Grilled Chicken Wings on the Traeger

Chicken wings that have been smoked and then grilled on the Traeger are truly delicious. With a hint of the smoky flavor imparted by the wood pellets fueling the Traeger Grill, you get chicken that is flavorful, moist and delicious. And by cranking up the heat at the end of the cook, you end up with a terrific crispy skin that is reminiscent of the best fried chicken wings you’ve ever had!

MAKE A RESTAURANT FAVORITE AT HOME

When we go out, I love to order a basket of chicken wings. They’re indulgently delicious, adequately sauced and super flavorful. And the crisp skin you get from a basket of wings that have been deep fried is really tasty.

Wings can be tricky on the grill but I’m here to tell you that it’s totally possible and totally delicious. After a lot of experimenting, here is what I have been using lately to get some tasty results. 

DRY SKIN MAKES GREAT RESULTS

One of the key steps in making great chicken wings at home on the grill is to ensure that the skin of the chicken is nice and dry. This is accomplished with a simple step and a little pre-planning. I know that’s sometimes easier said than done, but giving yourself a few hours and ideally overnight before cooking the wings makes the best outcome.

IN THE FRIDGE OVERNIGHT

The first step is to remove the chicken from the packaging, pat it dry with a paper towel and then season it liberally with the seasoning of your choice. I used Traeger’s Anything Rub which is loaded with salt and pepper and spices and really goes well on anything.

Once seasoned, arrange the wings on a wire rack over a cookie sheet or tray and place the rack in the fridge uncovered. That’s right– let those wings sit in the fridge uncovered so that the circulating air in the fridge (which is dehydrating as is) removes the moisture from the wings.

Ideally, give the chickens a rest overnight in the fridge in this fashion. But if you’re pressed for time, a few hours will make a good impression.

FIRE UP THE GRILL FOR WINGS

When you’re about 2 hours out from eating, fire up the Traeger Grill to a heat of 225* with the super smoke feature enabled.

Take your chicken wings out of the fridge and dust with a little extra seasoning if desired. Then place the wings directly on the grill grates in the hot grill and close the lid. Allow the wings to smoke at 225* for about an hour– until they reach about 145* internally.

CHOOSE A SAUCE YOU LOVE

The sky is the limit when thinking about sauces for wings. You could go with any variety of options– from traditional buffalo wing sauce that is spicy and buttery to BBQ sauce or teriyaki sauce. Or something creamy like a parmesan and garlic sauce or even something Italian.

For this recipe, we used Traeger’s Honey and Brown Sugar Glaze. It’s sticky and sweet but has lots of flavor and dimension. When paired with the Anything rub, it hits just right. And for the toddlers in our house, it’s not spicy and very family friendly.

SAUCED AND BACK ON THE GRILL

Once you’ve picked your sauce and your chicken wings have hit about 145* internally, pull them off the grill and toss the wings in a bowl with the sauce of choice. Give them a good and generous coating to ensure that every bite is glazed and delicious.

Then put the wings back on the grill, at 375* until the internal temperature reaches at least 165* and the sauce is set and skin is crispy. This should take 15 minutes or so. Going for an internal temperature above 165* ensures that the skin has the maximum opportunity to get crispy and delicious, which is a key element of great chicken wings. I recommend a final temp of 175-180*.

SERVE WITH DIP AND VEGGIES AND ENJOY

Arranged the finished wings on a platter with a bowl of sauce for dipping. We’re partial to blue cheese dressing at our house, but ranch works great too. And for good measure, include some “rabbit food”– celery and carrot sticks for a crunchy and refreshing compliment to the perfect grilled chicken wing!

PRIMARY INGREDIENTS

• Chicken wings
• Rub or seasoning
• Wing sauce of your choice

WHY COOKING CHICKEN WINGS ON THE TRAEGER WORKS

Chicken wings are the best gameday snack around, but can come with a hefty price tag if you are ordering takeout. Rather than spend your money on takeout wings, give yourself a little time and some wood-fired smoke and you’ll have the best chicken wings on the block with this recipe. Beginning by smoking the wings, you impart the chicken meat with terrific wood-fired flavor. Once sauced, the wings go back on the grill to get crispy and reach finish temperature and you end up with a gamete favorite. No mess, no frying, no insane prices– just food your family will love!

STEP-BY-STEP

• The day before serving, pull out your chicken wings, pat them dry with a paper towel and season liberally with your desired rub.
• Arrange the wings on a wire rack over a cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet in the fridge.
• Allow the chicken wings to sit in the fridge at least 12 hours– and preferably overnight– to dry the skin.
• Preheat your Traeger grill to 225*.
• Re-season the chicken wings as necessary for a good even coating.
• Place the wings on the grill grates and close the lid, allowing the chicken to smoke for about 45 minutes.
• When the chicken has reached 145* internally, remove the wings from the grill to a bowl.
• In the bowl, toss the wings and desired sauce until well coated.
• Place the wings back on the grill grates and turn up the grill heat to 375*.
• Continue cooking the wings for 15-20 minutes until the sauce is set, the internal temperature is 165* or more and the skin is crispy.
• Remove the grilled wings from the Traeger and serve with blue cheese for dipping and veggies for garnish.

ALTERNATE RECIPES & PRODUCT LINKS

• A bit more involved, this recipe for smoked-fried chicken wings adds another layer of crispy to the skin with a quick fry after smoking.
• Boneless and low-mess, here’s a recipe for smoked-fried chicken tenders.
• Go big with these BBQ turkey drumsticks.
• Check out my cookbook for a great recipe for chicken lolipops.

PRODUCTS USED IN THIS COOK

• Traeger Grill
• Orange Traeger tray
• Traeger Rubs and Sauces

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