Description
Smoked BBQ Chicken Thighs features juicy bone-in, skin-on thighs seasoned with coarse salt and black pepper, spritzed with apple cider vinegar, and finished with a sticky layer of BBQ sauce.
This recipe is perfect for weekend cookouts, crowd-pleasing dinners, or meal prepping smoky chicken for the week ahead.
Ingredients
- 10 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, about 3 to 3.5 pounds total
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt, to season generously
- 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper, for a bold, peppery crust
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, for spritzing during the smoke
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, your favorite sweet or smoky variety, divided
- wood chunks, hickory, apple, or cherry for optional deeper smoky flavor (or pellets for a pellet grill)
- extra BBQ sauce, warmed and served at the table for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Trim and Dry: Pat the thighs dry with paper towels and trim any loose skin or excess fat.
- Season Generously: Sprinkle both sides with 2 teaspoons coarse salt and 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper, then let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the Smoker: Heat your smoker to 250°F and add wood chunks once the temperature stabilizes.
- Arrange the Thighs: Place the thighs skin side up on the grate with space between each piece, away from direct heat.
- Smoke Low and Slow: Smoke for about 1 hour 30 minutes, spritzing with apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes to keep the skin from drying out.
- Check for Doneness: Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part without touching the bone, and continue smoking in 10-minute increments until the thighs reach 175°F to 185°F.
- Glaze the Thighs: Brush about 1/2 cup BBQ sauce over the thighs, raise the smoker temperature to 300°F, and smoke for 10 minutes until the sauce is sticky.
- Rest and Serve: Let the thighs rest for 5 minutes, then serve with the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on the side.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours