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–+ servings
Honey chipotle smoked chicken wings tossed in glaze piled on a tray with a side of ranch dressing

Honey Chipotle Smoked Chicken Wings

Four pounds of wings dry brined overnight, oiled as a binder and coated in a homemade chipotle seasoning, then smoked at 350°F to an internal temperature of 175°F. Tossed hot in a honey chipotle glaze made from butter, honey, honey BBQ sauce and the same rub.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Wings
  • 4 lbs chicken wings
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or cooking oil 1 to 2 tbsp, as a binder only.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Optional, 1 to 2 tbsp. Only if you are not dry brining.
Chipotle Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp chipotle powder
  • 1.5 tbsp paprika
  • 1.5 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper Optional, if you like it spicy.
Honey Chipotle Glaze
  • 0.5 cup honey
  • 0.5 cup honey BBQ sauce Store bought is fine.
  • 4 tbsp butter Half a stick.
  • 2 tsp chipotle seasoning Reserved from the blend above.

Equipment

  • Pellet Smoker Running at 350°F. Miguel used Bear Mountain BBQ Tailgating Blend pellets.
  • Large Mixing Bowl For oiling, seasoning and tossing in glaze.
  • Small Saucepan For the glaze.
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Wire rack and sheet pan For the overnight dry brine.

Method
 

Optional Dry Brine
  1. If you have time, lightly salt the wings and place them uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This draws moisture out of the skin and is the best route to crispy skin. If you skip it, add 1 to 2 tbsp of cornstarch to your seasoning instead.
Season
  1. Pat the wings very dry. Lightly coat them with olive oil or cooking oil to act as a binder. A little goes a long way, this is not for cooking in.
  2. Combine the chipotle seasoning ingredients. Reserve 2 teaspoons for the glaze, then season the wings generously and evenly on all sides with the rest.
Smoke
  1. Set your smoker to 350°F. Place the wings on and cook, turning occasionally so they cook evenly and the skin crisps.
  2. Cook until the wings reach an internal temperature of 175°F. Wings are dark meat, so taking them past 165°F renders the fat and breaks down the connective tissue rather than overcooking them.
Glaze and Serve
  1. While the wings cook, add the butter, honey BBQ sauce, honey and reserved 2 teaspoons of chipotle seasoning to a small saucepan. Warm over low to medium heat, stirring until the butter melts and everything is combined. Keep it warm.
  2. Pull the wings at 175°F and toss them straight into the warm glaze while they are hot, so every wing is coated. Serve with carrots, celery and ranch.

Notes

Dry brine if you can: Crispy skin is a moisture problem. Salt draws moisture out of the surface and an uncovered overnight rest lets it dissipate, so what hits the smoker is already partially dried. Cornstarch in the seasoning is the shortcut.
Oil is a binder: A light coat only. It is there to hold the seasoning, not to cook the wings in.
Why 175°F: 165°F is where poultry is safe and where you would stop on a breast. Dark meat has more connective tissue and fat, and neither has finished at 165°F. The extra ten degrees renders that fat out through the skin, which is a large part of what crisps it.
Reserve seasoning for the glaze: Two teaspoons of the same rub goes into the butter and honey.
Toss them hot: Straight off the smoker into the warm glaze.
Timing: Cook time is an estimate and does not include the optional overnight dry brine. Neither source specified a duration at 350°F. Go by the 175°F internal temperature.

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