Smoked chicken thighs made on a pellet grill are incredibly juicy and flavorful. Smoking chicken thighs will take about an hour, and afterward, they're so tender you can cut them with a fork! The sweet, smoke flavor is so delicious it's hard to believe it takes only 10 minutes of prep time, making these perfect for a weeknight meal! The pellet smoker cooks these thighs perfectly, and this simple recipe can be doubled or tripled, making it great for a crowd at a barbecue!
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Chicken thighs are one of the best meats to smoke on an electric smoker because they are economical, easy to prepare, and taste incredible!
Chicken thighs are dark meat that is always moist and flavorful! I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you can also use chicken thighs with the skin on. If you use bone-in chicken thighs; you will have to extend the cooking time. Check out the FAQ section for more info.
My popular Smoked Chicken Legs recipe inspired this recipe, which pairs well with Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil (another popular recipe). If you like smoked recipes, check out Smoked Pork Tenderloin and Smoked Chicken Wings.
Also, check out my roundup of the Best Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes!
More chicken recipes
Jump to:
- More chicken recipes
- Recipe Highlights
- Why I love smoking chicken thighs
- Ingredients
- Ingredient notes and substitutions
- How to smoke chicken thighs
- How long to smoke chicken thighs
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tips
- FAQs
- What sides go with smoked chicken?
- What to do with leftovers
- More Smoker Recipes You Will Love
- 📋 Recipe
- Best Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Food safety
- More Chicken Recipes
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Highlights
SUPER DELICIOUS: These smoked chicken thighs are so delicious. The flavor scale is off the charts! If you use chicken thighs with the skin on, you will love the crispy chicken skin!
VERSATILE: You can eat them hot with veggies or Instant Pot Rice, cold in sandwiches, over salads, in quesadillas, in Oven-Baked Omelet Casserole, or you can eat them in 3-Ingredient Flatbread. Whatever you decide to do with them, I guarantee your family will love it!
MAKE AHEAD OR MEAL PREP: Smoked chicken thighs are a fantastic option for your next dinner. Not only are they delicious, but you can make them in bulk and freeze them to be used in the future, perfect for meal prep!
ECONOMICAL: Chicken thighs are inexpensive and very economical to buy, especially if you buy them on sale! Plus, my chicken rub for smokers is delicious, homemade, and much cheaper than buying rub at the store.
Why I love smoking chicken thighs
- Smoking chicken thighs is easier than smoking chicken breasts. Chicken thighs have more meat than chicken breasts do (which are white meat), and they have more fat. Chicken breasts can dry out fast; thighs can smoke for a long time without drying out. These thighs are cooked at a low temperature so they are super tender. You will love the unique flavor of the sweet rub and smoke combined.
- Chicken thighs are tastier than chicken breasts. They taste smoky and meaty and juicy. Any excess fat drips down beneath the grate and doesn't stay on the chicken.
- Chicken thighs are better for sandwiches. Chicken breasts can sometimes be too thick, especially if you plan to sandwich them between two slices of bread, and chicken thighs hold up better and make better sandwiches.
- Smoked chicken thighs are better for salads. Chicken breast pieces dry out and lose their flavor even when they're cold. Smoked chicken thighs keep their flavor even when they're cold, and they stay moist.
- Smoked chicken thighs are better for freezing. I find that chicken breasts dry out and lose their flavor when frozen.
Don't get me wrong, I love Smoked Chicken Breasts, too, but chicken thighs are much easier to make because they don't dry out as quickly as chicken breasts do.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these delicious chicken thighs.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Chicken thighs. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can definitely use skin-on chicken thighs as well, which give you lovely crispy skin.
- 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. I also use it for chicken drumstick rub. This sweet, savory, and spicy rub contains a combination of 8 everyday pantry ingredients ( brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted garlic and peppers seasoning, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, onion powder, and black pepper). This spice rub leaves a beautifully caramelized and crackly exterior. Feel free to add your favorite spices or seasonings or adjust the rub ingredients to make this spice rub your own; onion powder and mustard powder would be great additions as well!
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to smoke chicken thighs
Chicken thighs are one of the easiest meats to cook on the smoker. These are perfect for a weeknight dinner or on the weekend with your favorite side dishes!
Preheat the smoker. The first thing you want to do is preheat the smoker and bring it up to temperature. Set the smoker temperature for the chicken to 225 degrees F. Top it up with wood pellets of your choice. Our favorites are the Competition Blend and Hickory Blend.
Season. Apply olive oil to the chicken thighs with a brush or your fingers. Apply chicken rub liberally on the chicken. You can either place a couple of teaspoons on a plate and roll the chicken leg in the rub or apply with a spoon or an electric salt and pepper grinder filled with the spice rub. Ensure it covers all parts of the chicken thigh; top, bottom, and sides. Use your fingers to push the rub into the meat.
How long to smoke chicken thighs
Smoke. Once the smoker comes up to temperature, place the chicken thighs directly on the grill grates in the preheated grill. If you are cooking thighs with the skin on, place skin side down. Feel free to add a little more rub.
Next, put your instant-read thermometer in, horizontally through each side into the thickest part of the thigh meat. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 165°F. That's it! No flipping required! If you desire, brush with your favorite BBQ sauce during the last few minutes of smoking.
Rest. Remove the smoked chicken thighs from the grill and place them on a serving tray. Cover with aluminum foil and rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat. Serve along with your favorite side dishes!
Variations
Feel free to change up this recipe to make it your own. Some fun variations to try would be:
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the spice rub to add heat to the chicken thighs, just a pinch will do!
- Saucy - add your favorite barbecue sauce during the last few moments of smoking for a saucy chicken thigh
- Sweet - add extra brown sugar to the spice rub for a sweeter taste.
Equipment
Smoker: Our pellet grill is the Pit Boss smoker 8-1. It uses 100% wood pellets as fuel instead of gas and propane. I have also used a Traeger pellet grill, and it too is a favorite smoker of ours. There is nothing better than food cooked on the smoker; the added flavor is incredible!
High-quality temperature probe: This is a must-have item if you own a smoker. We use a digital meat thermometer; we love how easy it is to use!
Storage
FRIDGE: Leftoverpellet grill chicken thighs will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FREEZER: If you have lots of leftovers, place the meat in a Ziploc bag and pop it in the freezer for meal prep, school, or work lunches. It will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Top tips
- Anytime you smoke meat on the smoker, cook by temperature, not by time. We use a digital meat thermometer to keep a close watch on the temperature of the meat to ensure it is always cooked to the target temperature. If the chicken sits on the smoker too long it may get dry and rubbery skin.
- Check and make sure your wood pellets are topped up before you begin. Check periodically while smoking to ensure you don't run out and top up if necessary.
- Make extras!! The leftovers are so dang good, and you can use them in meal prep, lunches, or for quick meals throughout the week.
- If I smoke chicken thighs with the skin on, I like to add a dash of kosher salt when I serve them. However, if you want to reduce your salt intake, skip this step. 😉
- Brush on your favorite sauce for the last few minutes of cook time for bbq chicken thighs.
FAQs
Smoking is the process of cooking and flavoring food by exposing it to smoke from burning wood. I use a Pit Boss electric pellet grill, which is easy to use and controls the temperature easily.
Yes, they cook much faster, and the cook times would have to be adjusted. These chicken thighs are smoked at 225 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I would smoke bone-in chicken thighs at 250 degrees F for about 2-½ hours or so until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the thighs.
The best wood pellets for smoking chicken produce a sweet and subtle fruity flavor. Cherry wood is popular, as well as apple wood and maple. I prefer the Competition Blend by Pit Boss for chicken, a combination of maple, hickory, and cherry.
The internal temperature of the smoked chicken should be 165 degrees F.
What sides go with smoked chicken?
There are so many sides that go great with these smoked boneless skinless chicken thighs; some of my favorite sides are:
- Smoked Corn on the Cob in Foil
- Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Carrot Salad
- Creamy Coleslaw Recipe
- Instant Pot Rice
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Oven-Roasted Potatoes
What to do with leftovers
If you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, they are perfect in a chicken salad the next day, on BBQ Chicken Pizza, in Chicken Alfredo Shells, or topped with teriyaki sauce.
Don't forget to use them in White Chicken Chili!
More Smoker Recipes You Will Love
This smoked chicken thighs recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. So go ahead and load up that smoker!
If you've tried Smoked Chicken Thighs or any other recipe, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!
You can also Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Would you please tag me in your photos @windingcreek_ranch? I would love to see your pictures!
📋 Recipe
Best Smoked Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- ThermPro Wireless Remote Digital Thermometer
- Electric Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 8 pieces chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dry Rub for Chicken
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F (make sure it is topped up with wood pellets first).
- Drizzle the chicken thighs all over with the olive oil.
- Apply the dry rub over the chicken thighs and ensure it covers all parts; top, bottom, and sides.
- 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 until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 165°F. This will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- If you like BBQ sauce, apply your favorite sauce for the last few minutes of cooking time.
- Remove the smoked chicken thighs from the grill and place them on a serving tray. Cover with aluminum foil and rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate into the meat.
- Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
Notes
- Anytime you smoke meat on the smoker, cook by temperature, not by time. We use a digital meat thermometer to keep a close watch on the temperature of the meat to ensure it is always cooked to the ideal temperature. If the chicken sits on the smoker too long it may get dry and rubbery.
- Check and make sure your wood pellets are topped up before you begin. Check periodically while smoking to ensure you don't run out and top up if necessary.
- Make extras!! The leftovers are so dang good, and you can use them in meal prep, lunches, or for quick meals throughout the week.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Gary C
Really good and easy. Used cherry wood and applied some bbq sauce once chicken hit about 130 degrees
Jeri
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
do you leave the pellet ratio at default o change the "P" number?
Jeri Walker
Great question! I leave the "P" number at default. 🙂
Rod
very delicious, recommend,
Jeri
I'm so glad you liked the chicken thighs! 🙂
Jessica
Sadly, I don't have a smoker but I prepared some chicken thighs on the grill with your spice rub. I'm sure they weren't as good as they would have been had I smoked them but the spice rub was AMAZING. Hopefully, someday I'll have a smoker 🤞
Jeri
I'm glad you liked the spice rub! Fingers crossed you'll get a smoker soon! 🙂
Megan Ellam
This is seriously one of the best ways to cook chicken thighs. Sooooo good! Thanks again for an amazing recipe and cooking method Jeri!
nancy
Another chicken recipe pinned! it just sounds delicious!
Jeri
Awesome! These chicken thighs are delicious!
Melinda
I’m always on the lookout for new chicken recipes to use with our smoker and I love all the variations you list here!! Yummmm!
Natalie
Can't wait to try this chicken. Looks amazing. My boys will love this for dinner. Thanks for the recipe.
Kayla DiMaggio
Loving these smoked chicken thighs! Such a great fun recipe!
Addie
Chicken thighs are my favorite cut of chicken. So yummy!
Oscar
This recipe looks so good, I ran out to buy some chicken thighs so I can make it tomorrow. I'm so excited.
Audrey
You're right the chicken thighs were so much more flavorful and moist than chicken breast!
Julie
HOLY! This looks so juicy and flavorful! So inspired by this dish!
Jeri
They are extremely juicy and super flavorful!