10 House Smoked & Fried Chicken Wings Recipe

Combine kosher salt, granulated sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Stir to blend.

Place the wings in a large bowl or resealable bag and pour the dry mix over them. Add cold water to just cover the wings (about 2 cups). Massage briefly to distribute. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Drain and pat wings very dry with paper towels before proceeding.

Preheat a smoker or grill for indirect smoking at 225–250°F (105–120°C). If using a gas grill, set smoker box or foil pouch with soaked wood chips over a burner. Arrange wings on the grate, skin-side up, and smoke for 20–30 minutes to impart smoke flavor but not fully cook. Remove and let rest while you heat oil for frying.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, and paprika in a shallow tray. Make sure wings are thoroughly dry. Lightly brush or toss wings with 2 teaspoons neutral oil to help the dry coating adhere, if desired.

Dredge each wing in the dry coating, pressing gently to form an even layer. Shake off excess and place on a wire rack while you heat the oil.

Pour 2 cups neutral oil into a large heavy pot or deep fryer and heat to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to hold temperature steady.

Fry wings in small batches (3–4 at a time) to avoid crowding. Fry for 6–8 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If wings were smoked first, they may reach temp slightly faster—focus on crisp color and texture.

Remove wings to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain and stay crisp. Repeat until all wings are fried.

Buffalo (medium or hot)

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over low heat then whisk in 3/4 cup Buffalo sauce until warmed through. Toss fried wings in the sauce to coat evenly.

BBQ (sweet or spicy)

Warm 3/4 cup BBQ sauce in a small pan over low heat until loose. Toss wings in sauce to glaze. For a stickier finish, return sauced wings to the fryer for 30–45 seconds and re-dry on rack (optional).

Thai Chili

Warm 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce lightly. Toss wings in the sauce to coat; garnish with chopped cilantro or thinly sliced scallions if desired.

Garlic Parmesan

In a skillet, warm 2 teaspoons neutral oil over medium, add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add warmed 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan (reserve remainder), 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley; stir to make a sticky coating. Toss wings lightly in the garlic-parmesan mix then sprinkle remaining Parmesan and parsley on top.

Dry Rub (naked with extra seasoning)

For dry-rubbed wings, place hot fried wings in a large bowl and shake with 1–2 teaspoons of the original dry rub (reserve some from brine step) until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

For 'naked' wings, serve without sauce — optionally brush with a little neutral oil and sprinkle flaky salt.

Divide wings by flavor onto a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish garlic parmesan wings with extra grated Parmesan and parsley, Thai chili wings with thin scallions, and Buffalo wings with a celery garnish and a side of blue cheese or ranch.

Serve hot. Leftover unsauced wings keep crisp in a 250°F (120°C) oven for up to 20 minutes; sauced wings are best eaten immediately.