Smoked Chicken Wings on the Pellet Grill with Crispy Skin and Buffalo Glaze

How to Make Smoked Chicken Wings on the Pellet Grill with Crispy Skin and Buffalo Glaze

1. 1

   Step 1: Prep and dry-brine the wings

   Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels and optionally separate drumettes and flats. In a large bowl combine baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder; drizzle with olive oil and toss wings until evenly coated. Spread wings on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 15–20 minutes (up to 2 hours) to help dry the skin — this builds crispness.

   For this step

   • 3 lbWhole chicken wings (drums + flats), trimmed
   • 2 tbspAluminum-free baking powder
   • 1 1/2 tspKosher salt
   • 1 tspFreshly ground black pepper
   • 1 tbspOlive oil
   • 1 tspSmoked paprika
   • 1 tspGarlic powder
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Low-and-slow smoke

   Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F (107°C) using a mild-to-medium fruit or pecan pellet for 15 minutes. Place wings skin-side up on the grill grates in a single layer and smoke, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches about 165–170°F (74–77°C) and the skin has taken on smoke color, roughly 45–55 minutes depending on size.
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Raise heat and crisp the skin

   Increase the pellet grill temperature to 425–450°F (218–232°C) (or transfer wings to a hot gas grill or broiler if your pellet grill won’t get that high). Return wings to the grill and cook 8–12 minutes, flipping once, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temp reaches 175–180°F (79–82°C). Watch closely to avoid flare-ups.
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Make the buffalo butter glaze

   While wings finish, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the hot sauce until smooth. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes to meld flavors; remove from heat. Taste and adjust heat or butter ratio if you prefer milder or richer glaze.

   For this step

   • 1/2 cupHot sauce (classic cayenne-style, e.g., Frank's)
   • 4 tbspUnsalted butter
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Toss, rest, and serve

   Place the hot, crispy wings in a large bowl, pour the warm buffalo glaze over them, and gently toss to coat evenly (reserve extra glaze for dipping). Let wings rest 2–3 minutes so the glaze sets slightly, then serve immediately with celery and your choice of ranch or blue cheese if desired.
   

1. Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels and optionally separate drumettes and flats. In a large bowl combine baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder; drizzle with olive oil and toss wings until evenly coated. Spread wings on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 15–20 minutes (up to 2 hours) to help dry the skin — this builds crispness.
2. Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F (107°C) using a mild-to-medium fruit or pecan pellet for 15 minutes. Place wings skin-side up on the grill grates in a single layer and smoke, uncovered, until the internal temperature reaches about 165–170°F (74–77°C) and the skin has taken on smoke color, roughly 45–55 minutes depending on size.
3. Increase the pellet grill temperature to 425–450°F (218–232°C) (or transfer wings to a hot gas grill or broiler if your pellet grill won’t get that high). Return wings to the grill and cook 8–12 minutes, flipping once, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temp reaches 175–180°F (79–82°C). Watch closely to avoid flare-ups.
4. While wings finish, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the hot sauce until smooth. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes to meld flavors; remove from heat. Taste and adjust heat or butter ratio if you prefer milder or richer glaze.
5. Place the hot, crispy wings in a large bowl, pour the warm buffalo glaze over them, and gently toss to coat evenly (reserve extra glaze for dipping). Let wings rest 2–3 minutes so the glaze sets slightly, then serve immediately with celery and your choice of ranch or blue cheese if desired.