Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Say goodbye to sticky sauces and do your wings differently! These Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings are made on the Traeger, a pellet grill-smoker combo, and boy, are they good! Crispy, loaded with flavor, and so easy to make, jazz up your wing game and try these today!

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Better than Wingstop, Domino’s Pizza, or Buffalo Wild Wings, these meaty and savory wings have the addition of SMOKE, which puts them over the top! Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings are so finger-licking good you’ll want seconds and thirds!

I love making wings on the Traeger. Traeger – or any other pellet grill smoker – makes wings so good! I smoke them low and slow at first to infuse every bite with flavor, and then turn the heat up to get them nice and crispy.

You can crisp them up in the oven if your pellet grill won’t go that high. In fact, if you haven’t cleaned out your Traeger recently, you may want to crisp the wings in the broiler because the buildup of pellet dust and grease in the smoker can ignite at higher temps. So be careful!

Ingredients

• Chicken wings – Split, tips removed. Pat them very dry with paper towels. Wet wings won’t crisp up properly.
• Parmesan cheese – Grate it yourself from a block. Pre-grated Parmesan in a can is dry and won’t melt or cling to the wings properly.
• Unsalted butter – Unsalted gives you control over the salt level since the Parmesan is already salty.
• Fresh garlic cloves – Fresh garlic only. Jarred garlic won’t give the same clean flavor and can turn bitter when cooked.
• Red pepper flakes – Crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust to taste—add more for extra heat.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice only. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and won’t brighten the rich, garlicky sauce.

How to Make Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Start by preheating your Traeger smoker, or another pellet smoker, to 225°F. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt and pepper.

Arrange the wings in a single layer on the smoker grate, leaving a little space between each wing for proper airflow.

Smoke the wings until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with a digital meat thermometer.

Remove the wings from the smoker and set them aside. Increase the smoker temperature to 450°F. Once the grill is fully heated, return the wings to the grate and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the skin becomes crisp and lightly browned.

While the wings are crisping, melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic.

Allow the butter mixture to cool slightly. Add the Parmesan cheese to a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.

Combine the Parmesan cheese with the garlic butter, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Stir until well mixed.

Transfer the hot wings to a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic Parmesan sauce over the wings and toss until every wing is evenly coated.

Transfer the wings to a serving platter. Serve immediately with extra garlic Parmesan butter on the side for dipping, if desired.

Enjoy!

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• For a milder garlic flavor, you can roast the garlic cloves in the Traeger smoker while the wings are smoking. Just wrap them in aluminum foil and place them on the grill for about 60 minutes.
• Experiment with the level of heat by adjusting the amount of red pepper flakes. Want a little more kick? Add a pinch extra!
• Don’t rush the smoking process. Slow and low is the key to achieving that deep, smoky flavor. Patience will be rewarded.
• While the wings are crisping up at the higher temperature, keep a close eye on them. They can go from golden perfection to slightly too crispy in a matter of minutes.

Make It A Meal

Pair these Traeger Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings with some crispy celery sticks and a creamy blue cheese or ranch dip. Add a side of coleslaw or a fresh garden salad to balance out the flavors. I love making a spread of bite-sized nibbles, like Creamy Jalapeno Dip, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, and Tomato Bruschetta. I also like to really impress with a hand-crafted cocktail, like these Smoked Blackberry Margaritas, and don’t forget about air fryer thumbprint cookies for dessert!

Storage

If, by some miracle, you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat them in the oven for that just-smoked crispiness. If you’ve really gone all out and made a big batch, you can freeze these wings for up to three months. Just remember to thaw and reheat them in the oven or on the grill for the best results.