine reaches room temperature.
- Place wings in a large bowl, container, or resealable plastic bag. Pour over chicken, ensuring wings are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Remove chicken from brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels.
Prepare Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (Optional)
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine raspberries, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle peppers, and lemon juice.
- Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust if desired.
- Carefully transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve; set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Smoke Wings
- Preheat smoker or grill to 325°F (163°C); add wood (e.g. logs/splits, chips, pellets, chunks).
- Place wings on the smoker rack and close the lid.
- Smoke wings for about 2 hours or until they reach an internal temperature of 190°F (88°C).
- Transfer smoked chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and pour raspberry chipotle sauce on top. Toss wings until they are fully coated.
- Serve wings on their own or with ranch dressing, celery, and carrot sticks.
This is a legit netflix and chill meal for one hahahahaha…. i love the raspberry twist. definitelly trying it.
I can smell the sauce on these wings and know I’m in for a treat. I love the smokey chipotle and the sweet berry combo.
I LOVE sweet and spicy wings. Definitely putting this on the menu for my next game day!
Raspberry + chipotle? This sounds amazing!
I love chicken and this is the perfect remix for to spice it up a little!
Delicious chicken wings to share with friends on a night in. So good!
Made these for family game night and they were AMAZING! A flavor combination that’s totally unexpected but goes so well together. I’ll be making them all football season, too!
I love the fresh raspberry flavor in this and never would have thought of this combination–thank you!
This sauce is food for the chicken wing lover’s soul. Thank you for this recipe and showing how simple it can be.
Had these a few times at a restaurant.. They were to die for! They quit making them.. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Came here to say these chicken wings taste as good as they look. The sauce is fabulous and I can’t wait to make it again. PS they’ve already been requested for our super bowl party!
Your smoked wings are the best! I love making them, the flavors are terrific. It is the raspberry chipotle sauce, it is like magic! And good advice to brine the wings ahead of time.
You can’t go wrong with wings as an appetizer. Your recipe deserves extra recognition because the sauce is absolutely delicious and makes these wings addictive! Thank you!
I am so in love with this recipe. My husband loves it even more and requested to have it for the Super Bowl Sunday party.
Love the crispiness and the chipotle sauce. Just amazing,
Thank you!
My husband smoked the chicken and I prepared the raspberry BBQ sauce. I can’t even tell you which part tasted better – this was delicious!
Yum! So good. I had never brined wings before but will be doing from now on!
Wow, this smoked chicken wings recipe is so good! Loved the raspberry chipotle sauce that has become my family favourites.