Description
Smoked chicken thighs bring a smoky, tender delight straight from your backyard grill. Perfectly seasoned and slow-cooked, these juicy thighs will become your new favorite weekend barbecue centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 8 chicken thighs
Seasoning:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Finishing:
- BBQ sauce
- Cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Gather 8 chicken thighs and spray a wire mesh rack with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp paprika in a small bowl for your seasoning blend.
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and roll boneless pieces for even cooking.
- Generously coat each chicken thigh with the spice mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Fire up your smoker and set the temperature precisely to 200°F, enabling Super Smoke if your model allows.
- Arrange seasoned chicken thighs on the prepared rack, keeping space between pieces for consistent smoke circulation.
- Smoke chicken at 200°F for exactly 30 minutes, allowing flavors to develop slowly.
- Increase smoker temperature to 325°F and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- Brush your favorite BBQ sauce over the chicken thighs, coating each piece thoroughly.
- Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken from smoker and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to redistribute juices.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken thighs work best for keeping meat extra juicy and developing deeper smoky flavor during cooking.
- Trimming excess fat helps the rub adhere better and prevents flare-ups on the smoker grates.
- Create consistent sizes with chicken thighs by rolling boneless pieces to ensure even cooking and balanced seasoning distribution.
- For low-sodium diets, replace kosher salt with herbs like thyme or rosemary and use a salt-free spice blend to maintain robust flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 315 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 740 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg