Traeger Chicken Thighs
Smoky, juicy, and packed with spice rub flavor, these Smoked Chicken Thighs are a foolproof crowd-pleaser! This straightforward recipe leaves you with tender dark meat that can be served whole with your favorite sides or piled onto sandwiches and salads for an easy and delicious lunch or dinner.
While a high-quality store-bought spice rub adds convenience, there’s nothing quite like a homemade blend where you can balance the spices as you wish. I’ve included my own spice rub for these thighs that you can use too! Either way, seasoning the chicken thighs is a must for rich savory flavor. For the juiciest results, let the cooked thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving – this allows the savory juices to settle back into the meat, ensuring every bite stays moist and flavorful.
Smoking chicken thighs takes them to the next level, infusing them with a rich, woodsy aroma that oven roasting or quick grilling just can’t match. The low-and-slow method keeps the dark meat incredibly tender without the risk of drying out. Plus, it’s a hands-off process that lets the smoker do the work, leaving you free to prep sides or simply relax and socialize.
If you love the idea of using your smoker to make wholesome family meals, be sure to try Smoker Macaroni and Cheeseand Smoked Corned Beef Brisket!
What are smoked chicken thighs?
These smoker chicken thighs consist of boneless, skinless chicken thighs that are seasoned with a dry spice rub and then cooked at low heat in a smoker, using a flavor of wood chips that you love the most to infuse into the chicken for that irresistible smokey flavor.
The high-fat content from these thighs keeps them tender, while a final high-heat gives each side a little sear. Unlike leaner cuts, thighs stay succulent even when cooked beyond the standard 165°F, making them ideal for shredding, glazing, or serving whole with classic BBQ sides. Their rich texture and smokey flavor make them a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Ingredients needed to make smoked chicken thighs recipe
- Chicken thighs: Boneless and skinless for maximum juiciness and flavor. You must cut the fat off the thighs or you risk the dripping fat causing flare-ups and a bitter smoke that can impact the flavor of your smoked thighs.
- Spice rub: I’ve used Traeger Whiskey Dust Rub in the past to season these chicken thighs, but you can use your favorite spice rub. Feel free to make your own spice rub too! I’ve included a homemade spice rub in the recipe card below.
- Avocado spray: This is a good high smoke point oil. You could also use grapeseed oil spray.
How do you make Traeger smoked chicken thighs?
Prepare the chicken:
- Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs, leaving a thin layer to retain moisture. Set aside.
Prepare the rub (optional):
- If you’re making a homemade rub, combine all the spices in a bowl and whisk thoroughly to ensure even distribution. See the recipe card below for homemade rub ingredients.
Season the chicken:
- Generously coat both sides of the thighs with the rub, pressing lightly to adhere. Let them rest for about 10 minutes to allow the seasoning to penetrate.
Preheat the smoker:
- Set up your smoker and preheat it to 200°F using your favorite wood chips for smoking (maple, cherry, apple, etc.).
Smoke the chicken:
- Place the thighs on the smoker grates, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
- Smoke for 20 minutes only. This short duration prevents the chicken from becoming overly smoky.
Sear for crispiness:
- Increase the smoker temperature to 500°F.
- Sear the thighs for about 5 minutes per side, until the skin is crisp and lightly charred.
- If the thighs are rolled (instead of laid flat), extend the cooking time to 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally for even browning.
Check for doneness and rest:
- Cook the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part.
- Transfer the smoked chicken thighs to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving
Enjoy these smoking chicken thighs with classic BBQ sides, such as Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread.
If you’re in the mood for something a bit brighter or lighter, pair your thighs with grilled corn on the cob, Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta, pickled veggies, roasted asparagus, quinoa salad, roasted sweet potatoes.
You certainly can’t go wrong with a portion of mac and cheese if you feel like an indulgent meal!
And while these Traeger chicken thighs are moist and juicy, feel free to serve them with a drizzle of your favorite sauce, like a cucumber yogurt sauce, a white sauce, or a BBQ sauce.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Leftover smoked chicken thighs keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, place the chicken thighs into an airtight container and freeze for up to 2–3 months.
- Reheat: Cover your leftover smoking chicken thighs with foil and reheat them in the oven at 275°F for 15-20 minutes, then uncover and cook at 400°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can season chicken thighs with a dry rub anywhere from 10 minutes to 24 hours before smoking. If you use a rub that contains sugar, don’t season the thighs for longer than 4 hours as the sugar can draw out moisture. Always store the seasoned chicken in the fridge when allowing it to rest for longer than 20 minutes.
- Use a high-smoke point oil: Using avocado oil spray to coat the grill grates in a smoker (or any grill) is a great choice as it has a high smoke point which won’t burn easily. It also has a mild flavor and won’t overpower the chicken. Lastly, it creates a good non-stick surface so that your thighs can flip easily. Grapeseed oil spray is a good alternative.
- Let the chicken rest: Resting the smoked chicken thighs allows the juices inside to redistribute so that the meat remains moist and flavorful and you don’t end up with a plate full of leaked juices.
- Tent with foil: While optional, you can loosely tent the smoker chicken thighs while they rest so that they don’t cool down too much before serving.
- The best cut of chicken: Chicken thighs are the best cut of chicken for smoking. Their high fat content keeps them juicy and the darker meat withstands longer smoking without drying out. Next in line would be chicken drums. Stay away from smoking skinless boneless chicken breast as this cut is very lean and can dry out very easily.
- Double the recipe: Smoke more chicken thighs when feeding a crowd. Make sure to tent the cooked thighs as you go along to keep them warm.
- Spice rub: Use a store-bought rub for convenience or make your own by combining brown sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Adjust the spices to give your chicken thighs an extra kick of heat or a different flavor profile.
- Test for doneness: Chicken is safe to eat when a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165°F at its thickest section.
More easy chicken thigh recipes you may want to try:
- Coconut Milk Chicken Thighs
- Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Chili Lime Chicken Thighs
- One-Pot Paprika Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Cacciatore
Get the Recipe:
Traeger Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut off the fat
- 6-8 Tbsp favorite spice rub, we used Traeger Whiskey Dust Rub – or make your own!
- Avocado spray
For Homemade Rub (Optional):
- 4 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Cut the fat off the chicken thighs and set aside. If you are not using a pre-made rub, make your own and whisk together in a bowl.
- Heavily sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with the rub. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the smoker to 200 degrees F.
- Smoke the chicken thighs for 20 minutes. TIP: You do not want to smoke any longer as poultry really takes on the “smokey” flavor!
- Increase the temp to 500 degrees F and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side. Since the chicken is laying pretty flat, it doesn’t take much time. TIP: If you choose to roll the thighs, then it will take a few minutes longer to cook (about 15-20 minutes).
- Cook the chicken to 165 degrees F. Remove from the grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
