Smoked Chicken Wings with Nashville-Style Hot Sauce
By Matthew Fairman & Morgan BollingPublished on June 21, 2025
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour brining
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Wings
¼ cup table salt, for brining¼ cup sugar, for brining3 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded2 teaspoons paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder 1¼ teaspoons dried oregano 1¼ teaspoons pepper 1¼ teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups wood chipsNashville-Style Hot Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons hot sauceBefore You Begin
For this smoked chicken wings recipe, we prefer to buy whole wings and butcher them ourselves because they tend to be larger than wings that come split. If you can find only split wings, look for larger ones. Twelve whole wings should ideally equal 3 pounds and will yield 24 pieces (12 drumettes and 12 flats, tips discarded). Do not brine the chicken for longer than 3 hours in step 1 or it will become too salty. If you prefer, you can make the sauce in a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the grill while charring the wings.
Instructions
- Dissolve ¼ cup table salt and ¼ cup sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge 3 pounds chicken wings in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Combine 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1¼ teaspoons dried oregano, 1¼ teaspoons pepper, 1¼ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper in bowl.
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons cayenne, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Carefully add in 2 tablespoons ketchup and 2 tablespoons hot sauce and remove from heat. Cover and set aside.
- Remove wings from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle wings all over with spice mixture.
- Just before grilling, soak 2 cups wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill and pour coals evenly over half of grill, covering wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Adjust primary burner (or, if using 3-burner grill, primary burner and second burner) as needed to maintain grill temperature of 400 degrees.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place wings, fatty side up, on cooler side of grill, arranging drumettes closest to coals. Cover and cook until wings are darkened in color and meat registers at least 180 degrees, about 40 minutes, flipping wings halfway through cooking.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Slide half of wings to hotter side of grill and cook, uncovered, until charred in spots, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer wings to platter and tent with foil. Repeat with remaining wings.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high and cook, uncovered, until wings are charred in spots, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer wings to platter and tent with foil.
- Reheat sauce over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Toss wings and sauce together in bowl. Serve.
for the wings
for the nashville-style hot sauce
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour briningYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Wings
¼ cup table salt, for brining
¼ cup sugar, for brining
3 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1¼ teaspoons dried oregano
1¼ teaspoons pepper
1¼ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups wood chips
Nashville-Style Hot Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Ingredients
Wings
¼ cup table salt, for brining
¼ cup sugar, for brining
3 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1¼ teaspoons dried oregano
1¼ teaspoons pepper
1¼ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups wood chips
Nashville-Style Hot Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Ingredients
Wings
¼ cup table salt, for brining
¼ cup sugar, for brining
3 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1¼ teaspoons dried oregano
1¼ teaspoons pepper
1¼ teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups wood chips
Nashville-Style Hot Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted smoked chicken wings with tender, juicy meat; a balanced, pronounced smokiness; and crisp, fully rendered skin. We gave our wings a quick 1-hour brine before they hit the grill to ensure that the meat wouldn’t dry out. To allow the wings to cook through and smoke for just the right amount of time, we built a two-level fire in the grill, starting them over indirect heat and then moving them directly over the coals to sear and crisp the skin. And to spice up these wings, literally, we made a Nashville-style hot sauce and tossed the wings in that before serving.
Before You Begin
For this smoked chicken wings recipe, we prefer to buy whole wings and butcher them ourselves because they tend to be larger than wings that come split. If you can find only split wings, look for larger ones. Twelve whole wings should ideally equal 3 pounds and will yield 24 pieces (12 drumettes and 12 flats, tips discarded). Do not brine the chicken for longer than 3 hours in step 1 or it will become too salty. If you prefer, you can make the sauce in a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the grill while charring the wings.
Instructions
- Dissolve ¼ cup table salt and ¼ cup sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge 3 pounds chicken wings in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Combine 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1¼ teaspoons dried oregano, 1¼ teaspoons pepper, 1¼ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper in bowl.
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons cayenne, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Carefully add in 2 tablespoons ketchup and 2 tablespoons hot sauce and remove from heat. Cover and set aside.
- Remove wings from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle wings all over with spice mixture.
- Just before grilling, soak 2 cups wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill and pour coals evenly over half of grill, covering wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Adjust primary burner (or, if using 3-burner grill, primary burner and second burner) as needed to maintain grill temperature of 400 degrees.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place wings, fatty side up, on cooler side of grill, arranging drumettes closest to coals. Cover and cook until wings are darkened in color and meat registers at least 180 degrees, about 40 minutes, flipping wings halfway through cooking.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Slide half of wings to hotter side of grill and cook, uncovered, until charred in spots, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer wings to platter and tent with foil. Repeat with remaining wings.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high and cook, uncovered, until wings are charred in spots, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer wings to platter and tent with foil.
- Reheat sauce over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Toss wings and sauce together in bowl. Serve.
for the wings
for the nashville-style hot sauce
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments