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    Home » Pit Boss Recipes

    Published: Sep 8, 2023 · Modified: Feb 27, 2024 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Smoked Chicken Wings on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Learn how to make the best smoked chicken wings with crispy skin using a Pit Boss pellet grill!

    We take you step-by-step through preparing and seasoning your smoked chicken wings, setting up your Pit Boss for the cook, smoking them to perfection, and then tossing with one of our favorite sauces.

    chicken wings smoking on a pit boss pellet grill

    After covering the basics of smoked chicken breasts, thighs, and legs on a Pit Boss, as well as our  Pit Boss Whole Smoked Chicken, Spatchcocked Chicken, and the always fun and popular Beer Can Chicken, we thought it would be fun to finally turn our attention to smoked chicken wings!

    First we are going to do an easy dry brine to make sure they are moist and flavorful and that the skin stays nice and crispy.

    Dry Brining is NOT at must-do, but it WILL give you crispy skin on your Pit Boss Smoked Chicken wings.

    Then, we will season them up with one our all time favorite rubs for chicken wings before we cook them on the Pit Boss using our favorite 2-step process for smoked chicken wings.

    First we hit them with low heat to partially cook while absorbing some smoky flavor, and then we finish with high heat indirectly until they are perfectly cooked and crispy!

    Then you can eat your Pit Boss smoked chicken wings crispy and dry, or toss them in one of our favorite wing sauces to finish them off saucy.

    Jump to:
    • How to Get Crispy Skin
    • Video
    • Trim the Wings
    • Dry Brine Before Smoking
    • Our Favorite Rubs
    • Our Favorite Sauces
    • Our Favorite Wood Pellets
    • Set Up the Pit Boss
    • Cooking Temperature
    • Target Internal Temperature
    • Cooking Time
    • Tossing and Serving
    • 📖 Recipe

    How to Get Crispy Skin

    The problem with "most" smoked chicken is that while the meat inside gets tender and delicious, the skin is usually a little rubbery and unappetizing.

    This is because conventional low and slow smoking temperatures that work great on foods like brisket and pulled pork will never render out all the fat in the skin of a chicken wing before severely overcooking the meat itself.

    Chicken wings crisping up on wire rack

    While brisket and pork shoulder taste great when cooked to 200°F internally with all the fat rendered out, chicken meat will be dry and nearly inedible at that point, so who cares if the skin is crispy?

    This is why with our smoked chicken wings we are going to cook first at 220°F to give the meat time to cook and absorb smoke, and then finish as hot as possible around 450°F for only the last few minutes to crisp up the skin without overcooking the meat underneath.

    Video

    Rather WATCH than READ?

    Check out this video on How to Make Smoked Chicken Wings with CRISPY Skin on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill.

    Trim the Wings

    To begin, trim any hanging fat from the wings that may end up burning during the cook.

    trimming a chicken wing of excess fat

    Once the wing are trimmed as needed, spread them out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. 

    raw chicken wings on wire rack

    Dry the skin of the chicken wings with paper towels on both sides to remove any excess moisture.

    patting chicken wings dry with paper towels

    Dry Brine Before Smoking

    Smoking your chicken wings at a high enough temperature on the Pit Boss to render out the fat underneath the skin is important, but so is the seasoning and the way you do it.

    So if you want the crispiest skin possible at the end, it all starts with dry brining at the beginning.

    This is what will separate you from all those wannabe chicken smoking amateurs out there.

    It works on all cuts of skin-on chicken...and turkey too.

    Trust us.

    Place the wings in a large bowl and toss them with a few teaspoons of baking powder and your favorite BBQ or chicken rub that contains salt but is low in sugar.

    tossing raw chicken wings with baking powder and bbq rub

    Because we will be cranking up the heat at the end of the cook to get crispy skin, we don't want the sugar to burn.

    If you prefer plain wings or plan to toss them with wing dust after cooking, just toss them with some baking powder.

    raw chicken wings in a bowl being tossed with baking powder

    Do NOT use oil to help the rub adhere.

    As you apply the rub the skin will start to get more wet as the salt in the rub pulls the moisture up to the surface.

    seasoned wings on wire rack

    This is all the moisture you need to get the salt or rub to adhere so just give it a few minutes and be patient if it is not adhering at first.

    Place the chicken wings on a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

    chicken wings on a wire rack in the refrigerator

    We like this wire rack and baking sheet combo because you want maximum airflow around every side of each chicken wing. We use this rack when brining turkey as well.

    The dry brine does 3 things:

    1. That salty moisture that formed on the surface will work its way BACK into the meat to help flavor the interior of the chicken wings.
    2. The salt inside will help the chicken wings retain moisture and not dry out while smoking on the Pit Boss.
    3. It pulls moisture OUT of the skin allowing it to dry out before you smoke and therefore crisp up the wings that much better while they cook.

    Moist meat, and dry crispy skin.

    Exactly what we want.

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    Pro Tip: DO NOT use cooking oil to help additional rub adhere to the chicken skin. The more oil you apply, the less the skin will crisp up when it cooks.

    "What about spraying or spritzing my wings?"

    Don't be tempted to spray butter or apple juice or cola or any of the other spritzes you might see cooks use on BBQ cooking videos.

    While spritzing can work fantastic on ribs, pork butt, and beef brisket, it will RUIN any chance of getting crispy skin on chicken or turkey in your Pit Boss.

    No basting, and no spraying poultry.

    Not if you want crispy skin.

    If you want to put BBQ or wing sauce sauce on your Pit Boss Smoked Chicken wings, great.

    But it goes on at the very end, AFTER the skin has already gotten nice and crispy.

    If you put any sauce on while the chicken skin is still raw it will NEVER crisp up.

    Our Favorite Rubs

    Since we are finishing these HOT, you want to avoid any rubs with sugar in them or it will burn on the chicken wings and leave an acrid taste.

    So choose any savory, no sugar rub you like and sprinkle it on generously on all sides of each chicken wing. We like using Bad Byron's Butt Rub, which has NO sugar.

    Again, no need to oil them up, this will just inhibit the skin from getting crispy.

    Although we typically use it on cuts of beef and steaks where we are also using high heat, it also works great on Pit Boss smoked chicken wings if you are looking for big flavor without all the sugar.

    Bad Byrons Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning 4.5 Ounce - Pack 2
    Bad Byrons Butt Rub Barbecue Seasoning 4.5 Ounce - Pack 2
    • Try Bad Byron Butt Rub on fish, vegetables, potatoes, potatoes, eggs, popcorn and much more!
    • All natural and gluten-free
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    We are particular fans of Kosmos Wing Dust because they have a whole lineup of rub flavors specifically made for chicken wings, but the dust goes on at the VERY END, after the chicken wing are fully cooked and crispy.

    Our Favorite Sauces

    Now, remember the wing sauce will go on at the VERY END. If you're using Kosmos Wing Dust, it goes on at the end as well.

    After the chicken wings have smoked and crisped in the Pit Boss, you can toss them in a bowl with  your favorite sauce and serve immediately, or placed the sauced wings back on the grill for a brief time to warm and firm up the sauce.

    You can go traditional with a classic buffalo sauce like Franks Wing Sauce or Sweet Baby Ray's, or even Hooters sells their award winning sauce by the jar. Our favorite wing sauce is Syberg's Wing Sauce.

    Syberg's 'Home of the Best Wings in St. Louis' | Famous Wing Sauce | 16 Fl Oz/473 ml
    Syberg's Famous Wing Sauce | 16 Fl Oz/473 ml
    • Adds a tangy kick with a mild amount of heat to chicken, shrimp and pork dish
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    You can also go for a sweeter BBQ flavored sauce like Blue's Hog Original.

    For a dry rub style wing, we like tossing cooked, plain wings with Kosmos Wing Dust. You can go traditional with their Buffalo Seasoning, or get more fancy with the Garlic Parmesan or Kickin' Cajun if you wish.

    Kosmos Q Wing Dust BBQ Buffalo Wing Seasoning
    • Kosmos Q’s BBQ Buffalo Wing Dust Seasoning will take the cooking to the next level by transforming poultry into lip-smacking, delicious meat
    • This high quality dry rub powder is a mouthwatering explosion of savory, spicy, and smoky heat
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    Our Favorite Wood Pellets

    Poultry, like fish, absorbs smoke very quickly and a little goes a long way.

    The best woods for smoking chicken include the fruitwoods like apple, cherry, and peach, but also the milder smoking woods like pecan, oak and alder.

    Mesquite and hickory will give a very aggressive smoke flavor and should only be used if mixed in with some of the other types mentioned above.

    Bear Mountain BBQ Premium All Natural Hardwood Apple Smoker Pellet, 40 lbs
    • The sweet smoky flavor brings a pleasant taste to poultry, seafood, pork or vegetables.
    • Use with all outdoor pellets, gas, charcoal and electric grills and smokers; suitable for all major brands of grills
    Check Price on Amazon

    For the best results, store your unused pellets in a sealed room temperature container like this 20 lb pellet container rather than in the Pit Boss hopper outside.

    Pellets do not last forever, but will definitely last a LOT longer if stored indoors in a quality airtight container.

    Oklahoma Joe's Pellet Bucket Kit, Black
    • Store up to 20 pounds of hardwood pellets in the heavy-duty plastic pellet bucket.
    • Weatherproof, airtight lid protects pellets from the elements, keeping them fresh and dry
    • Wire-mesh filter separates wood dust from the pellets for a clean burn
    • Heavy-duty plastic scoop to easily transfer pellets
    Check Price on Amazon

    Set Up the Pit Boss

    We have previously covered how to season a Pit Boss, how to start a Pit Boss, as well as how to troubleshoot the smoke level of your pellet grill.

    So if you need a more in-depth review on how to use your Pit Boss for the first time, check those articles out first!

    Cooking Temperature

    You will need to watch both your cooking temperature and internal temperature carefully when smoking the chicken wings on your Pit Boss.

    a Pit Boss pellet grill set to 220 degrees F

    We recommend setting up the grill or smoker for indirect heat to cook at 220°F to begin with.

    As we said before, this will be the temperature at which we cook the chicken wings most of the way, and add the smoky flavor; however, the skin will still be rubbery and flabby once the meat underneath is cooked.

    No good.

    We like using cloth gloves with food-safe disposable nitrile gloves on top when the wings are cooking on the low temperature to more easily move and flip the wings without fumbling with tongs at this stage.

    chicken wings cooking over low heat on pellet grill
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    Once we near the end of the cook, we will crank the heat on the Pit Boss for the last 5-6 minutes and bring the cooking temperature up to 450-500°F to really crisp the skin.

    This is what's so great about the Pit Boss!

    Or, if you have the Direct Heat option on a newer model Pit Boss, you can leave the lid open and cook them directly over the open flame broiler to crisp the skin up that way.

    Be careful if you use direct heat like this. You will need to constantly be moving and turning the chicken wings with a pair of long handled BBQ tongs so that they get crispy on all sides and do not burn.

    Target Internal Temperature

    You HAVE to use a good instant read meat thermometer to know the internal temperature of your smoked chicken wings on the Pit Boss.

    Sauced wings on pit boss pellet grill

    If you don't yet own an instant read thermometer, ThermoPro makes a good one.

    ThermoPro TP19H Waterproof Digital Meat Thermometer
    Check Price on Amazon

    We are going to bring the internal temperature of our smoked chicken wings up to 165°F.

    Make sure not to touch the bone with your instant read thermometer when checking your temperatures.

    In reality though, unlike with a big piece of meat like a beef or pork roast, you will know your smoked chicken wings are done by the look and feel of the skin after the HIGH heat step of the cook.

    Cooking Time

    Remember, we are bringing them all the way up to 165°F on your instant read thermometer.

    In a 220°F Pit Boss, it will take roughly 1 ½ hours to smoke the chicken wings up close to 165°F.

    This is the point at which you will want to turn the heat up to 450°F INDIRECTLY with the lid closed or switch over to the direct flame broiler option DIRECTLY with the lid open.

    Now, it will take a few minutes for the Pit Boss to rise the almost 200°F needed in temperature, so don't start the clock immediately. We recommend turning the Pit Boss to "High" to get the temperature up quickly.

    You will start to hear the skin crackling as the temperature rises and the fat in the skin begins to render out.

    This is how you know the magic is happening.

    Once you begin to hear and see the skin on the wings crackling away, you will need to give them at least 5-10 minutes to continue to crisp up, but watch them closely for any burning.

    If you are using the Direct Flame Broiler option on your Pit Boss, keep the wings turning and moving with long handled BBQ tongs as mentioned above and try to cook about 3-5 minutes on each side.

    You'll start to see and feel the wing skin crisp up and know when to take them off the Pit Boss.

    Pro Tip: To keep the skin crispy when you take them off the Pit Boss, place the wings on a wire rack to cool spaced out from each other rather than piling them all on top of each other where they will steam up and the skin will get soggy and ruin all of your hard work.

    Tossing and Serving

    The Pit Boss smoked chicken wings will need to cool for about 5 minutes before you toss them in the sauce and serve.

    Make sure not to toss them in the sauce until everyone is ready to eat or the skin will start to get soggy sitting in the sauce. Another option is to toss them in the sauce and then put them back on the grill over high heat for a few minutes to set up the sauce.

    pit boss pellet grill smoked chicken wings on a plate

    If you're using wing dust, you can toss the crispy wings with as much dust as you desire. The more dust you use, the more intense the flavor.

    Smoked chicken wings are great on their own with an ice cold beer and a side of ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce.

    Smoked broccoli, smoked carrots, and even smoked cauliflower are great accompaniments as well for dipping alongside your smoked chicken wings.

    If you want to offer a real BBQ spread to your guests, try offering them up alongside our Pit Boss Smoked Baby Back Ribs!

    Enjoy!

    📖 Recipe

    smoked chicken wings on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill

    Pit Boss Smoked Crispy Chicken Wings

    Mads Martigan
    Our Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Wings are first dry brined and seasoned to get the most flavor and crispiest skin possible.
    We start these smoked chicken wings at low indirect heat on the Pit Boss pellet grill and finish them HOT to crisp up the skin.
    Finally, we toss with your favorite buffalo wing sauce and serve.
    5 from 1 vote
    PRINT PIN SHARE SAVE Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Dry Brine Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 3 hours hrs
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Smoked
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 500 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pit Boss Pellet Grill
    • Wood Pellets preferably a fruitwood like apple or cherry; or oak
    • Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
    • Paper Towels
    • Instant Read Thermometer
    • Long Handled BBQ Tongs
    • Wire Rack
    • Aluminum Foil Tray
    • Large Mixing Bowl

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs Chicken Wings about 20, thawed
    • 2 tablespoon BBQ rub low or no sugar, such as Bad Byron's Butt Rub
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • ⅓ Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce such as Syberg's, Sweet Baby Ray's, Frank's, or Hooter's

    Instructions
     

    • Remove the thawed chicken wings from their packaging. If your chicken wings are whole wing sections, cut off the wing tips and then cut through and separate the wing from the drumette of each section. Trim off any hanging fat that will not cook evenly.
      2 lbs Chicken Wings
      trimming a chicken wing of excess fat
    • Place the trimmed wings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels.
      patting chicken wings dry with paper towels

    Dry Brine

    • In a large bowl, toss the wings with BBQ rub and baking powder until well coated. DO NOT use cooking oil to adhere or skin will not get crispy.
      raw chicken wings in a bowl with BBQ rub
    • Transfer the wings back to the wire rack, making sure to spread the wings out so they are not touching.
      seasoned wings on wire rack
    • Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 1 hour or up to overnight.
      chicken wings on a wire rack in the refrigerator

    Smoking the Chicken Wings

    • Lightly oil the grates of the Pit Boss, then start it up. After it has run through the start up cycle, set the temperature to 220°F.
      setting a pit boss pellet grill to 220 225 degrees
    • Place the chicken wings on the Pit Boss. You can flip and rotate for even cooking as needed.
      chicken wings cooking over low heat on pellet grill
    • Continue smoking the chicken wings until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. This may take about 1 ½ hours.
      chicken wings cooking on a pellet grill

    Getting the Smoked Chicken Wings Crispy on the Pit Boss

    • Once the chicken wings reach 165°F internally, increase the temperature of your Pit Boss to 450°F (or "high" to heat faster).
    • It will take a few minutes for your Pit Boss to rise in temperature, then you will begin to hear the skin crackling and it will take another 5-10 minutes for the skin on the wings to crisp up. You can rotate, flip, and watch your wings during this time, but try to keep the lid closed as much as possible. If your Pit Boss has a direct heat option, you can open the flame broiler and crisp the wings with the lid open. Make sure to move the wings around and be careful not to burn your wings. They will take less time to crisp up with direct heat than with indirect.
    • Once the skin on the wings has gotten crispy, remove the wings from the Pit Boss and place on a clean wire rack to cool so that they do not get soggy.
      Chicken wings crisping up on wire rack

    Toss in the Wing Sauce and Serve

    • Pour your Buffalo Wing Sauce, or whatever sauce you prefer, into a large mixing bowl.
      ⅓ Cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
    • When you are ready to serve the wings toss them in the sauce and serve immediately while skin is still crispy.
    • If you prefer firm sauce, place the sauced wings back on the grill for a few minutes to warm the sauce.
      sauced wings cooking on pellet grill
    • Serve the wings with dipping sauces such as ranch and/or blue cheese dressing and carrots and celery on the side.
      Finished chicken wings on a plate with ranch dressing

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 500kcal
    Keyword barbecue, barbecue chicken, bbq, BBQ Chicken, bbq chicken wings, grilled chicken wings, hot wings, pellet grill, pellet grill buffalo wings, Pellet Grill Chicken, pellet grill chicken wings, Pit Boss, pit boss buffalo wings, pit boss chicken wings, Pit Boss Smoked Chicken, pit boss smoked chicken wings, smoked buffalo wings, smoked chicken wings
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Mads Martigan

    Mads is the founder of Madbackyard.com and has been a BBQ and Grilling enthusiast for the past 15 years. He loves to write about and make videos on smoking and barbecuing all kinds of great food.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dave and Mary says

      April 02, 2022 at 10:14 pm

      5 stars
      My wife said these were the best wings she's ever had, and we didn't even bother putting sauce on half of them after tasting a couple right off the grill!

    2. Jan Rickey says

      March 24, 2024 at 9:30 am

      This looks so good! My husband and I are planning on buying our first smoker this week and are planning on buying the Pit Boss Copperhead vertical smoker. Do you have a preference between a vertical roaster and a regular smoker grill or do you think the vertical will be a good one for a first smoker?

    3. Mads Martigan says

      March 24, 2024 at 11:12 am

      If you've already got a gas or charcoal grill for high heat grilling then a vertical smoker will be a great addition. I like them because they take up less space and have fewer "hot spots" so more even heating and temp control.

    5 from 1 vote

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

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