This recipe was created in partnership with Perdue Farms and Ninja Kitchen. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There’s something irresistible about chicken wings: once you start, it’s hard to stop. Wings are the quintessential party and tailgate food. When you pair woodfire smoke, sweet maple, and a crisp exterior with a touch of heat, you get wings that disappear fast. This recipe delivers those flavors by finishing dry-rubbed wings with a sticky maple-bourbon sauce and cooking them in the Ninja Woodfire™ Pro Outdoor Grill using the Air Crisp setting for outstanding texture and real wood-smoke flavor.
Using the Ninja Woodfire™ Pro Outdoor Grill
I’ve been testing the Ninja Woodfire™ Pro Outdoor Grill and it’s impressive. This electric outdoor grill brings real hardwood smoke flavor to your food using pellets, something many electric and gas grills can’t achieve. It combines seven cooking functions—Smoke, Grill, Air Crisp, Roast, Bake, Broil, and Dehydrate—into a single, weather-resistant unit with a built-in probe thermometer for precise results.
Highlights:
- Built-in probe thermometer for consistent doneness cooked by temperature, not time.
- Real wood smoke using hardwood pellets to add authentic smoky flavor.
- Multiple cooking modes for versatile outdoor cooking.
- Weather-resistant design suitable for outdoor storage (still best kept covered).
The Perdue Farms Chicken Wings
Perdue chicken wings come from premium, no-antibiotics-ever birds that are hatched, raised, vegetarian-fed, and harvested by a network of family farmers across the U.S. They’re sold frozen and pre-portioned in 1-pound packs, and the wings are already separated into wingettes and drumettes with tips removed—minimal prep required. Defrost what you need and cook; these wings are crowd-pleasers, so make extras if you’re hosting.
A Few Wing Tips (pun intended)
- Start with dry wings for the crispiest finish. Pat defrosted wings dry or place them on a rack in the fridge uncovered for a bit to dry the skin.
- Plan quantities: 1–2 pounds per person is a good estimate. There are about 4–5 whole wings per pound.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Leave space between wings so hot air circulates and they crisp evenly.
- Batch cook when needed. Cook multiple batches rather than overloading the basket.
- Group by size so wings cook uniformly.
- Serve dry or saucy. These wings are excellent plain with the dry rub, but tossing them in the maple-bourbon sauce makes them irresistible. Consider serving some dry and some sauced to please every guest.
Don’t Forget Delicious Sides
- Smoked baked beans
- Macaroni salad
- Grilled broccolini
- Classic potato salad
- Smoked apple crisp for dessert
Smoked Air-Fried Maple-Bourbon Chicken Wings
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Ingredients
- 4 pounds Perdue chicken wings
- 1 tbsp Diamond kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Sriracha (optional for heat)
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Silicone-tipped tongs
- Ninja Woodfire™ Outdoor Grill
Instructions
- Install the grill grate by positioning it flat on the heating element and pressing down until it sits in place. Place the Air Crisp basket on the grate and close the hood.
- With the smoke box lid open, fill the smoke box with hardwood pellets using a scoop and close the lid.
- Select AIR CRISP, press WOODFIRE FLAVOR, set the temperature to 390°F, and set the time to 30 minutes. Press START/STOP to begin preheating (approx. 8–10 minutes).
- Prep the wings: While the grill preheats, mix the dry rub in a small bowl. Place dried wings in a large bowl and toss with the salt and dry rub until evenly coated.
- Cook the wings: When the unit beeps and ADD FOOD appears, open the hood and place wings in the Air Crisp basket. Close the hood to start cooking. Flip the wings with silicone-tipped tongs every 10 minutes or so. Cook until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
- Make the sauce: While the wings cook, combine butter, bourbon, maple syrup, cider vinegar, Dijon, and Sriracha (if using) in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until combined, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens by about one-quarter, 15–20 minutes. Remove from heat.
- When the wings are done, remove them from the basket, toss with the maple-bourbon sauce if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- Cook times vary based on wing size; always verify an internal temperature of at least 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.
- Dry skin crisps better—the drier the wings before cooking, the crispier they’ll become.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket; cook in batches if necessary.
- Store extra dry rub in an airtight container for future use.
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