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!
What You’ll Love About Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Irresistible smoky flavor from the Traeger smoker
- The perfect marriage of savory Parmesan cheese and zesty garlic
- Crispy and golden wings that’ll have you reaching for seconds
Ingredients
- Chicken wings– split, tips removed
- Parmesan cheese (about 4 oz)
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh garlic cloves– minced
- Red pepper flakes
- Lemon juice
How to Make Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Preheat your Traeger smoker to 225°F and lightly season the wings with salt and pepper.
- Smoke the wings in a single layer until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F on a digital meat thermometer.
- Remove the wings from the smoker and turn the heat up to 450°F. When the pellet grill is hot, place the wings back on the grill to crisp up for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Cook the butter and garlic in the microwave for 1 minute. This step infuses the butter with that delightful garlic aroma.
- In a food processor, coarsely chop the Parmesan cheese. Then, combine the melted and slightly cooled butter with the Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. This mixture is the secret sauce that will take your wings to the next level!
- Toss the butter-Parmesan mixture with the smoked chicken wings. Make sure every wing is generously coated with this flavorful blend.
- Serve hot, and don’t forget to provide extra garlic Parmesan butter on the side for dipping. These wings are too good to resist!
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.
Recommended
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.
Step By Step Process
Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings split, tips discarded
- 4 ounce parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger smoker to 225°F and lightly season the wings with salt and pepper.
- Smoke the wings in a single layer until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F on a digital meat thermometer.
- Remove the wings from the smoker and turn the heat up to 450°F. When the pellet grill is hot, place the wings back on the grill to crisp up for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic. Cook the butter and garlic in the microwave for 1 minute. This step infuses the butter with that delightful garlic aroma.
- In a food processor, coarsely chop the Parmesan cheese. Then, combine the melted and slightly cooled butter with the Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. This mixture is the secret sauce that will take your wings to the next level!
- Toss the butter-Parmesan mixture with the smoked chicken wings. Make sure every wing is generously coated with this flavorful blend.
- Serve hot, and don't forget to provide extra garlic Parmesan butter on the side for dipping. These wings are too good to resist!
Notes
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 20-30 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.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.