Chicken wings are often the best pieces of chicken to enjoy. You can have them as a snack for a picnic while watching a soccer game on a Sunday afternoon, or you can eat them as an appetizer at your favorite restaurant. Chicken wings are also highly customizable, with wide options of meals you can have, along with not leaving out the many cooking options you have for chicken wings. These crispy chicken wings will certainly leave you drooling for more, increasing your appetite for the main course.

Delicious chicken wings also have numerous health benefits. Well-cooked chicken wings are a rich source of protein and are also known for their therapeutic impact on human metabolic disorders.

But one thing is for certain: there is always a recipe behind these savory chicken wings, and you have to follow and adhere to a well-outlined recipe. The good news is that many easy, do-it-yourself recipes can be handled in your home kitchen. All you need is to pay close attention to the spices and other ingredients used in the preparation.

However, the main question that most people have is whether they need to apply a dry rub to their chicken wings the night before. We understand why this question is often asked, as this cut of chicken is usually highly flavorful, and you need to get it right with the spice application.

What Is a Dry Rub?

A dry rub is a blend of numerous spices and herbs that can be applied to different types of meat. These dried herbs and spices often include salt and other ingredients. A dry rub differs from a dry spice rub in that it contains both herbs and spices, whereas a dry spice rub contains only dried spices.

Dry rubs have proved to be the best type of seasoning for all kinds of meat. Unlike other seasonings, dry rubs can easily be spread onto each part of the chicken wing. You also don’t need to be concerned about the occasional mixing of seasonings – you are seasoning the chicken wings with the dry rub. In addition to each wing getting a fair share of the dry rub, the coating it forms doesn’t easily fall off while marinating.

If you are using a homemade dry rub, it’s good to ensure that the spices you use go well with chicken wings. A mistake with the ingredients in the rub can mess up the entire meal. You will also want to ensure all the spices are mixed well to increase the chances of everything getting sticky.

Should I Apply a Dry Rub to My Chicken Wings the Night Before?

The best way to apply a rub to your chicken wings is the night before cooking. This allows much more time for the spices to blend into the chicken. We also recommend adding the spices by hand, rubbing the rub on all sides of the wings. This ensures you infuse all the spices and flavors into the wings to bring out a finger-licking taste once cooked.

The objective is to ensure the chicken wings are well-coated with enough dry rub. We recommend being bold with the dry rub, as the more you rub, the greater the flavor that goes into the pieces of meat.

Feel free to apply less seasoning if you don’t like chicken wings bursting with flavor. The essence is to ensure you add enough dry rub to meet your taste.

What Types Of Food Can I Serve With Chicken Wings?

Now that you know how to get it right with your dry rub, it’s good to understand the different food you can serve alongside your delicious chicken wings. We find chicken wings an incredible meal with numerous foods you can serve alongside them. The perfect blend of the juicy and crispy skin rich in the sauce makes them a highly customizable meal with numerous side dishes that pair with them perfectly.

Sweet potatoes, fried rice, cornbread, pasta salad, macaroni salad, garden salad, roasted veggies, coleslaw, and Brussels sprouts are just examples of some of the incredible dishes you can serve alongside your finger-licking chicken wings.

You can also try out other dishes that you believe make the best accompaniment. We highly recommend trying out dishes you don’t usually go for to expand your kitchen explorations.

But if you don’t fancy having a side chick, you can have your chicken wings as a meal on its own. It will leave you full and supply your body with many great nutrients.

Interested in checking out more information about rubs? Look no further than our articles on:
3 Homemade Rubs to take Your Smoked Chicken to the Next Level
Famous Rub Types Paired with Delicious Recipes
What is a Rub, Why and How to Do It?

For more great ideas on how to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.