With a simple but delicious rub, these smoked boneless chicken thighs are super tender and loaded with flavor. Just serve with your favorite BBQ sauce for your next gathering.
I'm all about smoked recipes lately - from smoked pork tenderloin to smoked short ribs to a spatchcock smoked turkey to smoked carnitas.
But my latest obsession are these smoked boneless chicken thighs. Why boneless you ask? Well my wife isn't the biggest fan of bone-in chicken thighs.
So while it may seem a little strange to throw boneless chicken on a smoker, you get added benefit of the rub on every crevice of the chicken. And this homemade rub gives it a ton of flavor.
By cooking on low heat for 30 minutes before upping the temperature, you get some subtle smoke flavor but tender chicken. You honestly can cut through it with your fork.
So if you've got a big gathering coming up or you just love chicken, this is dish is tough to beat. Or if you are looking for a whole chicken, give this smoked spatchcock chicken a try.
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs - I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and just keep them rolled up while smoking so they stay juicy. They go perfect with pepper jack mac and cheese. If you prefer you can use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs as well. I would add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to crisp up the skin.
- Sugar - by adding some sugar, you get some sweetness to offset the spices. Use light or dark brown sugar for the added molasses.
- Spices - the combination of spices adds just the right amount of heat to work with the sugar and BBQ sauce.
- BBQ sauce - you can add some BBQ sauce at the end so it get caramelized if you want or just serve on the side. Use your favorite. My go-to is Sweet Baby Ray's.
Step-by-Step Photos
Mix all of the rub ingredients and season the chicken on all sides with it. Roll into a cylindrical shape.
Smoke for 30 minutes at 200°F before increasing to 400°F. Cook for an additional hour or until the temperature reaches 165°F.
FAQs
Yes. The recipe works great for chicken thighs with skin as well. The cook time should be the same, but I like to add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the spice mix so it crisps up the skin.
The first part of the cook is to impart smoke. You then raise the temperature to 400°F to finish cooking the chicken. It should take about 1 to 1 ½ hours, depending on the size of the chicken.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink.
Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
You can but you will want to increase the temperature from 200°F to 250°F. If you smoke too long at 200, it will be overly smoky.
Also keep in mind, if you smoke at 250°F, the cook time will take longer. It will take 2-3 hours.
Side Dish Options
The beauty of these smoked chicken thighs is it goes with pretty much everything. To me the perfect marriage is baked cheddar mac and cheese, however you can mix it up with sides like:
- Crispy roasted potatoes
- Maple roasted carrots
- Goat cheese polenta
- Oven baked sweet potato fries
- Cream cheese mashed potatoes
Equipment
The type of equipment you use can have a big impact on the flavor of the smoked chicken. Since this is a smoked recipe, you need to impart some smoked flavor. You have a few different options, including:
- Pellet grill - my favorite as I love the simplicity and flavor.
- Charcoal grill - you can use indirect heat and add some wood chips to the charcoal to create that smoke flavor.
- Smoker - whether it is electric, gas or charcoal, any of them will work to make a great dish.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use apple, cherry or maple wood for smoking. They all complement the chicken perfectly.
- If you smoke too long at 200°F, the chicken will be overloaded with smoke flavor. Smoke for max 30 minutes before increasing the temperature. Poultry takes in smoke flavor much quicker than other meats.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing which lets the juices stay inside.
Other Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this smoked boneless chicken thighs recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Mix all of the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Preheat smoker to 200°F.
- Trim excess fat off the chicken and season all sides with the spice blend. Roll into a cylindrical shape.
- Smoke at 200°F for 30 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for another 15-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use apple, cherry or maple wood for smoking. They all complement the chicken perfectly.
- If you smoke too long at 200°F, the chicken will be overloaded with smoke flavor. Smoke for max 30 minutes before increasing the temperature. Poultry takes in smoke flavor much quicker than other meats.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing which lets the juices stay inside.
Mike Hays says
I tried to follow your recipe for boneless smoked chicken. And people should be advised that the chicken got done way sooner than the recipe called for.
Ryan says
Thanks for the heads up. For me I find that it takes about an hour total.