Description
Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings blend Southern comfort with smoky flavors, creating an irresistible appetizer. Spicy seasonings and double-cooking techniques elevate these wings to a crowd-pleasing dish you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (946 mL) peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- ½ cup (120 mL) buttermilk
- 2 lbs (907 g) chicken wings (drums and flats)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 mL) cornstarch
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Your favorite wing sauce (Buffalo, BBQ, Garlic Parmesan, etc.)
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing
Instructions
- Smoker Preparation: Ignite smoker to 225F, selecting aromatic wood chips like hickory, apple, or cherry to infuse rich, complex flavor profiles into the chicken wings.
- Wing Seasoning and Smoking: Thoroughly pat wings dry, massage with olive oil and spice blend (salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne), then position on smoker grates. Smoke for 1.5 hours until internal temperature reaches 155F, allowing wood-fired essence to permeate meat.
- Breading Station Setup: Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and baking powder into a uniform dry coating. Simultaneously, blend egg and buttermilk into a smooth, creamy binding agent.
- Frying Technique: Heat peanut oil in deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350F. Dredge smoked wings through buttermilk-egg mixture, then completely coat in seasoned flour. Carefully lower breaded wings into hot oil, frying in small batches for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, ensuring internal temperature hits 175F.
- Finishing and Serving: Transfer fried wings to wire rack for oil drainage, maintaining optimal crispiness. Optionally toss in preferred sauce or serve with complementary dipping sauces for a mouthwatering culinary experience.
Notes
- Manage Smoker Temperature: Keep smoker consistently at 225F to ensure even, slow cooking and prevent drying out chicken wings.
- Moisture Control Technique: Thoroughly pat wings dry before seasoning to achieve crispy exterior and enhance spice adherence during smoking process.
- Breading Perfection Strategy: Allow wings to rest after smoking before breading to help coating stick better and create crunchier texture.
- Oil Temperature Precision: Maintain exact 350F frying temperature to prevent greasy wings and guarantee golden, crisp exterior without burning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg