Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
The crispiest grilled chicken wings I’ve ever made are cooked at 450 F for 25-30 minutes on a Traeger smoker. You’ll never fry them again!
My husband and I have been loving our Traeger smoker – loving. The best thing we’ve cooked up so far? For me, it’s these crispy grilled chicken wings. The skin is earth shatteringly crispy.
How to make crispy grilled chicken wings
Could you cook these low and slow on a smoker? Certainly. But I much prefer the high heat that results in impossibly crispy skin from grilling.
How long do you cook chicken wings?
Whether you grill ’em or smoke ’em, I like to cook wings over high heat — aim for 450 F for 25-30 minutes, or until an internal temp of 165 F is reached. It’s no fail! This is the thermapen I use to ensure my meats are always cooked to proper temperatures.
As far as prep work, keep things simple. The best grilled chicken wings are tossed with olive oil (or a neutral oil), salt, and pepper, or simply mixed with one of Traeger’s pre-made seasoning blends. Here, I did a side-by-side comparison of straight up salt and pepper versus Traeger’s fin and feather rub, which is loaded up with garlic and paprika and is SO so delicious.
No need to complicate it further. Sometimes the best things in life (like the ultimate crispy chicken wings) are the simplest.
Best wood for Traeger grilled chicken wings
Most recently we used apple wood to smoke chicken wings, but honestly I can’t wait to try these with mesquite, hickory, or maple woods. With something as straightforward as grilled chicken, you can safely bet that most wood varieties will pair with it just fine.
crispiest ever grilled chicken wings
How to make crispy chicken wings on a gas grill
Same method!! Keep the prep work simple, guys. The main difference is there’s no infusion of woof flavor into the meat. Regardless of which type of grill or smoked you use, stick with high heat (450 F) for 25-30 minutes and you’ll be golden. Or rather, your wings will be. (ba dum cha!)
If you make my Grilled Chicken Wings recipe, please let me know by leaving a review below!
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For more chicken recipes that will blow you away, check out the following recipes:
Anchovy chicken
Chicken with mushrooms and white wine sauce (DATE NIGHT WORTHY!)
Dinner party chicken
Chicken milanese with frisée salad
Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings divided
- 4 Tbsp olive oil or other oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp Traeger fin and feather seasoning blend
- Blue cheese or ranch for serving optional
Instructions
- Divide wings evenly in two large mixing bowls.
- Toss first bowl with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper, then set aside.
- Toss second bowl with remaining olive oil and Traeger spice blend.
- Preheat grill to 450 F with lid down for 15 minutes.
- Place wings directly on grill and cook for 20-30 minutes (this really depends on the size/thickness of the wings), turning every ~10 minutes or so, until an internal temperature of 165 F is reached. Serve immediately, with sauces, if using.
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