These mouthwatering smoked chicken thighs are the juiciest and most flavorful chicken you’ve ever made. It is tender, juicy, and sticky all in one bite. Use the homemade rub and beer BBQ sauce to take this one over the top. Talk about satisfying!
Serve these amazing smoked chicken thighs recipe at your family dinner table or at your next large gathering to feed a crowd. This chicken dish will be equally appropriate in both settings.
Everyone I ever served this to found the homemade beer BBQ sauce to be insanely good! And it’s not just the flavor – the juicy and tender texture is amazing. All because of grilling to the optimal doneness.
Keep the rub but leave off the sauce to make your favorite smoked chicken recipes. We love to use this for smoked pulled chicken for the freezer.
🐔 Ingredients
All-Purpose BBQ Rub | Make your homemade dry rub with simple spices from the cupboard. We’re using the all-purpose dry rub for grilling, which has very simple ingredients. You’ll need brown sugar, paprika, celery seed, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Use this rub on the smoked Cornish Hens or beer can chicken.
Rubs are so interchangeable so look at your favorite recipes to see if they would be a good match. Even though the best dry rub for ribs states it’s for ribs, it would make a great addition to this chicken.
Simple Beer BBQ Sauce | This is finger-licking good! You will need ketchup, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, beer, molasses, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to make the sauce.
Chicken Thighs | I prefer to use bone-in and skin-on thighs. They are the easiest to work with and so forgiving. Plus, you’ll have the option of that crispy skin yumminess.
⏲️ Equipment and Tools
Smoker | You will need a smoker or a gas grill to make these, it’s your choice of which one you have. We used our Big Green Egg, but you can use your smoker of choice (Masterbuilt, Traeger, Weber, Oklahoma Joe’s) with indirect heat and the recipe does not change.
If you only have a gas, charcoal grill, or pellet grill you can still get a nice smoke on the meat by throwing in some wood chips and cooking with indirect heat or by using a Smoker Box.
Meat Thermometer | You need a meat thermometer that you can insert into the meat and leave in place. This type of internal temperature probe usually connects to a device on the outside of the smoker that will alert you when the meat reaches your desired temp. I wrote a review on my favorite wireless meat thermometer.
Hickory Wood | You will need some type of wood (or pellets) for smoking and I recommend hickory for this recipe. If you aren’t sure what wood chunks pair well with chicken, check out my free wood smoking cheat sheet and best wood for smoking chicken guide. Alternatively, snag a variety pack and start experimenting. Hickory will give it a stronger flavor so if you are looking for a softer-tasting smoke, try apple wood, pecan, or cherry wood.
🔥 Instructions
Chicken BBQ Rub for Smoking
This is going to be your “go-to” smoked chicken rub that you can use on just about anything you want. It makes a little over one cup, so there is enough for a couple of recipes, depending on how much you use. You could also try our Java dry rub for a mild coffee flavor or the fragrant Yucatan dry rub to enjoy a yummy mix of Mexican flavors!
When making this, you’ll notice that we used one tablespoon of smoked paprika and two tablespoons of regular or sweet paprika. If you want your spice rub to be a bit smokier, swap those amounts. Our meat will already be smoked, so to add more smoked paprika would just have been too much for our taste. If you like heat, add in some cayenne pepper.
This rub can be made in about five minutes, including finding all the ingredients!
Step One: Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and stir.
Step Two: Use the appropriate amount needed for your recipe and store the remaining in glass jars. You can also choose to store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe plastic baggy for up to three months.
Homemade Beer BBQ Sauce
The sauce isn’t too sweet and it isn’t too tangy…it’s just RIGHT! There is a balance here. If you want a tad more sweetness, just add more ketchup or brown sugar. If you want a tad more tang, add in a bit more yellow mustard or apple cider vinegar.
You have control over the recipe by just playing with a couple of ingredients. I like to taste-test mine and see if I want to add or delete. Our taste buds have evolved, and what we loved five years ago doesn’t always work now. We love to use it in the fall for game days with chicken wings.
Step One: Heat up a small saucepan on medium heat with olive oil for a few minutes and then add in onions until they brown.
Step Two: Add in minced garlic and stir to cook for 1-2 minutes. You don’t want it to burn.
Step Three: Add in the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 25-30 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Note: I like my BBQ sauce chunky, so I did not run it through a blender. If you prefer the smooth sauce, pour it into a blender and blend until it is the consistency you prefer. Always do this when it is cool or it will explode in the kitchen! You can also use a stick blender.
Feel free to use any other barbecue sauce you like, be it store-bought or homemade. Making BBQ sauce at home is soo easy and the results speak for themselves. This sweet and spicy BBQ sauce is perfect for chicken.
Cherry Bourbon BBQ sauce, Whiskey BBQ sauce, and this rich smoked pumpkin Bourbon BBQ sauce also complement grilled and smoked poultry.
⏲️How to Smoke Chicken Thighs
Step One: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the meat liberally with the BBQ rub. Make sure to coat both sides.
Step Two: Set up the grill for indirect heat. I used the plate setter on the Big Green Egg. They call it a convEGGtor now, which is silly. I still prefer the term plate setter. If you are using a gas grill, turn off the burners immediately under the chicken.
Step Three: Set the temperature to 225 degrees. When the temperature has stabilized, add a few pieces of your favorite hardwood. Hickory is my go-to for chicken.
Step Four: Set the thighs skin-side up on the grill grates for about 2½ hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 165 degrees.
I used my favorite remote grill thermometer to keep track of the temperature.
Step Five: When the chicken reaches 165 degrees, baste the top of the thighs with the BBQ sauce. Make sure to completely cover the top and sides. Let it continue to smoke for another 10-15 minutes.
Step Six: Pull the thighs off the grill and let them rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 15 minutes before digging in.
⚠️ Word of Warning: This is one of those cases where a little goes a long way! You do not need huge puffs of billowing smoke to do the job. It might look good on Instagram, but the taste of that much smoke will be a bit overwhelming. Instead, just use a little bit of hardwood. The chicken will be on the grill for almost three hours, which is plenty of time for it to collect the smoky flavor.
How Long to Smoke
Set the smoker to a temperature of 225 degrees. Place the meat on the smoker and it will take about 2.5 hours or until they reach the internal temperature of 165 degrees per the USDA using an internal meat thermometer.
❗ Expert Tips
It is easy to overcook and dry out chicken on the smoker. This is one of the reasons I prefer bone-in chicken thighs with skin on. They retain moisture better. The key to avoiding overcooking your meat is to use an internal temperature probe such as the remote meat thermometer pictured above. Keep track of your meat and remove it promptly as soon as it reaches the correct temperature. This will ensure it gets smoked to perfection!
If achieving crispy chicken skin is one of your main priorities, it’s a good idea to let the chicken sit uncovered in the fridge on a wire rack for at least 4 hours after applying the dry rub. This will allow the skin to slightly dehydrate which will make it crisp up during smoking.
Don’t forget to let your meat rest! Resting the meat is absolutely essential to keeping the meat moist and flavorful. If you fork into it straight off the grill, you will lose all that delicious juiciness thighs are most known for.
🥦 Serving Suggestions
Smoked chicken can be enjoyed with an impressive number of BBQ sides. When you’re not feeling adventurous, you can never go wrong with a potato dish. Try this amazing smoked potato salad, grilled baby potatoes, or these mind-blowing steakhouse potatoes.
Making some grilled veggies is practically effortless. They cook really fast and require very little prep work. Grilled patty pan squash, grilled broccolini, and grilled fennel are all fantastic options!
Smoked chicken thighs will instantly turn into a comfort meal if you pair them with smoked mac and cheese, or smoked corn on the cob.
Don’t forget to pop open that craft brew. We love a nice cold Landshark with these thighs.
🍱Meal Prep & Storage
Leftover smoked chicken thighs are so great to have! Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also freeze the smoked chicken thighs, and you’ll have 4 months to use them.
How To Use Leftovers
Stock up on these when you find them on sale and make pulled smoked chicken. Place as many as you can fit in your smoker, smoke, and then pull the meat off the bone of all the extra chicken and you will have it on hand for easy weeknight meals.
Throw the pulled smoked chicken and rice in a skillet with teriyaki sauce for a quick stir fry. Toss chicken and cheese on a tortilla for fast and easy quesadillas.
Make a chicken salad with grapes and red onion. Heat up the chicken with onions and red peppers. Cover with provolone and serve on sandwich buns for delicious homemade fast food. Having extra cooked chicken in the freezer is a huge timesaving trick for busy families and the possibilities are endless.
🍗More Smoked Chicken Recipes
Chicken is a truly wonderful protein: affordable, easy to cook, and highly customizable.
We love smoking all chicken parts and of course, the whole bird!
Smoked chicken quarters and smoked chicken legs are also perfect for feeding a crowd. If you need a quick smoker recipe, go for smoked chicken wings, or smoked chicken breast.
Also, smoking a whole chicken will produce an impressive-looking meal you can serve when you’re having guests over. The bird will smoke even faster if you flatten it using a special method described in our smoked spatchcock chicken recipe.
❓Recipe FAQ
Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs are great for smoking. You’ll need to keep an eye on the internal temperature a little more closely, starting at around the two-hour mark. It tends to cook a little bit faster, so you need to watch it carefully.
Yes, of course, but I am telling you that this sauce is so incredible you aren’t going to want to miss out. Plus, it goes well with other meats too! You should try the homemade beer BBQ sauce at least once.
Yep! Simply adjust the number of servings in the recipe card, and it will figure the amounts you need for everything. You can increase this recipe as many times as you like to fill your smoker depending on what kind you have at home. This is great for feeding to a group of people!
If crispy chicken skin is high on your list of priorities, you will want to finish off your chicken under a 400ºF broiler in the oven for three minutes or so before serving.
The answer will depend on how steady you keep the temperature, how many thighs you are smoking, and how thick the pieces are. So many variables. The bottom line is you should use an internal temperature probe and keep track of the meat carefully. If your smoker is set on 225ºF and you cook the chicken until it is 165ºF you should plan on roughly 2.5 hours of time in the smoker.
I like to pull the meat off the bone and use it for sandwiches, chicken salad, caesar salad, quesadillas, or any number of recipes that use pulled chicken the next day. This chicken can be used cold or reheated in the microwave or skillet for thirty seconds at a time until properly heated through. You can also leave it on the bone and just throw it in a skillet until it is heated through.
I recommend pulling the meat off the bone for the easiest re-use. You can keep the cooked meat in the refrigerator in an airtight container or freezer-quality zipper bag for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the meat in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for a few months.
If you are serving a gluten-free guest, make sure to look for a gluten-free beer for the BBQ sauce, and other than that this recipe is worry-free. The easiest thing to do might be to ask your guest to tell you their favorite beer and use that in the sauce recipe.
According to the USDA, the chicken’s internal temperature needs to reach 165 degrees F for the meat to be fully cooked. A meat thermometer will make your job easier but there are other ways to tell if chicken is undercooked if you don’t have one.
Absolutely! We used brines for our Smoked Spatchcocked Chicken, Smoked Turkey Legs, and Smoked Turkey Breast, and they managed to keep the meat so juicy!,
The best way to smoke chicken thighs is on indirect heat, so there is no need to flip them. We smoke the thighs skin side up directly on the grill grates until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees.
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Smoker
- Plate Setter
Ingredients
All Purpose BBQ Rub
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp Celery Seed
- 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Mustard Powder
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper coarse ground
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt coarse ground
Simple Beer BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup Ketchup
- ⅓ cup Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
- 6 oz Beer
- 1 tbsp Molasses
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Chicken
- 4 each Chicken Thighs Bone-in, Skin-on
Instructions
All Purpose BBQ Rub
- Mix all ingredients together and stir. This rub recipe can't get much easier!
- Store in airtight container or in freezer safe ziplock bag to store in freezer
Simple Beer BBQ Sauce
- Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. After 4-5 minutes, add onion and cook until starting to brown or about seven minutes.
- Add in garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes to allow to simmer and flavors to meld together.
- Do a taste test. It is easy to adjust. Add some more brown sugar or ketchup to add more sweet flavors, or add more vinegar and mustard for the tangy flavors.
- Optional: If you like a smooth sauce, run it through your blender for a few seconds. I like mine chunky, so I saved that step. Either way, it tastes the same!
Smoke the Chicken
- Set up your grill to indirect heat and 225 degrees. After it has reached the desired temperature, add a couple of pieces of your favorite smoking hardwood. I used Hickory. Note: Because these thighs will be on the grill for a couple of hours, there is plenty of time for it to get that smokey flavor. You don't need a huge amount of smoke. A little will do the job.
- Add the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to a bowl and use about 1/2 cup of the dry rub to thoroughly coat the entire chicken thigh.
- Place the chicken thighs on the grill. There is no need to turn them over, as the smoke and indirect heat will cook it evenly.
- Smoke for about 2.5 hours. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees for them to be completely done. When it gets close, use the wireless meat thermometer to notify you when it reaches the target temp.
Baste the Chicken
- After the temperature reaches 165 degrees, baste the chicken with your BBQ sauce. I made a homemade BBQ sauce, but you can certainly use a store bought variety if you like.
- Let the chicken smoke for another ten minutes
- Remove and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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