Easy Smoked Chicken Thighs

These smoked chicken thighs are one of the easiest smoker recipes you will ever make! Covered in a savory chicken rub, they are quick to prep and turn out juicy and tender every single time. These are perfect for any weekday dinner or for a backyard bbq!

Smoking chicken thighs has never been so easy and with this recipe, you'll be amazed at the flavor and how fall-apart tender these turn out! While these smoked chicken breasts are also tender and juicy, these smoked chicken thighs contain more fat and turn out even juicier because of the dark meat.

Now don't get me wrong, the oven is still perfect when making a roasted chicken with vegetables and these baked chicken thighs with Dijon lime sauce. And the air fryer comes in handy when I want to make these crispy and delicious chicken thighs. But anytime I can use my smoker to make quick and easy smoker recipes, I'm up for it!

The thing about smoking chicken thighs is that thigh meat absorbs smoke and flavor extremely well. Each piece is covered in a rosemary seasoning and smoked to perfection. The flavor is out-of-this-world delicious! We're talking about some seriously delicious smoked chicken thighs every single time!

Jump to:

• ✔️ Quick Recipe Overview
• ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
• 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
• 📋 Variations
• 🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
• 🙋🏼 Recipe FAQs
• 💭 Expert Tips
• 🥘 More Smoker Recipes
• Easy Smoked Chicken Thighs

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

I use a wet rub on these smoked chicken thighs instead of a dry rub. While sweet rubs with a brown sugar base work really well when smoking a whole chicken, a good savory chicken rub works well on individual pieces. Similar to using acid, oil, and flavoring agents when making a good steak marinade, the same components apply when using a wet rub.

• Web Ingredients - this wet rub uses olive oil for the base while using fresh garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice as the acid components. Not only can this combination of ingredients help tenderize the meat, but it also helps the dry ingredients stick to the meat better.
• Dry Ingredients - dried rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds add extra robust layered flavor which is one of the main reasons this recipe stands out from the rest. Fennel balances out the robust flavors in the rosemary and thyme. It has a slightly sweet flavor that you can taste in every bite.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

📋 Variations

• Types of Chicken - This is a boneless, skinless chicken thigh recipe but it also works extremely well with bone-in, skin-on thighs.
• Brining - While you can brine chicken thighs, it's not necessary. I tend to use a brine when I'm making white meat, like this smoked pork tenderloin and in this smoked turkey breast, not only because they are larger in size but because brining helps keep moisture in naturally drier meat. It's true that brining helps retain moisture and that equals a more juicy piece of meat, but individual pieces are already naturally juicy and tender, especially if they are bone-in.
• Coarse Salt & Pepper - Use a coarse salt and pepper to add even more flavor and texture.
• Flavored Olive Oil - If you have a flavored olive oil, use it in this recipe for more added flavor.
• Make Extra - You can easily double or triple this recipe to feed a large crowd or if you're meal prepping.

🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Learning how to smoke chicken thighs has never been so simple!

Step 1: Start by preparing the smoker accordingly and preheating it to 225°F. While it is preheating, prepare the chicken rub.

Step 2: Put the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic cloves, dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine and set aside.

Step 3: Place each piece of completely thawed meat flat on a plate. Baste each piece of chicken with the wet rub, ensuring both the front and back are covered. Set aside.

Step 4: Once the smoker has preheated, place each piece of chicken directly on the smoker grates.

Step 5: Insert a digital meat thermometer into the side of the meat until the tip is resting in the middle of the meat.

Step 6: Close the lid and let the smoker do all the hard work.

Step 7: When smoking, it's important to cook to temperature, not time. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, it's considered done.

Step 8: Using tongs, remove the smoked chicken thighs from the smoker and put them on a dish. Cover with aluminum foil and allow them to rest for at least 5-minutes before serving. Resting allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat and this helps ensure the chicken doesn't dry out.

And that it! We're talking delicious chicken smoked chicken thighs in your own backyard! They are easy to smoke and have amazing flavor! You're going to love every tender and juicy bite!