Easy Smoked Chicken Thigh Recipe

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This Easy Smoked Chicken Thigh recipe is a great way to add tons of flavor to simple chicken thighs. They are coated in a delicious dry rub and slow cooked on the smoker for about 2 hours, imparting delicious smoky flavors.

Smoked chicken thigh with veggies

Why You’ll Love It

  • Flavorful Infusion: The smoking process slowly infuses the chicken thighs with the rich, unmistakable aroma of wood smoke, enhancing the natural flavors of the chicken and any spices used.
  • Juicy Results: Chicken thighs are known for their higher fat content compared to other cuts, which imparts more flavor and ensures that they remain moist and tender while slow smoking.
  • Versatile Pairing: Smoked chicken thighs can be the star of the meal or shredded and used in a variety of dishes, from tacos to salads, making them a perfect choice for meal options.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Kay says: 5 stars OMG these are finger-licking good!

Dawn says: 5 stars My son and I made this recipe with chicken thighs tonight, using an electric smoker; it was no lie, probably the best tasting chicken I have ever eaten. It came out beautifully, plump and juicy, with so much flavor! I wish I could post a picture here… great recipe!

Ingredients You Need

  • Chicken thighs – I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, because I think it makes the juiciest chicken. A really big, thick thigh will need to smoke longer. If you use small boneless thighs, they will smoke faster.
  • Olive oil – This is to help the rub adhere to the chicken and make sure the outside doesn’t dry out while it’s smoking.
  • Dry rub or seasoning of choice – I always use my homemade dry rub, which is great on any type of protein you’re smoking or grilling.
  • BBQ Sauce – It’s not necessary to put on BBQ sauce, but if that’s the way you like it, you can baste the chicken when it’s almost done for added flavor.
dry rib rub for meats and veggies

Equipment Needed

  • Smoker – I use a Z Grills 700 series smoker for most of my smoking, though I also have a Traeger grill. You can use whatever smoker you have – they all work the same.
  • Wood pellets – There are many types of pellets available. If you’ve already got pellets in your smoker, use whatever you have. I really like Hickory pellets for chicken.
  • Meat thermometer – Many smokers have a thermometer built in, but if you don’t have one you’ll want to get an instant-read thermometer like the Thermopen.

How to Smoke Chicken Thighs

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat your smoker on the Smoke setting. I like to start with 15 minute on the smoke setting before I move it to a higher temperature, to be sure the smoker is running properly.

Step 2: Prepare the chicken

To prepare the chicken, pat it dry with a paper towel, then rub on the olive oil and sprinkle it liberally with dry rub seasoning so each piece is well coated. For this, I use about a tablespoon of oil and rub per piece.

Raw seasoned chicken thighs

Step 3: Smoke the chicken

When the smoker is ready, place the chicken directly on the grill. Smoke for 15 minutes on the smoke setting, then turn it up to 275°F. This will give it a good amount of smoky flavor.

Cook for another hour, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170°F. Remove it from the grill and rest it under foil for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will bring the temperature up to the perfect 175°F serving temp, and lock in the juices.

Smoked chicken thighs on the grill

If you want to baste the chicken with BBQ sauce, you can do that in the last 10 degrees of cooking. Once it reaches 160°, baste the chicken and do so another 1-2 times until the temperature is reached.

Make sure the internal temperature of the thighs reaches at least 165°F (75°C).

Smoked chicken thigh with veggies

How to Get the Skin Crispy

Chicken skin can become rubbery when smoked, especially if it’s smoked at lower temperatures typical for smoking meats. This is because the low and slow process doesn’t render the fat in the skin effectively, nor does it dehydrate the skin enough to make it crispy. To avoid rubbery skin on smoked chicken, here are some tips:

  • Higher Heat: Finish smoking your chicken at a higher temperature. You can start low to get the smoke flavor, then increase the heat at the end to crisp up the skin. Aim for at least 350°F (175°C) for the crisping stage.
  • Dry the Skin: Before smoking, pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels. Some folks even let the chicken sit uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours to further dry out the skin.
  • Cook to the Right Temperature: Make sure the internal temperature of the thighs reaches at least 165°F (75°C), as this ensures that the fat under the skin has had a chance to render out.
  • Smoke/Grill Combo: Some grillers use a combination of smoking and grilling. They smoke the chicken at a lower temperature to infuse it with flavor and then grill it over direct heat to crisp up the skin.
  • Use Baking Powder: A little trick is to rub the chicken skin with a mixture of baking powder and salt before smoking. The baking powder reacts chemically and helps the skin to crisp up better.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to smoke chicken thighs at 275°F?

Chicken breast takes about 1 hour 15 minutes to cook to an internal temperature of 170°F when you have the heat on 275°F. However, this timing is dependent on how thick and big the chicken thigh is. Larger pieces will take longer to cook.
The chicken is ready to eat when it reaches 175°F, but if you rest the chicken under foil for 5 minutes after pulling it off the grill, it will rise to the correct temperature.

How do you smoke chicken thighs without drying it out?

When smoking chicken thighs, we coat it with a layer of olive oil, which will keep the chicken from drying out while smoking. It also helps the smoke adhere to the chicken.
Some people soak chicken in a seasoned brine for 3 to 4 hours before you are ready to cook it. This brine helps to impart flavor and keeps the meat from drying out too easily while it’s smoking. I haven’t found that it’s necessary to brine it, though. If you cook it to the proper temperature and don’t overcook, it will be super juicy and not dry.

Do you flip chicken thighs when smoking?

You don’t need to flip your food while smoking. The heat and smoke circulates easily around the smoked chicken thighs as it cooks, giving each side an equal amount of smoking. I do like to flip it over after the smoking phase however, so that the shape stays uniform.

Can I smoke chicken legs with this recipe?

Yes, you can smoke any part of the chicken you wish with this recipe. The chicken rub works with any cut of the chicken, and you will smoke the pieces until they reach 165 to 170 degrees F internal temperature. The length of time may vary, so it’s always best to use a meat thermometer to monitor it.

Smoked chicken thigh with veggies

What Smoker to Use

Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill Smoker with PID 2.0 Controller, 700 Cooking Area, Meat Probes, Rain Cover for Outdoor BBQ, 7002C

Z Grills 7002C2E Pellet Grill & Smoker

The 7002C2E is a new model featuring a digital PID control board and advanced technology for even temperatures and consistent results. With the built-in dual temperature probes, a huge pellet hopper, pellet cleanout system, and pellet view window, your grilling experience will be enhanced like never before. See this grill and more on the Z Grills site.

Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker, Bronze, Extra large

Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill & Smoker

Traeger created the original wood-pellet grill as the ultimate way to achieve wood-fired taste. The Pro Series 22 is the one most people choose because it’s compact, yet has plenty of space for cooking.

You can use any type of wood pellets you like. I prefer Hickory, which is great for naturally enhancing beef, chicken, pork, and veggies with full-bodied, bold flavor.

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Smoked chicken thigh with veggies

Easy Smoked Chicken Thigh Recipe

This Easy Smoked Chicken Thigh recipe is a great way to add tons of flavor to simple chicken thighs. They are coated in a delicious dry rub and slow cooked on the smoker for about 2 hours, imparting delicious smoky flavors.
4.95 from 40 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Laura Lynch

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken thighs bone-in and skin on
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 g) dry rub or seasoning of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat your smoker to 275°F.
  • To prepare the chicken, cut off any excess skin, pat it dry, then rub on the olive oil and dry rub seasoning so each piece is well coated.
  • When the smoker is ready, place the chicken directly on the grill, skin side up. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This can take from 45 minutes to an hour and a half.
  • Baste the chicken with your preferred sauce. Continue cooking for another 30-45 minutes, until the internal temperature has reached 175°F. Remove from the grill and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Equipment Needed

  • Pellet Smoker Grill

Notes

  • Cooking the chicken at a lower temperature than 275 will add more smokey flavor, but it can make the skin rubbery as well, so I recommend 275.
  • Make sure the internal temperature of the thighs reaches at least 165°F (75°C)

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.3g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 232mg | Vitamin A: 88IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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7 thoughts on “Easy Smoked Chicken Thigh Recipe

  1. Bob says:

    5 stars
    I made this tonight with a few changes of my own. I smoked beef short ribs last night too using your recipe and they were perfect. My family really enjoyed them. I look forward to checking out more of your recipes!

  2. S.Nash says:

    4 stars
    This chicken was excellent and I did drums and thighs. I agree the skin needs to be there to keep the moisture in whether you wanna eat it or not. It sure did turn a nice brown.

    • Laura Lynch says:

      No, you’ll still want to smoke it at around 225 to 250. Just keep an eye on the temperature and try not to open the lid much.

  3. Hopper T says:

    4 stars
    I’d like to get the skin to be more crispy than it turned out. Do you recommend searing it either before or after smoking?

    • Angela Morris says:

      There are a couple ways to crisp up the skin. You can finish the chicken at a higher temperature to get the skin crispy, you can finish it on the grill, or you can try adding baking powder to the skin. The baking powder reacts chemically and helps the skin to crispy up better.

4.95 from 40 votes (37 ratings without comment)

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