Crispy Smoked Buffalo Wings (Printable)

Smoky, crispy wings coated in tangy homemade buffalo sauce—perfect for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Wings

01 - 2 lbs chicken wings, separated into drums and flats
02 - 1 tbsp aluminum-free baking powder
03 - 1 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1 tsp smoked paprika

→ Buffalo Sauce

07 - 1/2 cup hot sauce (such as Franks RedHot)
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 tbsp honey
10 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
11 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder

→ Serving Suggestions

12 - Celery sticks
13 - Blue cheese or ranch dressing

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat smoker or grill to 250°F with indirect heat. Add hickory or applewood wood chips for smoke flavor.
02 - Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. Toss wings in a large bowl with baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
04 - Place wings in the smoker and cook at 250°F for 45 minutes.
05 - Increase temperature to 425°F and continue cooking for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until wings are crispy and golden brown.
06 - In a small saucepan over low heat, combine hot sauce, melted butter, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Whisk until smooth and warmed through.
07 - Transfer smoked wings to a large bowl, pour buffalo sauce over, and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The smoke flavor penetrates deep into the meat while the skin gets impossibly crispy without any frying mess
  • That homemade buffalo sauce with honey creates this sticky sweet heat that makes people literally lick their fingers clean
02 -
  • Don't skip the baking powder—it's genuinely the difference between rubbery skin and the kind of crispy shatter that makes wings unforgettable
  • Letting the wings rest for just 5 minutes after saucing helps that glaze set instead of pooling at the bottom of your serving bowl
03 -
  • Let your wings sit uncovered in the fridge for a few hours before smoking to really dry out the skin for maximum crispiness
  • Double the sauce recipe and keep some warm on the stove for those who can't resist coating their wings twice

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