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Smoked Chicken Thighs

Smoked Chicken Thighs – Tender and juicy chicken thighs seasoned with a simple dry rub and smoked to perfection! They are ready in under an hour, so they make a great dinner any night of the week.

If you have a smoker, are you anything like me? I almost always think of using the smoker for big cuts of meat like Smoked Baby Back Ribs or Smoked Chuck Roast. I forget about it for the small meats like Smoked Chicken Breast.

I am not sure why, because it is such a great way to make chicken that you can do during the week, You don’t need a whole day like you do other cuts of meat. You can get these smoked chicken thighs on the table in about an hour!

a white platter with smoked chicken thighs brushed in sauce

 

I love how EASY these chicken thighs are to make. You really just put them on the smoker and let them go. At the very end you add a little barbecue sauce, but that is it. I always make a big batch of my Best Dry Rub and have it in the pantry, so it is easy to take it out and sprinkle a little on the chicken. If you have a favorite rub or spice blend, you can definitely use it here!

If you have a sous vide, my other way I LOVE to prepare them is Sous Vide Chicken Thighs. They are super juicy and delicious that way as well.

What Kind Of Chicken Thighs

I like to use skinless chicken thighs. The skin can get very tough and leathery, so I find the chicken is more tender and delicious if you just start with skinless chicken.

Bone-In Vs. Boneless
You can really go either way. I like to boneless just for time sake. It takes about 45 minutes as opposed to closer to 60-75 minutes if they have the bone in. But you can’t go wrong either way!

brushing sauce on chicken

How To Smoke Chicken Thighs

  1. Preheat smoker to 225º F.
  2. Generously season all sides of the chicken with your dry rub.
  3. Add the chicken to the smoker and smoker for 45-60 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165º F.
  4. Brush with barbecue sauce and cook for 5 minutes for the sauce to caramelize.
  5. Remove and serve immediately.
a chicken thigh on a plate with potatoes

How Long To Smoke Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs take about 45 minutes at 225º F if you are using boneless meat. The best way to know if they are done is to use a meat thermometer. I cook the chicken to 165º F, and then brush with sauce and let them cook for 5 more minutes.

I use the Thermapen Mk4 to check the temperature of the meat throughout the cooking process. It is the most accurate thermometer I have found and have been using it for years!

smoked chicken thigh on a plate with potatoes

What Type Of Wood For Smoking Chicken

You want to use a light flavored wood because chicken will take on the flavor very quickly. Any time of fruit wood is typically what I use. Apple and Cherry are great, or even Oak works really well.

The next time you are at the store, be sure to stock up on chicken thighs. They go on sale often and are great to have on hand, so you can throw together a delicious meal in no time with almost no work!

close up smoked chicken thighs on a white plate

More Recipes For The Smoker

Yield: 4

Smoked Chicken Thighs

cropped image of a chicken thigh with barbecue sauce on a plate

Smoked Chicken Thighs - Tender and juicy chicken thighs seasoned with a simple dry rub and smoked to perfection! They are ready in under an hour, so they make a great dinner any night of the week.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup Dry Rub (recipe linked below)
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

    1. Preheat smoker to 225º F.
    2. Generously season all sides of the chicken with your dry rub. seasoned chicken thighs on a plate
    3. Add the chicken to the smoker and smoker for 45-60 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165º F. putting seasoned chicken thighs on the smoker
    4. Brush with barbecue sauce and cook for 5 minutes for the sauce to caramelize. brushing sauce on chicken
    5. Remove and serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 412Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 277mgSodium 641mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 0gSugar 8gProtein 55g

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Krystle

Tuesday 24th of August 2021

Flavorful and juicy every time. We love this easy recipe.

Catalina

Tuesday 24th of August 2021

Mmmmm.... how good these chicken thighs look! Our new favorite dish!

Beth

Monday 23rd of August 2021

We love using our smoker and this is the perfect dinner recipe for tomorrow night! Looks so tasty and bursting with that smoky flavor! Absolutely excited to make this!

Erik

Monday 23rd of August 2021

Sounds like a great way to put that smoker to work!

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