Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings

It’s time to chow down on some wings! That is right– We are back at it! And this time we’re using Oklahoma Joe’s Highland offset smoker. This kick-butt pit will help us get that amazing smoky goodness for one of my favorite things– Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings!

This recipe opens up a whole new world of wings, it’ll be like you’re trying them for the first time. These are the best wings I’ve ever had. Whether you’re usually a big fan of wings or not, your taste buds will sing!

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Why You’ll Love Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings

Sticky chicken wings are the perfect appetizer, full of finger-licking goodness. I have spent a massive part of my fire cooking career trying to master wings, and using the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland has been a game changer.

A few years ago, a couple of cooking friends told me the key to all good wings: frying them. By getting those wings into hot oil, you not only make a really awesome crispy outside, but also seal in the smoky flavor from the Oklahoma Joe’s offset smoker! It’s better than wings cooked in an air fryer, baking dish, or saucepan. 

Traditionally, I would grill my wings over fire, fry them, and finally toss them in some type of  sauce. While I love that old and faithful method, you end up missing a ton of the smoke flavor that you can only get with an offset smoker. It really makes a difference in the flavor profile!

By frying the wings, you will get a robust crust on the outside of your wings while still keeping that juiciness on the inside. The Oklahoma Joe’s Highland is a great choice for getting that smoky goodness right before being seared off in a vat of hot oil.

A Couple Pro Tips

I prefer to fry my wings in either peanut oil or canola oil. Whatever you choose to use, make sure to get an oil that has a high smoke point, as you do not want to burn your wings.

Frying is all about searing in the flavor. That first bite into a nice crispy Smoke and Fried Sticky Wing is the best moment of the day.

Last but certainly not least, you are gonna want to toss these wings in honey. Honey is what makes the sticky wings sticky. It is the first and last flavor that you will taste. It helps to balance out the smokiness while helping to amp up the deliciousness.

I like to gently heat up my honey so that it has more viscosity. This also helps to prevent the honey from ripping off the seasoning when tossing. My final pro tip is that I prefer to use clover honey, but any form of local honey is a good choice.

Once you try this sticky wings recipe, you will have a whole new perspective on how good chicken wings should taste. They are smoky from the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland offset smoker, crispy from the frying oil and sticky from the delicious sauce.

With only half an hour of prep and a couple of hours of cook time, you’ll love trying these Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings. It’s a great “go to” recipe that gets even better with a little bit of practice!

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2 lbs of Chicken Wingettes
• 3-4 cups of Frying Oil
• ⅛ cup of Honey
• Olive Oil

Seasoning:

• 1 tbsp of Ancho Chile Powder
• 1 tbsp of Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp of Sea Salt
• 3 tsp of Cayenne Powder
• 2 tsp of Black Pepper
• 2 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp of Smoked Paprika

How to Make Smoked and Fried Sticky Wings 

These are one of my favorite sides for any party, movie night, or family dinner.

To create this sticky chicken wings recipe, lather your chicken wingettes in olive oil. In a small bowl, mix all of the seasonings and then add  in the chicken. Mix thoroughly before setting the  chicken in the fridge.

Preheat your Oklahoma Joe’s Smoker to medium heat (250F) for indirect cooking. Add some hickory wood chunks for added smoke flavor if desired.

Add your chicken wings to the smoker and cook for about 2-2.5 hours or until 165F internal.

As wings are close to being done, preheat another Oklahoma Joe’s grill, fire pit or stovetop for direct cooking. Add a dutch oven to it and *carefully* add your frying oil. Heat frying oil to medium-high heat (325-350F.)

If you want to use the same grill, you can! You just need to wait for the wings to hit temp, pull them off the smoker and then prep that smoker for direct cooking. Using two grills makes the process go a bit faster, but I know we don’t all have the access to two grills.

Once the wings are done, pull them off and let them rest for 5 minutes. Carefully add wings to frying oil and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and stir occasionally.

As the wings are frying, gently heat up some honey and set aside.

Pull deep fried wings out of frying oil and let rest for 2 minutes. Add to a large bowl along with heated honey and toss. Serve and enjoy!

How to Store Leftover Sticky Chicken Wings

When I was a kid and my mom suggested leftovers, I’d groan. But now that I’m an adult, leftovers are a really good thing as long as they’re kept fresh! As much as I love to cook, getting two meals for the effort of one is the gift that just keeps on giving. Store any leftover chicken wings in an airtight container in the fridge, then reheat them on a baking sheet in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

For more delicious recipes, check out my second cookbook Flavor X Fire or my first cookbook Food X Fire!

Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.

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