Smoked Chicken Thighs + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Smoked Chicken Thighs are flavorful and juicy on the inside with perfectly crispy skin. Coated in a flavorful dry rub before getting smoked for a little over 1 hour and 30 minutes, they’re slathered in homemade BBQ sauce at the end of the cooking time. Use our recipe to make chicken thighs on any type of smoker!
Table of Contents
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Are you enjoying your smoker as much as I am?! There are just so many different things that you can make in it.
I’ve experimented with a bunch of different chicken recipes so far — smoked chicken quarters, smoked chicken wings, smoked chicken breast, and I’ve even smoked a whole chicken!
Finally it was time to learn how to smoke chicken thighs! Luckily this recipe is super simple.
I decided to use one of my favorite homemade rubs, featuring New Mexico chili powder and smoked paprika. It’s so flavorful — sweet, smoky, and spicy, just how I like it.
I top the smoked chicken thighs with a special homemade BBQ sauce to pull everything together at the end. It’s safe to say I’ll be making this one all year long!!
There are so many ways to enjoy this juicy, dark meat. Try this rustic Italian dish in the slow cooker or my easy pan-fried chicken thighs recipe.
I even have an Italian sheet pan chicken thighs recipe for the oven.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the best for smoking — the bone helps them stay juicy, and the skin crisps up beautifully in the smoker.
It’s also such an inexpensive cut. If you’re feeding a crowd or watching your grocery budget, thighs are a great choice! - Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – I use this dynamic duo in the majority of my savory recipes!
Garlic adds depth and a touch of umami, while onion balances out the spice rub with its mild and sweet flavor. - Smoked Paprika – Another one of my favorite seasonings! Smoked paprika injects an even deeper, smoky flavor into the chicken… and pairs super well with the BBQ sauce!
Chipotle powder would be my top sub. - New Mexico Chili Powder – For some mild heat that’s a touch fruity too. Ancho chile powder is slightly sweeter and smokier, or try using cayenne — but go easy with it as it is HOT.
- Light Brown Sugar – Also balances out the sweet and spicy flavors of the other ingredients. It also helps the smoked chicken thighs caramelize a bit when cooked!
- Salt & Pepper – To enhance all the other flavors and ensure the chicken is well seasoned.
- BBQ Sauce – Adds moisture, sweetness, tanginess, and a sticky glaze to the final results! You can use store-bought or homemade.
Some of my favorite recipes to try include my Kansas City-style Barbecue Sauce or TSRI’s Signature Barbecue Sauce!
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Chicken Thighs on Smoker
- Prep the meat before getting started.
It’s very important to prep the chicken thighs before popping it in your smoker. You need to trim the excess skin and fat around the edges first.
Also, when preparing the thighs, make sure you rub the spices into both the top and the bottom of the piece of meat.
Work a little bit underneath the skin if you can as well!
- How long to smoke chicken thighs.
I get this question whenever I share this recipe with family and friends: but Donna, how long to smoke chicken thighs?
The long and short of it is… it depends on the size and type of smoker you’re using!
It’s really best to smoke the thighs based on their internal temperature. Remember, they are done when they reach 165°F. Don’t rely on just the time to determine when your meat is cooked!
This recipe calls for a temperature of 275°F. At that temperature, you will need to cook them for about 1 hour and 35 minutes.
As a note, this is the time and temperature if you are using bone-in chicken thighs. If you are cooking boneless chicken thighs, you will need to cook them for slightly less time.
To smoke boneless chicken thighs, preheat your smoker to 225°F and cook them for about 55 minutes.
- Don’t skip the BBQ sauce.
One of the challenges of cooking with a dry rub in the smoker is preventing it from burning.
When you make this recipe, you’ll brush BBQ sauce all over the chicken thighs on the smoker during the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.
This will help prevent the sauce from burning and still allow the delicious rub to flavor the thighs during the smoking process!
- Let it rest before serving.
I usually try to remember to let cooked meat and poultry rest a little once pulled from the heat. This smoked chicken thighs recipe is no different!
Let the thighs sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing. It allows the juices to redistribute as it cools so the chicken is moist and juicy!
Prep Ahead
- Preheat the smoker to 275°F
- Prep the chicken thighs
- Make the spice rub
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
- Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Smoker – Wood pellet varieties allow extra flavor to be infused into whatever you’re smoking.
- Your favorite flavor wood chips – I love this blend and use it for just about everything.
- Long Tongs or Barbecue Gloves for flipping the meat.
- Basting Brush – I like this one over the silicone ones.
Serving Suggestions
There are many different types of summer side dishes you can serve with the smoked chicken thighs! My crispy Brussels sprouts with garlic, air fried corn on the cob, ranch mashed potato salad, cucumber onion salad with vinegar, and grilled zucchini are just a few of my favorites!
You could also throw some baked potatoes on the smoker while you smoke the chicken thighs, or make some smoked baked beans! Tender beans with bacon make for the perfect side dish.
Don’t you just love backyard barbecue food?!
Or, you can always just serve a side garden salad or sliced fresh vegetables from the garden.
Storing and Reheating this Smoked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Chicken thighs on the smoker will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You could also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months — I recommend wrapping each thigh in several layers of foil to protect them from freezer burn.
Reheating in the oven or air fryer is best. If using the oven, 15-20 minutes at 375°F should do the trick. The air fryer will give you super crispy results (my fave) after about 5-7 minutes at 375°F!
Smoke Chicken Thighs FAQ
I went with my favorite blend of oak, maple, and hickory as it provides a great balance of smoky, sweet, and rich flavors.
For something milder, try fruitwoods like apple or cherry. On the other hand, mesquite would give the thighs a bold, smoky taste — though it could be a little overpowering here so proceed with caution.
Feel free to choose your favorite!
One of the last steps in this recipe is to brush the meat with BBQ sauce. As mentioned I love the taste of my KC Style Barbecue Sauce, but you can use your own homemade version if you’d like!
Or, you can use a bottled BBQ sauce if you’re pressed for time.
Yes, you can double this smoked chicken thighs recipe. I love making a big batch because there are so many different ways to use it during the week!
You can easily use the leftovers to make BBQ chicken salad, toss it on homemade pizza, or use it in your favorite pasta recipe.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
RECIPE VIDEO
Watch the video below to see how easy it is to make this recipe!
Smoked Chicken Thighs + Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon New Mexico chile powder
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 275°F. Choose your favorite wood, I am using my favorite blend of oak, maple and hickory on my pellet smoker.
- Trim any excess skin off of the chicken thighs, set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, chile powder, and brown sugar. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, set aside.
- Once the smoker is to temperature, place the chicken thighs directly on to the grates, skin side up. Close the lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the thighs reach an internal temperature of about 140°F. Turn the thighs over and baste it with the bbq sauce. Turn them back over, skin side up, and brush with bbq sauce. Close the lid and cook for an additional 45 minutes or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published August 2020, updated and republished June 2025
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Welcome!
We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
These came out so flavorful, everyone in my family loved them! I made them for the first time for a birthday so I was worried but they came out great!