Smoked Hot Honey Chicken Wings
These Smoked Hot Honey Chicken Wings combine low-and-slow BBQ smoking with a crispy high-heat finish for the ultimate wing texture. The wings are air-dried for extra crisp skin, smoked until tender, then seared and tossed in a bold hot honey glaze made with butter, vinegar, and hot sauce. The result is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, sticky, and smoky flavor—ideal for game day, backyard cookouts, or party appetizers.
Equipment
- pellet grill or smoker
- Wire Rack
- Small saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 2 tbsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
- 1 tbsp dry BBQ rub
- 0.5 cup honey
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. Toss them with baking powder and dry rub until evenly coated. Place the wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to air-dry.
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 225°F. Arrange the wings directly on the smoker grates and cook for 45–60 minutes until they begin to render fat and turn lightly golden.
- While the wings cook, make the hot honey glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together honey, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the butter and cook until melted and smooth.
- Increase the smoker or grill temperature to 400°F. Sear the wings for about 2 minutes per side until the skin becomes crispy and golden brown.
- Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl and toss them with the warm hot honey glaze until evenly coated.
- Return the glazed wings to the smoker for about 2 minutes to allow the glaze to become slightly sticky and caramelized.
- Remove from the grill, garnish with sliced green onions if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not skip the air-dry step. Letting the wings rest uncovered in the refrigerator removes excess moisture from the skin, helping them crisp beautifully when finished at high heat.