Smoked BBQ Chicken Thighs

5 from 1 vote

Smoked BBQ Chicken Thighs are easy to make using a simple low and slow method. Tender, juicy meat with sticky, crispy skin, these chicken pieces are perfect for serving to guests at any party or gathering.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings (1 thigh)

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

10 Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs
1 cup BBQ Sauce
⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Coarse Salt
Coarse Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs. Do not be shy with the seasoning.
Place your chicken on the smoker and let them smoke for 1 hour.
While the chicken smokes, mix the bbq sauce and apple cider vinegar. You are just looking for a thinner sauce consistency for easy glazing.
After the first hour of smoking, bump the temp up to 300 degrees and let the chicken smoke for another hour, or until the internal temperature of the chicken hits 185 degrees.
Once the chicken has finished cooking, dunk them in the glaze and cover them entirely. Then place them back on the smoker for another half hour, or until the glaze is nice and tacky.
Remove the chicken from the smoker. Let the chicken rest for about ten minutes and enjoy!

Notes

Storage :

To Store: Store your cooked and cooled leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tips:

When it comes to the sauce, you can use anything you want. Just be sure it has a thinner consistency so it glazes nicely. If you use a thin BBQ sauce, then you can skip the vinegar.
If you wish, you can peel the skin back on the thighs and apply the seasonings directly to the meat. This makes the preparation a little longer, but the results are worth it!
I used a pellet smoker for this recipe, but any type of smoker is just fine as long as you control the temperature and get those thighs to the 185 degrees mark, internally.
Resting the the chicken for at least 10 minutes is essential to keeping the meat moist and flavorful. If you fork into it right from the grill, you will lose the juiciness.

Nutrition