Dry the chicken wings thoroughly on all sides with a paper towel.
Mix rub ingredients in bowl and rub outside the chicken wings.
Preheat smoker to 200°F. Smoke chicken wings for 30 minutes before increasing temperature to 375°F and cooking for another 45 minutes. Flip and rotate the wings to avoid burn spots. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Notes
Use apple, cherry or maple wood for smoking. They all complement the chicken perfectly.
Cut the chicken wings at the joint using either kitchen shears or a sharp knife. See step-by-step instructions.
If you smoke too long at 200°F, the chicken will be overloaded with smoke flavor. Smoke for max 30 minutes before increasing the temperature. Poultry takes in smoke flavor much quicker than other meats.
If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
If you want some extra heat, increase the cayenne to 1 tsp.
You know the chicken is done when you insert a thermometer in the wing and it reaches 175°F. As I said before you want them crispy and the extra fat helps prevent them from drying out.