These smoked chicken thighs are coated in a homemade spice rub then cooked in a smoker to tender and flavorful perfection. Serve these chicken thighs your favorite barbecue sauce for your next outdoor gathering!
Chicken thighs are an inexpensive and flavor filled cut of meat. They’re the perfect candidate for the smoker and are great for feeding a crowd. Serve your smoked chicken thighs with Mexican coleslaw, honey cornbread, candied carrots or pesto pasta salad for a complete meal.
We got a new electric smoker and we are having so much fun with it! The first thing we made was these smoked chicken thighs, and let me tell you, they’re super delicious. This is a simple yet satisfying recipe, and it’s the perfect way to learn the basics of smoking meat.
We love smoking all different types of meat. After you make these chicken thighs try some other smoked recipes like smoked pork tenderloin, smoked tri tip and smoked brisket. We also like smoked turkey for Thanksgiving!
Smoked Chicken Thighs Ingredients
When you make smoked chicken thighs you will want to have bone in, skin on chicken thighs, BBQ rub and BBQ sauce.
How Do You Make Smoked Chicken Thighs?
The first step to make this smoked chicken thighs recipe is to coat your thighs in a BBQ rub. Be sure to rub the spices both on top of and under the skin of the chicken for the maximum amount of flavor. After you coat them in rub, place them into your heated smoker until they cook to tender perfection. Brush on a little barbecue sauce, then cook the chicken a few more minutes and dinner is ready!
How Do You Cook Chicken In A Smoker?
The chicken needs to smoke until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. This takes approximately 2 1/2 – 3 hours depending on the size of your thighs. The recipe calls for a smoker temperature of 250 degrees F.
Tips For The Perfect Smoked Chicken Thighs
- You can really serve these smoked chicken thighs with just the rub as seasoning. However, I do add a little barbecue sauce for added flavor and moisture. Brush the barbeque sauce on the chicken during the last 10 minutes of the smoking process.
- Make sure to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
- You can smoke your chicken directly on the smoker grates or in an aluminum foil pan for easy cleanup.
- You can use a store bought BBQ rub or make your own BBQ rub. I prefer my BBQ rub that is a combination of brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and other spices. I make extra and keep it in a resealable bag for whenever I need it!
- Feel free to use your favorite BBQ sauce from the store or you can make my super tangy and flavorful homemade BBQ sauce.
- I often make a double batch of smoked chicken thighs. The leftovers are great to use in other dinners during the week. I make pulled chicken sandwiches, bbq chicken salads, and this chicken is even great served on a pizza or in a pasta dish.
Quick Tip
I prefer to use an electric probe meat thermometer with a remote so that I can monitor the progress of the chicken from inside the house and make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Recipe FAQs
I use apple wood to smoke chicken, which imparts a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Other great options are maple wood, cherry wood, or hickory.
No, you do not need to flip chicken thighs while smoking them. Cook smoked chicken thighs skin side up with a good rub and they will cook nicely without flipping them.
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Flavor Variations
This recipe make delicious smoked chicken thighs; however, you can change up the recipe to suit your taste:
- Chicken: You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts if you prefer white meat. For other smoked chicken take a look at my smoked chicken wings, whole smoked chicken and boneless, skinless smoked chicken breast.
- Spicy: For a spicy rub add some cayenne pepper to your BBQ rub.
- Butter: Try brushing your chicken thighs with melted butter before applying your BBQ rub.
- Seasoning: Try adding some other flavors to your BBQ rub. You can add in some Jamaican jerk seasoning, Creole seasoning, fajita seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
You can easily double or triple this recipe for parties, picnics and any summer get-togethers. So go ahead and load up that smoker to enjoy some restaurant quality smoked chicken thighs in the comfort of your own home!
Sides to Enjoy With Smoked Chicken
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
25 mins
Homemade Rice-A-Roni
25 mins
Baked Potato Wedges
40 mins
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
30 mins
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
20 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons BBQ spice rub
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat an electric smoker to 250 degrees F. Add apple wood chips to the smoker.
- Coat the chicken thighs with the rub, making sure to get the spices both on top of and underneath the skin.
- Place the chicken in the smoker. Cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thighs. Be sure to check the smoker occasionally to see if the wood chips need to be refilled.
- Brush the barbecue sauce over the chicken, then cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
- I prefer to use an electric probe thermometer with a remote so that I can monitor the progress of the chicken from inside the house and make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- You can smoke your chicken directly on the smoker grates or in an aluminum foil pan for easy cleanup.
First time smoking anything until today with this recipe using legs and thighs. They were AMAZING, flavorful and moist . No BBQ sauce needed and I would not change a thing!
I read all the comments so I did cook the thighs skin up and they were fantastic! Moist and tasty
Can you use a coal based smoker to make this?
Do you mean charcoal?
Hardwood lump charcoal…yes!! And it’s delicious.
Quick question! Do I do skin side down for crispier skin? I read that somewhere else but wanted your opinion since I just put your recipe on the Traeger. Thnks!
I always cook mine skin side up because the fat from the skin helps to keep the meat juicy as it cooks!
Thank you!
How do you leave the skin on but yet put rub underneath the skin? I tried this and the skin just came off the part I put the rub under. Does not make sense.
You just loosen it only on one side, leave the other three sides attached. It creates a pocket to hold the seasoning.
First thing I tried in my new smoker and they came out awesome!
What rice dish is shown in the photo? Looks yummy!
It’s actually a boxed rice pilaf with sauteed peppers and corn mixed in!
Anyone else find it cooks much faster than 2.5-3 hours. I’m almost wondering if I missed something.
Are you using an electric smoker?
About an hour. Was the skin on your tough? Is it supposed to be? Really good chicken meat for sure but I did something wrong on the skin.
We always use fresh chicken such as Perdue or the air chilled chicken from Whole Foods or Sprouts to keep the skin from becoming chewy. Generally any chicken that has been frozen and thawed will have tough skin – we’ve been cooking in a smoker for years.
Add a little cayenne pepper, pinch of cumin, and used coffee grinds to your rub!
I made them with thighs and legs and they were so yummy! Put some corn on the cob also on the BBQ! A few cold beers and that was easy!
I’ve been wanting to get an electric smoker! Looks like I’ll be starting with this recipe.
Wow these chicken thighs look perfect. So flavorful and delicious. I just saved your BBQ spice rub recipe and this one. I can’t wait to give it a try. My family will love this.
Wow those chicken thighs look mouthwatering and this would make the ideal summer recipe for a crowd. My folks have a smoker so I will definitely be sharing this recipe with them. Looks delicious!
I have never made chicken thighs, but your recipe looks and sounds pretty yummy, so that is going to have to change!
Hi Sara,
I was looking for a new dish as I invited my best friend this weekend. I find it. Thanks for sharing this. I am excited to make it.
He loves chicken dishes. Thanks once again.
These chicken thighs look so so good! I’ve been wanting to buy a smoker. Really need to do it asap!
Made this for my coworkers and I and added corn on the cob for my contribution for lunch the following day…
They all loved it !!!
James..
My brothers loved this recipe and request it any time we have family dinner!
Gonna try this smoked chicken with some bbq sauce on buns. My mouth is watering!
My fiance has a smoker and I would love if he made something like t his that I can eat too (he usually makes exotic things that I don’t want to go anywhere near lol) – will be passing this one along to him right now!!
These chicken thighs look absolutely perfect! I can’t wait to try them this week!