These Hill Country Smoked Chicken Wings combine smoky, spicy seasoning with a cool, homemade ranch dressing. The flavorful spice rub includes brown sugar, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika, and other seasonings for wings with plenty of Texas-style character.
They’re a great choice for game day, especially when you prepare several different wing flavors so everyone can find something they like. And don’t forget to include a few “naked” wings for those who prefer their wings without seasoning.
The homemade ranch dressing adds a cool, creamy contrast to the smoky heat of the wings and can be served alongside the finished wings.
Chicken Wings – Hill Country Smoked – with Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
Wings
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 18 whole chicken wings
- 2 cups hardwood chips such as hickory or applewood, soaked in water for 1 hour and drained
Dressing
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon packed torn basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon packed parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 pickled jalapeño with seeds minced
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons minced onion
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
Instructions
Smoke the wings
- In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the chicken wings and hardwood chips and pulse until well blended.
If using a grill
- Set up a grill for indirect cooking, then heat to 425° and oil the grate. Wrap the wood chips in a double layer of heavy duty foil and poke holes in the top. Place the packet directly on the flames of the grill. When the chips are smoking,
- Add the chicken wings to the grill, cover and smoke the wings, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a wing registers 165°, about 40 minutes.
If using a oven
- .Place the chicken wing on a rack and place in oven, If possible use convection baking at 350° F. Bake approximate 35 minutes or until the chicken reaches the doneness you like.
Meanwhile, make the dressing
- In a food processor, combine the first 7 ingredients and puree until nearly smooth. Add the jalapeño, garlic and onion and pulse to mix; it will still be slightly chunky. Scrape into a bowl and season the dressing with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the chicken wings to a platter, pour dressing over the chicken and serve with the ranch dressing.
Notes
The spice rub can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The ranch dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If cooking in an oven, suggest using a rack so the chicken cooks on all sides evenly.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
