These Traeger Smoked Bone-In Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and full of delicious smoke flavor. Covered in dry rub and topped with BBQ sauce, these thighs are cooked to perfection.
If you love this recipe, check out my smoked Traeger chicken thighs with peach glaze next!
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These smoked chicken thighs can be cooked on a Traeger pellet grill, Pit Boss pellet grill, or any pellet smoker.
This recipe won't work for an electric smoker if the temperature doesn't go up to 350°F.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Chicken Thighs In Traeger Smoker
- What People Are Saying About These Traeger Chicken Thighs
- Recipe Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- How To Make Crispy Smoked Chicken Thighs On A Traeger
- Variations
- What To Serve With Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Storage Instructions
- More Smoked Chicken Recipes
- If You Love This Recipe
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why You'll Love These Chicken Thighs In Traeger Smoker
- Easy To Make. This is an easy recipe. Just season your chicken and let the pellet grill do its thing.
- No Brining. This makes this chicken recipe really quick and easy.
- Delicious. The crispy chicken skin covered in delicious spice rub and BBQ sauce is perfection.
- Perfectly Cooked. Cooking at 350°F on the Traeger makes the chicken juicy on the inside with a nice bit of crisp on the outside.
- Family Favorite. These smoked chicken thighs are perfect for a family dinner, and make great leftovers!
What People Are Saying About These Traeger Chicken Thighs
Reader Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"These were better than any restaurant we've ever eaten at. Cannot wait to cook more of your recipes. Thanks so much for all your delicious ideas." - Becky
"This smoked chicken was so good! Definitely making it again!!" - Tina
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Thighs. Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I do not recommend using skinless, boneless chicken thighs as the high heat will dry them out.
- Olive oil. This gives the spice rub something to stick to. You can also use avocado oil.
- Spice rub. I made a homemade rub out of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Feel free to use your favorite chicken rub, or for a sweeter rub, make my Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken.
- BBQ sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce or homemade BBQ sauce.
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
How To Make Crispy Smoked Chicken Thighs On A Traeger
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Fill your Traeger or other pellet grill with wood pellets and preheat to 350°F.
Step 2: Brush olive oil over the bone in chicken thighs; top, bottom, and sides.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients for the chicken rub in a small bowl or jar, and cover the thighs in the spice rub.
Step 4: Once the grill is preheated, place chicken thighs skin-side up directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke for 45 minutes.
Step 5: Flip the thighs over with tongs, close the lid, and smoke for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F. Brush BBQ sauce generously on the chicken thighs, close the lid, and smoke for 5 minutes.
Step 7: Flip the chicken thighs over again and brush with barbecue sauce again. Close the lid and smoke for 5 more minutes so the sauce gets nice and caramelized.
Step 8: Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Variations
- Spicy. Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the spice rub.
- Herb. Swap out the oregano for rosemary or thyme.
- Sticky Glaze. Instead of BBQ sauce, mix soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, and a touch of ginger and garlic for an Asian-inspired glaze.
What To Serve With Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
These Traeger bone-in chicken thighs go with so many sides. Some of my favorites are:
Grilled Vegetables: Make Smoked Baked Potatoes on Pellet Grill, Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob, or Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil.
Salad: Serve with Creamy Miracle Whip Coleslaw, Red Skin Potato Salad, or Greek Cucumber Salad.
Hearty: Serve with Smoked Baked Beans, Smoked Mac and Cheese, or Oven Baked Beans.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to preheat your Traeger. Mine takes at least 15 minutes to preheat.
- Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature as all grills cook differently. My Pit Boss pellet grill cooks much faster than my Traeger grill. The chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Resist the temptation to open the lid to check on the chicken. This will lead to a longer cooking time. Use a temperature probe if you have one.
Recipe FAQs
You do not need to flip chicken thighs as the heat and smoke circulate around the meat. However, I like to flip it to get grill marks on both sides of the chicken.
These smoked chicken thighs will not have rubbery skin as they are smoked at 350°F which crisps up the skin so it doesn't turn rubbery.
The best wood for smoking chicken thighs is a fruit wood like apple or cherry, as well as hickory or oak.
You do not need to brine chicken thighs before smoking for this easy recipe. The chicken is moist and tender without it.
It will take 85 minutes to smoke chicken thighs on a Traeger pellet grill at 350°F.
Yes, you can adapt this recipe for a standard gas or charcoal grill. Just try to maintain a consistent temperature and use a smoker box or foil packet of soaked wood chips to add smoky flavor.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftover smoked chicken thighs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat in a covered dish with a splash of water or chicken broth until hot.
More Smoked Chicken Recipes
If You Love This Recipe
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Printable Recipe
Crispy Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup BBQ sauce for glazing
Chicken Thigh Spice Rub
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger or other pellet grill to 350°F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Brush olive oil over the chicken thighs on the top, bottom, and sides.
- Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Generously coat each thigh with the rub.
- Place seasoned chicken thighs directly on the grill grates, skin-side up. Close the lid and smoke at 350°F for 45 minutes. Flip the thighs over, and cook for 30 minutes more.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs. If it is 165°F, brush BBQ sauce over the chicken thighs. Close the lid and smoke for 5 minutes. Flip the thighs over and brush BBQ sauce on them again. Close the lid and smoke for 5 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the Traeger and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Make sure to preheat your Traeger. Mine takes at least 15 minutes to preheat.
- Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature as all grills cook differently. My Pit Boss pellet grill cooks much faster than my Traeger grill. The chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Resist the temptation to open the lid to check on the chicken. This will lead to a longer cooking time. Use a temperature probe if you have one.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Becky says
These were better than any restaurant we've ever eaten at. Cannot wait to cook more of your recipes. Thanks so much for all your delicious ideas.
Jeri Walker says
Awww, thanks Becky! Your kind words just made my day! Thank you so, so much! 🙂
Tina says
This smoked chicken was so good! Definitely making it again!!
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Tina! Glad you liked it! 🙂