Cilantro Lime Wings with Aaron Riley
Once he got behind his YS640S he was hooked.

Yoder Smokers rubs are new to the world of barbecue, but YS Ambassador Aaron Riley of Bearded Skull Barbecue is not! Today we’d like to introduce you to our friend Aaron and share one of his latest cooks — a very approachable recipe for some of the best chicken wings ever to hit the plate. This recipe features our new YS Chicken Rub as well as some of Aaron’s homemade cilantro-lime crème sauce. Based near Sacramento in northern California, Aaron says he’s been fortunate enough to follow his passion of barbecue from hobby to profession. While Aaron has been cooking for most of his life, he was first introduced to barbecue about 14 years ago and for 12 of those years professionally as a private /corporate chef. Aaron also has a catering company, so between the two, he knows his way around the fire.
About two years ago, we approached Aaron about becoming a Yoder Smokers Brand Ambassador after seeing his amazing food photography on Instagram. And while his background was on an offset wood pit, he was curious about the S-Series pellet grills, so we outfitted him with our YS640S.
Once he got behind his YS640S he was hooked. “I had no idea the Yoder Smokers pellet grills could do this. I never thought I would love cooking on this as much as a stick burner,” he remarked.
“To anyone thinking about purchasing pellet grill, you’ve GOT to compare the Yoder YS640S to those other pellet cookers out there…first and foremost Yoder Smokers are proudly made right here in America. These pits are made with heavy-gauge steel for superior heat retention, which is beneficial for longer cooks. A great deal of attention has gone into the construction and functionality of the Yoder.”
In 2022, he’ll be taking a well-deserved break from the corporate and professional catering side of his business to focus on family and rejuvenating his passion for the art of barbecue. Stay tuned and follow him on Instagram at @BeardedSkullBBQ to see what he’ll be up to next! Now let’s check out his recipe.
Cilantro Lime Wings with YS Chicken Rub
Ingredients:
- Whole Chicken Wings
- Yoder Smokers Chicken Rub
- Duck Fat Spray
- Mixing Bowl
- 1 Cup Mexicana Table Creme
- 2 Cups Cilantro (rough chopped)
- 1/2 Cup Green Onion (rough chopped)
- 5 Cloves of Garlic
- 2 Avacados
- 3 Limes
- 1 Cup Water
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Cojita Cheese
- 3 Tablespoons Chipotle Adobo
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 1.5 Hours | Total Time: 2 Hours
Preheat the Yoder YS640S to 275-300°F. While the pit is warming up, prep your wings in a mixing bowl. First, spray the wings with Duck Fat (to help the rub stick to the wings) then apply the Yoder Smokers Chicken Rub. Let the wings rest for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the Cilantro Lime Crème Sauce. The sauce is fairly simple: Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until creamy, then set aside. It will be the finishing touch to the wings!
By this time the grill should be up to temp. Adjust the damper to halfway, then load the wings onto the top cooking shelf. Let the smoke roll for about 1.5 hours to get that perfect color and bite-through skin. Once the wings temp at 165°F you can remove them from the grill. Place them on a serving plate, then drizzle with the Cilantro Lime Creme and enjoy!!
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Very tasty, thanks!