These crispy Traeger Chicken Wings are perfectly seasoned with a wonderful smokey flavor. They are tender and delicious with a dry rub but pair perfectly with your favorite BBQ or buffalo sauce as well!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The crispy skin! - In this recipe we use arrowroot powder (as opposed to cornstarch or baking powder) to dry out the chicken skin. Then, these wings are smoked at a low temperature before increasing the temperature on the grill to finish. This gives these wings a perfectly crisp skin while keeping the inside incredibly tender.
- Healthy alternative to fried chicken wings - In this recipe we use the Traeger (or other pellet grill) to smoke and then grill the chicken wings rather than frying in oil.
- Delicious flavor - These chicken wings are coated in a perfectly spiced dry rubbed and then smoked giving them such great flavor!
- Perfect for a crowd - This recipe is so easy to double or triple for a crowd! They make a perfect appetizer and would be great served alongside these smoked deviled eggs and these smoked bacon wrapped asparagus bundles.
Ingredients Needed
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Wings - I love using these organic Butcherbox Party Wings. You could also use chicken legs and adjust the cooking time as needed!
- Arrowroot powder - This is a great grain free (and paleo compatible) substitute to corn starch or baking powder. It helps to dry out the skin resulting in delicious crispy wings.
- Coconut sugar - This is a great paleo alternative to brown sugar and helps the skin to crisp up while adding great flavor!
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How To Make This Recipe
- Preheat the Traeger or other pellet grill to 250 degrees F.
- Mix all dry spice ingredients in a small bowl.
- Place wings in a large bowl and pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the dry rub on the wings and use your hands to rub the mix well into each wing. You can also place in a large ziplock bag to do this.
- Place the wings directly on the grates of the preheated smoker and smoke for 20 minutes and 250 degrees F
- Increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and continue to smoke for another 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. *I highly recommend using a meat thermometer when smoking or grilling to prevent the chicken from overcooking.
- Remove from grill and enjoy!
BBQ + Buffalo Wings
If you’re looking for wings slathered in BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce simply place these wings in a large bowl after cooking and toss them with your favorite sauce!
For a sweet and spicy option, I love using the buffalo sauce used in this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken recipe and combining Franks Red Hot Sauce, ghee, and honey. Add all ingredients to a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then allow to cool slightly and pour over the cooked chicken wings.
What To Serve With These Smoked Chicken Wings
Serve these Traeger chicken wings up with one of these great side dishes:
- Paleo Broccoli and Bacon Salad
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Loaded Buffalo Ranch Potato Salad
- Whole30 Coleslaw
Recipe FAQ’s
The USDA recommends all chicken be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. However, the texture of chicken wings (dark meat) is typically better and most tender when cooked to an internal temperature of about 175 degrees F.
If you're a fan of darker meat, definitely give these Smoked Chicken Thighs a try!
These chicken wings are best stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can reheat them on the Traeger at 350 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes or until warmed thoroughly. You can also reheat these wings in the oven at 350F.
While you will be lacking the smoke flavor from these chicken wings, you can certainly make them in an air fryer. Simply place them in the air fryer basket and cook for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, flipping the wings multiple times during the cooking process. The time will vary based on how meaty the wings are, as always I recommend using a meat thermometer. To get the skin extra crispy in the air fryer, increase the temperature to 400F in the last two minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Traeger Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Traeger or other pellet grill
Ingredients
- 3 lb chicken wings
Chicken Dry Rub
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cayenne optionl
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger or other pellet grill to 250F.
- Mix all dry spice ingredients in a small bowl.
- Place wings in a large bowl and pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the dry rub on the wings and use your hands to rub the mix well into each wing. You can also place in a large ziplock bag to do this.
- Place the wings directly on the grates of the preheated smoker and smoke for 20 minutes at 250F.
- Increase the temperature to 400F and continue to smoke for another 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. *I highly recommend using a meat thermometer when smoking or grilling to prevent the chicken from overcooking.
- Remove from grill and enjoy!
Notes
- Arrowroot powder - This is a great grain free (and paleo compatible) substitute to corn starch or baking powder and helps to dry out the skin resulting in delicious crispy wings.
- Coconut sugar - This is a great paleo alternative to brown sugar and helps the skin of the chicken to crisp up and adds great flavor!
- Cayenne Pepper - This is an optional ingredient that adds a kick. You can add more or less depending on the level of spice you prefer!
- The USDA recommends all chicken be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. However, the texture of chicken wings (dark meat) is typically better and most tender when cooked to an internal temperature of about 175 degrees F.
- Air Fryer Directions - Simply place them in the air fryer basket and cook for approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, flipping the wings multiple times during the cooking process. The time will vary based on how meaty the wings are, as always I recommend using a meat thermometer. To get the skin extra crispy in the air fryer, increase the temperature to 400F in the last two minutes.
- If you’re looking for wings slathered in BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce simply place these wings in a large bowl after cooking and toss them with your favorite sauce!
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