Traeger Hot and Sweet Chicken Wings – Recipe and Cooking Guide

ByPaul

Hey Smokers, and welcome to my post where we will run through my recipe and cooking guide for Traeger hot and sweet chicken wings. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things – and today, it’s the wing.

Traeger Hot and Sweet Chicken Wings- Header

Now, since I have had this smoker, it has become almost a mandatory requirement in my house to produce a Friday afternoon ‘snacky snack’ before our son goes to basketball. The requirements here are twofold – it all has to be able to be cooked in a few hours – as I don’t have any longer than that on a Friday – and of course, it has to be tasty!

So today, hot and sweet chicken wings it is… Let’s go

Check Out My: Traeger 0-400 Chicken Wings – Recipe and Cooking Guide

Traeger Hot and Sweet Chicken Wings: What You’ll Need

Ok, so below is what I used to cook me some smoked chicken wings on the Traeger pellet smoker:

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of chicken wings (about 12-16 wings)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup of your favorite BBQ chicken rub
  • 2 cups of hot wing sauce
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tbsp of garlic (I used jar garlic as I didn’t have any fresh)
  • A couple of tabs of butter
  • Your favorite BBQ sauce (optional)

Equipment

  • Pellet smoker
  • Smoker pellets (I used Hickory as that is what was in the smoker already)
  • Saucepan and hotplate (to make the sauce)
  • Cake grate- for first part of cook
  • Alfoil tray – for second part of cook
  • Basting brush

The Cooking Process

This is what I did and when…

1. Preparation

  1. Clean the Wings: Rinse the chicken wings under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
  2. Season the Wings: In a large bowl, cover the wings with olive oil, then add the rub and toss until evenly coated.
hot and sweet chicken wings - prepared wings

2. Preheat the Smoker

  1. Fill the Pellet Hopper: Fill the hopper of your pellet smoker with your chosen wood pellets.
  2. Preheat the Smoker: Set the temperature to 275°F (135°C).

3. Smoke the Wings

  1. Place the Wings on the Smoker: Arrange the wings on the cake grate in a single layer, making sure they are not touching and add to the smoker.
  2. Cook the Wings: Close the lid and smoke the wings for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the skin is crispy.
hot and sweet chicken wings - wings on smoker

4. Make the Basting Sauce

  1. Add Ingredients to the Saucepan: Combine the buffalo sauce, honey and garlic into the saucepan and bring to a simmer on a hotplate.
  2. Add the Butter: Once the sauce is warm enough, drop the butter into the pot and stir until mixed in.

You can of course add anything else you like here as well.

hot and sweet chicken wings - wings with sauce

5. Sauce the Wings

  1. Remove the Wings: Remove the wings from the smoker and place into an aluminum tray.
  2. Baste with Sauce: Pour the sauce from the saucepan all over the wings and stir to completely cover them.
  3. Return to the Smoker: Return the wings (unwrapped) to the smoker and cook for a further 30 minutes or so.

I left my wings in for another 30 minutes. They were nice and sticky and some were ever still a little crispy as well.

6. Serve and Enjoy

  1. Rest the Wings: Let the wings rest for a few minutes after removing them from the smoker.
  2. Serve: Serve the wings hot, with additional sauce such as a ranch or blue cheese on the side if desired.

My Results

As above, I cooked my wings for just a touch over two hours, sauced and then for another 30 minutes. They were nice and crispy when they came off the first time (I didn’t use baking powder or anything) however some of this was lost during the basting stage – as to be expected.

I must say, I was really happy with my saucing efforts as the buffalo sauce and honey made a great mix (I know I didn’t invent this but still.. haha). The wings are sweet at first and then the spice kicks in a little after… Of course you can add some extra hot sauce if you wanted them hotter as well.

Anyway, as a Friday afternoon snack, they were really great and I would highly recommend these for anyone wanting to do the same or even better, they would be a great addition to any group gathering or party.

hot and sweet chicken wings - finished wings

Tips for Perfect Smoked Wings

  • Wood Choice: Experiment with different wood pellets to find your preferred flavor profile. Fruity woods like apple and cherry add a mild sweetness, while hickory provides a stronger, smoky flavor.
  • Dry Brining: For extra flavor, consider letting the wings sit in the fridge uncovered for a few hours or overnight.
  • Crispy Skin: Ensuring the wings are dry before seasoning are key steps to achieving crispy skin.

Conclusion

So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some hot and sweet chicken wings. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.

Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.

Until next time

Have fun and get smoking!

Paul

Very recently I decided pretty much on a whim to purchase myself a Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker. I have never used one of these before so come on a journey with me as I find stuff to smoke on my new toy – from the view of a beginner. Then, hopefully, one day as an expert.

Let’s get smoking!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *