Fire up your Traeger or any grill on your deck and get ready for wings. These sweet and spicy grilled chicken wings deliver bold Korean-inspired flavors and a kick of heat—perfect for game day, a backyard cookout, or an easy weeknight treat.
Traeger Spicy Grilled Chicken Wings
We love wings in many styles—sweet, fiery, classic buffalo—and these Traeger grilled wings hit a sweet spot between sweet and spicy with distinctly Korean flavors. The recipe uses a savory rub and a gochujang-based sauce to create sticky, caramelized wings with a pleasing heat and deep umami.
Spiceology (formerly Spiceologist) makes excellent rubs and blends that are popular among home cooks and competing chefs. Using a high-quality rub simplifies seasoning and gives consistent flavor. If you don’t have their exact blend, any good spicy pork or all-purpose spicy rub will work well with these wings.
Recipe Shopping List
If you’re wondering what to pick up, here’s a concise shopping list. Quantities and precise measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Chicken wings (party wings or full wings, separated)
- Neutral high-heat oil (avocado oil recommended)
- Spicy pork rub or similar spicy all-purpose rub
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- Gochujang sauce (Korean chili paste-based sauce)
- Salt and pepper
How to Make These Wings
Here’s an overview of the cooking process so you know what to expect. Follow the full recipe quantities and timing in the recipe card section for best results.
- Preheat – Set your pellet grill or Traeger to 375°F (190°C).
- Dry, oil, and season – Pat the wings very dry. For extra-crisp skin, leave wings uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Brush with oil and coat evenly with the rub.
- Grill – Arrange wings in a single layer on the grill. Cook for roughly 20–25 minutes, flip, then grill another 20–25 minutes until nicely browned and cooked through.
- Sauce and serve – Toss the hot wings in a gochujang-based sauce until well coated. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQ
How do you store leftovers?
Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?
An air fryer or a hot oven works best to re-crisp the skin. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 minutes in an air fryer, or 10–12 minutes in a preheated oven, until heated through and the skin is crisp.
Other Chicken Wing Ideas
- Sweet Heat Spicy Smoked Chicken Wings
- Smoked Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Mango Chipotle Smoked Chicken Wings
- Grilled Berbere Chicken Wings
- Chicken Wings with Spicy Miso
- Traeger Smoked and Fried Chicken Wings
- Lemon Pepper Smoked Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Smoked Wings
Traeger Gochujang Grilled Chicken Wings
Yield: 6 servings
These easy wings are grilled on a pellet grill or Traeger and finished with a spicy gochujang sauce for sticky, savory heat.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45–60 minutes (depending on grill and wing size)
Total Time: about 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 tablespoons oil (avocado oil or another high-heat oil)
- 4 tablespoons spicy pork rub or similar spicy rub
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1/2 cup gochujang sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill or Traeger to 375°F (190°C).
- Pat wings dry. Toss with oil and evenly coat with the rub and gochugaru. If you have time, refrigerate uncovered for an hour or overnight for crisper skin.
- Place wings in a single layer on the preheated grill. Cook about 20–30 minutes, flip, and continue grilling another 20–30 minutes until browned and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove wings from the grill and toss in the gochujang sauce until well coated. Serve hot.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: ~536 · Total Fat: ~41g · Saturated Fat: ~13g · Cholesterol: ~124mg · Sodium: ~594mg · Carbohydrates: ~15g · Fiber: ~1g · Protein: ~26g
Nutrition data is an estimate and will vary depending on exact ingredients and serving sizes.