• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Contact
  • My Recipe Box

Gimme Some Grilling ®

Recipes for the Everyday Grill Master

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dish
    • Desserts
    • Rubs
  • Meat
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
  • Shop Our Rubs

Grilling

Smoking

Chicken

Main Dish

Appetizers

Burgers

Visit my other sites:

Julie’s Eats & Treats

Kids Activity Zone

HomeMain Dish

Smoked Chicken Thighs

4.60 from 5 votes
Jump to Recipe
  • Share
By: the Evinks11 Comments
Posted: 04/25/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Tender, juicy and delicious Smoked Chicken Thighs start with a homemade rub, are smoked and then finished off with BBQ sauce. They make an easy dinner on your pellet grill that can’t be beat!

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
Loading
Plate with BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs on it

PIN IT FOR LATER!

We love making dinner on our smoker, but sometimes those recipes seem to take so long. That’s why we love these Smoked Chicken Thighs that only take about a hour and half which is perfect for the weeknight.

Can we talk about that rub? We use our favorite BBQ Chicken Rub on them and it gives them so much flavor. Just like our Smoked Whole Chicken! I highly recommend mixing up a batch of that and using it on all your grilled, baked or smoked chicken. It’s my go-to!

Contents show
Why You’ll Love Smoked Chicken Thighs!
Ingredients for Smoked Chicken Thighs
How to Make Smoked Chicken Thighs
Helpful Tools
What kind of pellets is best to smoke chicken?
How long does it take to smoke chicken thighs?
How do I know when a chicken thigh is done?
Do I need to use BBQ Sauce?
How to Store Leftover Chicken Thighs
How to Reheat Leftover Chicken Thighs
Serving Suggestions
Shop Our Spices
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Instructions
Tips
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?

Finish these chicken thighs off with a brush of BBQ sauce that makes them perfectly sweet, sticky and mouthwatering. The BBQ sauce finish is optional so you can skip it if you want.

Why You’ll Love Smoked Chicken Thighs!

  • It’s kid friendly! That’s right, the kids will love these because they can eat them with their hands.
  • Sooooo easy to make and smoke. All you need is chicken thighs, oil, BBQ sauce and our delicious BBQ Rub!
  • Quick enough for an easy dinner. They only take about a hour and half on the smoker and are hands off.
Overhead image of Smoked Chicken Thighs Ingredients

Ingredients for Smoked Chicken Thighs

  • Chicken Thighs – Use skin-on, bone-in for best results. You could use boneless but they won’t be quite as juicy. They must have the skin-on.
  • Olive Oil – Any oil will work!
  • BBQ Chicken Rub – We use our favorite homemade rub, but you can use another if you prefer.
  • BBQ Sauce – Any BBQ sauce will work, mix it up with different flavors!

Make sure to grab a bottle of our famous BBQ Rub so you have it on hand anytime you smoke or grill chicken!! You can check out all our spices and rubs in our Gimme Some Grilling store.

Chicken thighs on plate drizzled with olive oil
Chicken thighs on plate with seasoning on them
Seasoned chicken thighs on smoker
Smoked Chicken Thighs on smoker
Basting brush spreading BBQ sauce on chicken thighs
BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs on smoker

How to Make Smoked Chicken Thighs

  • Prep Smoker – Preheat pellet grill to 275 degrees. We used competition blend pellets in the pellet grill.
  • Prep Chicken Thighs – Trim off any excess skin on chicken thighs. Rub olive all over chicken thigh then sprinkle BBQ Chicken rub so it coats the chicken.
  • Smoke – Place chicken thighs on smoker skin side up. Insert temperature probe into thickest part of chicken thigh. Close pellet grill lid and cook at 275 degrees for about 1 and 1/2 hours or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.- Place chicken thighs on smoker skin side up. Insert temperature probe into thickest part of chicken thigh. Close pellet grill lid and cook at 275 degrees for about 1 and 1/2 hours or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Baste chicken with BBQ sauce and smoke for 10 minutes.
  • Rest – Remove from smoker and let rest for 5 minutes. Then serve!

Helpful Tools

  • Grilling Tongs
  • Remote Digital Meat Thermometer

What kind of pellets is best to smoke chicken?

Our go to pellet is the competition blend which blends nicely with anything you smoke. If you want to get specific we prefer a pecan, mesquite, cherry or apple pellets which will give you a nice mellow taste without overpowering the chicken. Hickory is another great options that has a sweet to strong taste.

How long does it take to smoke chicken thighs?

This will vary depending on how big of a chicken thigh you have and how thick it is. It will take from one hour to one hour and 30 minutes with your smoker set to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do I know when a chicken thigh is done?

The chicken thigh needs to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of a thigh. Make sure you have a digital meat thermometer or your smoker has a probe with built in thermometer to monitor this.

We actually cook them to 175-180 degrees F. They are still super tender and juicy, but it they don’t have some of those bloody spots around the bone that way.

Do I need to use BBQ Sauce?

No, you don’t need the BBQ sauce. The rub will give them enough flavor, but we love that sticky, sweet finish on them.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Thighs

Store any cooled leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

How to Reheat Leftover Chicken Thighs

You can microwave them to reheat them, but the skin will be rubbery and they might dry out.

Another option is to preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place thicken thighs on a wire rack with baking sheet under it. Bake for about 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Another option is to preheat an Air Fryer to 400 degrees then bake the chicken thighs for around 5 minutes or until heated through.

Smoked with chicken thighs on it

Serving Suggestions

  • It doesn’t get easier than these quick and delicious Grilled Foil Packet Potatoes with Onions! It’s the perfect side dish on the grill for an easy weeknight dinner.
  • If you are grilling this summer you need to try these BBQ Baked Beans On the Grill for a quick and easy side dish recipe. With three different types of beans, seasonings and BBQ Sauce they are delicious.
  • Grilled Corn Salad recipe is a summer salad that is packed with flavor from grilled corn, fresh tomatoes, avocados, lime juice, red onion and cilantro. This salad has a delicious homemade lime vinaigrette that brings out the flavors of the fresh vegetables.

Shop Our Spices

Shop Now!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling so I can see your grilling masterpieces!

Want to save this recipe? Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
Loading
Smoked Chicken Thighs Square Image
4.60 from 5 votes

Smoked Chicken Thighs

Tender smoked chicken thighs with a homemade seasoning and sticky BBQ sauce finish!
Prep:10 minutes mins
Cook:1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Resting Time:5 minutes mins
Total:1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Print Recipe Rate Recipe
Save RecipeSaved!
4

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
  • 2 Tablespoons BBQ Chicken Rub
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup Barbecue sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat pellet grill to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. We used competition blend pellets in the pellet grill.
  • Trim off any excess skin on chicken thighs. Rub olive all over chicken thigh then sprinkle BBQ Chicken rub so it coats the chicken.
  • Place chicken thighs on smoker skin side up. Insert temperature probe into thickest part of chicken thigh. Close pellet grill lid and smoke at 275 degrees for about 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Baste chicken with BBQ sauce and smoke for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from smoker and let rest for 5 minutes. Then serve!

Tips

Store any cooled leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 516kcal (26%), Carbohydrates: 8g (3%), Protein: 32g (64%), Fat: 39g (60%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 189mg (63%), Sodium: 301mg (13%), Potassium: 443mg (13%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 5g (6%), Vitamin A: 236IU (5%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 40mg (4%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
© Gimme Some Grilling ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

Did you make this?

Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @gimmesomegrilling. I love seeing what you made!

Tag Me On Instagram Rate Recipe
523 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Meet the Evinks

Hi! We are Jason & Julie! We focus on easy, simple recipes that everyone can tackle on their smoker and grills that the entire family will enjoy!

Read more...

You May Also Like...

  • BBQ Chicken Rub in bowl
    BBQ Chicken Rub
  • BBQ Dry rubbed smoked whole chicken on a baking sheet
    Smoked Whole Chicken
  • Grilled Chicken Thighs on red plate
    Grilled Chicken Thighs
  • Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumstick in Hand
    Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




  1. Andreas Netz says

    Posted on 5/15/23 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect.

    Reply
    • Courtney says

      Posted on 5/18/23 at 9:27 pm

      😍

      Reply
  2. Christopher says

    Posted on 6/19/22 at 3:43 pm

    I found if I smoke at 180-200 for an hour then crank to 350 until done I get better flavor and most importantly a crispy skin rather than the chewy skin that you get from a full smoke

    Reply
    • the Evinks says

      Posted on 6/20/22 at 8:21 am

      Great tip Christopher. We will have to try that too!

      Reply
    • Jason says

      Posted on 7/12/23 at 2:58 pm

      3 stars
      Agree. And leave the thighs on until internal temp is 190-195f. This is dark meat, and gets the most tender at that temp. Pulling at 165 will make for more chewy, tougher meat.

      Reply
      • Courtney says

        Posted on 7/14/23 at 4:55 pm

        We like an internal temp of 175-180. Interesting to hear about the 190-195!

  3. Malinda says

    Posted on 7/21/21 at 1:00 pm

    5 stars
    The chicken thighs turned out great and I loved the rub!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Danielle says

    Posted on 6/23/21 at 9:45 pm

    5 stars
    I love my pellet grill and trying new recipes on it, so I was super excited to try this recipe! It did not disappoint!

    Reply
  5. Alison LaFortune says

    Posted on 6/17/21 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    The BBQ chicken rub was SO yummy. Keeping a batch on hand for more dinners. Loved how easy this recipe is!

    Reply
  6. Holly says

    Posted on 6/8/21 at 10:14 am

    Do you only smoke the thighs for the 10 minutes at the end or throughout the whole cooking process?

    Reply
    • Julie Evink says

      Posted on 6/10/21 at 11:01 am

      No they are smoked for 1 – 1 1/2 hours before basting with BBQ sauce and smoking for 10 minutes.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi! We are Jason & Julie! We focus on easy, simple recipes that everyone can tackle on their smoker and grills that the entire family will enjoy!

Read More...

Feed a Crowd!

Burnt Ends in foil pan

Poor Man’s Burnt Ends

A plate with slices of smoked pork loin in a circle.

Easy Smoked Pork Loin

A whole turkey breast in a foil pan.

Smoked Turkey Breast {Bone-In}

Smoked Pork Butt Pulled on tray

Easy Smoked Pork Butt

5 Secrets to Mastering your Smoker

Close up Traeger Smoker with food

5 Secrets to Mastering your Smoker

Favorites!

Easy Smoked Ribs being brushed with BBQ sauce

Smoked Ribs {3-2-1 Method}

Marinated pork chops on grill pan

The BEST Pork Chop Marinade

Easy Traeger Smoked Meatloaf on electric smoker

Smoked Meatloaf

sausage and egg breakfast casserole in tin pan

Sausage Breakfast Casserole {Grill or Oven}

Our Grilling Secrets

5 Secrets to Mastering your Smoker

As Seen In:

Good housekeeping logo.
Country Living logo.
BuzzFeed logo.
Delish logo.
The Huffington Post logo.
Parade logo.
Back to Top

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Disclaimers

Contact

© 2023 Gimme Some Grilling ®
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly