Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs on Pellet Grill

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 Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs next!

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.

⭐ 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.

🐓 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).

📖 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.

💭 Jeri's 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.

🥗 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, Oven-Roasted Potatoes, or Smoked Mashed 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