Slow-Smoked Southern BBQ Chicken Wings with Tangy Mop Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender chicken wings smoked low and slow over wood chips, basted with a tangy vinegar-based mop sauce for deep Southern flavor. This Southern American-inspired grilling recipe, ready in about 140 minutes, pairs chicken wings, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 110 min Serves 4 Southern American cuisine 350 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 lbs (split into flats and drumettes) chicken wings
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp (e.g. Louisiana-style) hot sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 2 lbs chicken wings and season evenly with 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare smoker with hardwood chips (such as hickory or applewood) and preheat to 225°F. Place wings on the smoker grate and smoke for 1.5 hours, maintaining steady temperature.
Step 3: While wings smoke, combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Every 30 minutes during smoking, baste wings with the mop sauce using a brush or mop tool to build layers of flavor and moisture.
Step 5: After 1.5 hours, increase smoker temperature to 275°F and cook wings for an additional 15 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with remaining mop sauce as a dip.