Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs are easy to make on the pellet grill! Juicy chicken is coated in a delicious spice rub and cooked low and slow for a fantastic smoky flavor. Whether it's dinner on a busy weeknight or you're cooking for a big BBQ, these thighs will be perfect!
If you love this recipe, check out my peach-glazed smoked chicken thighs next!
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Chicken thighs are one of the best meats to smoke on a smoker because they are economical, easy to prepare, and taste incredible!
If you want more smoker recipes, check out Fall Off The Bone Smoked 3-2-1 Ribs, Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey, and Smoked Pork Tenderloin.
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⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The flavor scale is off the charts! Because there is no skin, the flavors of the rub penetrate the meat better.
- Moist and tender from the higher fat content of dark meat.
- Easy to make and smoked to perfection.
I’ve used this recipe many times & just realized I’ve never left a rating. I’ve cooked this with & without the skin, & they always it turns out absolutely perfect. The meat is always juicy & full of flavor.
- Lara M
🐓 Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these delicious chicken thighs.
- Chicken thighs. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can also use skin on chicken- you will love the crispy skin! If you use bone-in chicken thighs, you will have to extend the cooking time. Check out the FAQ section below for more info.
- Olive oil. The olive oil is used to help the spice rub stick to the chicken thighs.
- Dry rub. Use your favorite rub. I used my homemade Dry Rub for Chicken. This sweet, savory, and spicy rub contains brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Feel free to add your favorite spices or seasonings or adjust the rub ingredients to make this spice rub your own; onion powder, kosher salt, oregano, and mustard powder would also be great additions! I also like using Whiskey Rub or lemon pepper seasoning.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
♨️ How To Smoke Boneless Chicken Thighs on Pellet Grill
Step 1: Preheat the smoker. The first thing you want to do is preheat the smoker and bring it up to temperature. Set the smoker temperature to 225 degrees F. Top it up with wood pellets of your choice.
Step 2: Prepare chicken dry rub. If you are making a homemade spice rub, mix together the ingredients in a small bowl (Image 1).
Step 3: Prep the chicken. Trim any excess fat from the chicken with a sharp knife. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Apply olive oil to the chicken thighs with a brush or your fingers. Next, cover the chicken liberally with the dry rub. Ensure all parts of the chicken are covered: top, bottom, and sides. Use your fingers to push the rub into the meat. Let the rub sit on the chicken at room temperature while the smoker preheats (Image 2).
⏲️ Cooking time
Step 4: Smoke the chicken thighs. Once the smoker comes up to temperature, place the chicken thighs directly on the grill grates in the preheated grill. Feel free to add a little more rub.
Insert your meat thermometer horizontally through each side into the thickest part of the thigh meat. Close the lid and smoke for 30 minutes. Flip chicken thighs over with tongs to get grill marks on both sides.
Close the lid and smoke for another 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165°F. That's it! If desired, brush with your favorite BBQ sauce or Alabama White Sauce during the last few minutes of smoking (Images 3 + 4).
Step 5: Rest. Remove the smoked chicken thighs from the grill and place them on a serving tray. Cover with aluminum foil and rest for 5-10 minutes and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
📖 Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or Cajun seasoning to the spice rub to add heat to the chicken thighs; just a pinch will do!
- Saucy - add your favorite barbecue sauce or honey mustard sauce during the last few moments of smoking for saucy chicken thighs.
- Sweet - adjust the sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar to the spice rub.
- Citrus - Make a citrus herb seasoning containing thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and orange, lemon, or lime zest.
- Mediterranean - Use Greek seasoning instead of the chicken rub for a different flavor.
- Asian glaze - Make a glaze made from soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, and chili paste.
💭 Expert Tips
- Cook by temperature, not time. Many factors affect cooking time, such as the thickness of the chicken thighs, the temperature of your smoker, the ambient temperature, wind, etc.
- Check and make sure your wood pellets are topped up before you begin.
- According to the USDA, cook poultry to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74 °C).
- Make extras!! The leftovers are so good! Use them in meal prep, lunches, or quick meals throughout the week.
- Brush on your favorite sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also wrap the cooked chicken in plastic or aluminum foil, place it in a plastic freezer bag, and freeze it for meal prep, school, or work lunches. The chicken will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
🍽 Equipment
- Pellet Smoker: You can use any pellet grill. I have two - a Pit Boss Smoker 8-1 and a Traeger pellet grill. You can also use a charcoal smoker, but this requires a bit more skill to control the temperature but delivers excellent results.
- Wood pellets. These add a smoky flavor to your chicken thighs. My favorites are Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Signature Blend, and Competition Blend.
- Meat thermometer: This tool ensures your chicken thighs reach the proper internal temperature for safe consumption. It is a must-have item if you own a smoker! I use either the temperature probe attached to my Traeger grill or the ThermaPen ONE (paid link) by ThermoWorks.
📋 Frequently Asked Questions
A consistent 225°F - 250°F is optimal for juicy, tender chicken thighs. Higher temperatures will cook faster but risk drying out the meat.
Yes, they cook much faster, and the cook times would have to be adjusted. These chicken thighs are smoked at 225°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I would smoke bone-in chicken thighs at 250°F for about 2-½ hours or so until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thighs.
In my experience, the best wood pellets for smoking chicken are cherry wood, hickory, apple wood, pecan, and maple. I also like the Competition Blend or Signature blend for chicken, a combination of maple, hickory, and cherry.
The internal temperature of the smoked chicken thighs should be 165°F.
It can take anywhere from 1.25 to 2 hours for boneless skinless thighs at 225°F.
Absolutely! A 4-6 hour soak in your favorite marinade can level up your smoked chicken thighs.
🥗 Side Dishes
I love to serve Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil or Smoked Corn on the Cob (Traeger) with either Broccoli Crunch Salad, Creamy Miracle Whip Coleslaw, or Panera Copycat Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad.
They also go great with Smoked Baked Beans, Instant Pot Rice, Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes, or Oven-Roasted Potatoes.
🌮 What to do with leftovers
If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, slice them up and serve them on salads, nachos, pizza, or in a wrap.
🐓 More Smoked Chicken Recipes
If you tried these Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you! 🙂
Printable Recipe
Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs on Pellet Grill
Equipment
- Meat Thermometer
- Pellet grill or Electric smoker
- Tongs
Ingredients
Homemade Dry Chicken Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning a Club House seasoning. You can also use the McCormick brand.
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F (make sure it is topped up with wood pellets).
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Drizzle the boneless, skinless chicken thighs all over with olive oil.8 pieces chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Combine the ingredients for the dry rub for chicken in a small bowl or jar.¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic and Peppers Seasoning, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Apply the dry rub over the chicken thighs and ensure it covers all parts; top, bottom, and sides.2 tablespoons dry chicken rub
- Once the smoker comes up to temperature, place the chicken thighs directly on the preheated grill and put your thermometer probe in, horizontally through each side, into the thickest part of the meat.
- Close the lid and smoke for 30 minutes. Flip the thighs over with tongs, close the lid, and continue to smoke for another 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165°F.
- If you like BBQ sauce, apply your favorite sauce during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Remove the smoked chicken thighs from the grill and place them on a serving tray. Cover with aluminum foil and rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat.
- Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
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Notes
- Cook by temperature, not by time.
- According to the USDA, cook poultry to a minimum temperature of 165°F (74 °C).
- Brush on your favorite sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lara M says
I’ve used this recipe many times & just realized I’ve never left a rating. I’ve cooked this with & without the skin, & they always it turns out absolutely perfect. The meat is always juicy & full of flavor.
Jeri Walker says
Hi Lara! I'm absolutely thrilled you love the recipe! I'm glad it turns out well both ways! Thanks for leaving a rating and comment! 🙂
Jeri says
I'm so glad you liked the chicken thighs! 🙂
Gary C says
Really good and easy. Used cherry wood and applied some bbq sauce once chicken hit about 130 degrees
Jeri says
Thank you so much for your comment, Gary! I'm so glad to hear that the chicken turned out! BBQ sauce is always a great addition! 🙂
Jess says
do you leave the pellet ratio at default o change the "P" number?
Jeri Walker says
Great question! I leave the "P" number at default. 🙂
Luke says
Was just wondering if you smoked the thighs rolled up, or flattened out?
Trying this tonight. Sounds delicious
Jeri Walker says
Great question Luke! You can cook them either way, rolled up will take just a few minutes longer. I hope you like them! 🙂