SmokeBarbecue
Smoked chicken thighs
Dark meat that can take smoke and still stay juicy. Crisp the skin at the end so it does not come out rubbery.
Made it?
1 hr 50 min · 20 min hands-on · pull 185°F · rest 8 min
Ingredients
3 lb on the fire · ~2.1 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs8 (3 lb)
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- smoked paprika2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- garlic powder1 tsp
- brown sugar1 tsp
- oil1 tbsp
Method
- 1
Pat the thighs very dry. Oil, then season under and over the skin. Dry brine uncovered in the fridge 4 hours or overnight for tighter skin.
- 2
Smoke at 275°F until the thickest thigh hits 165°F, about 75–90 minutes. Skin will still be soft — that is expected.
- 3
Raise the cooker to 400–425°F, or move the thighs over direct heat, and cook until 180–185°F and the skin blisters. Dark meat prefers this higher finish.
- 4
Rest 8 minutes. The juices should run clear and the meat pull from the bone cleanly.
If you don’t have it
- Bone-in thighs → Drumsticks or a spatchcocked half-chicken. Wings want a hotter finish. Breast is a different cook — pull at 157–160.
- Apple wood → Cherry or pecan. Go easy on hickory. Poultry takes smoke fast and turns hammy.
- Dry rub → Salt, pepper, paprika only. Sugar is fine at 275°F. At 425°F for the crisp, it can scorch — dust sugar earlier, not at the blast.
Same cook, different day
Buffalo finish
Game day. Smoke to 165, toss in hot sauce and butter, then 425°F until 185 and sticky.
Weeknight tray
Oven only. 425°F sheet pan, 35–40 minutes to 185. No smoke, still the dark-meat finish.
Crisp-skin kettle
You have charcoal. Indirect 300°F until 165, then 3 minutes skin-side down over direct heat.
On the plate
With this, try
- With this dish, try making petite roasted potatoes.
Same pan as a roast or chicken. Or a sheet next to chops. Halve, oil, salt, rosemary. 425°F cut-side down until the faces brown. Toss in the meat drippings at the end.
40 min
- With this dish, try making vinegar slaw.
Anytime. Better after an hour in the fridge. Cabbage, carrot, cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper. No mayo if the meat is already rich.
20 min
- With this dish, try making potato salad.
While the meat rests. Waxy potatoes, salt in the water, mustard-mayo, pickle, celery. Fold when the potatoes are still warm.
45 min
Same cut
Chicken thighs
Grill it, bowl it, shred it.