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electric smoker chicken thighs on a cutting board
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Electric Smoker Chicken Thighs

Our Smoked Chicken Thighs in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker are first dry brined and seasoned overnight to get the most flavor and crispiest skin possible.
We then review step by step how to set your Masterbuilt, or ANY electric smoker, to perfectly smoke the chicken thighs to perfection.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Dry Brine Time 12 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 450kcal
Author Mads Martigan
Cost $20

Equipment

  • Masterbuilt Electric Smoker or any brand electric smoker
  • Wood chips Hickory, Oak, or Fruitwood
  • Large Cutting Board
  • Paper Towels
  • Boning Knife
  • Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
  • Internal Meat Thermometers
  • Basting brush
  • BBQ Tongs

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Thighs Bone-In, Skin-On
  • Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce such as Blues Hog Original or Tennessee Red.

Dry Brine

  • 6 tablespoon Your Favorite BBQ rub or our "In a Pinch BBQ Rub" below
  • ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder to crisp the skin

In a Pinch BBQ Rub

  • 2 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Paprika
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt add more as desired
  • ½ tablespoon Course Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
  • ½ tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional

Instructions

Rinse and Trim the Chicken Thighs

  • Clean, rinse, and pat dry the chicken thighs well with paper towels.
    4 Chicken Thighs
    patting raw chicken thighs dry with a paper towel
  • Spread out the skin that may be bunched up and tucked under and around the sides of the chicken thighs. Flip the thighs over to see where the skin spreads out longer than the edges of the chicken.
    trimming the excess skin on raw chicken thighs
  • Using a good meat knife, (we love our trusty boning knife from Imarku for trimming skin and fat), cut any excess skin hanging beyond the edges of the meat of the chicken thighs.
    trimming the skin on raw chicken thighs
  • Then flip them back over and you should have some nice and neatly trimmed chicken thighs ready for seasoning.
    raw trimmed chicken thighs on a wire rack

Dry Brine the Chicken Overnight

  • Place the chickens on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet.
  • Mix together the In a Pich BBQ rub with the baking powder, or use your favorite BBQ rub that contains salt mixed with the baking powder, and sprinkle generously over the tops and bottoms of each chicken thigh. DO NOT use cooking oil to adhere or skin will not get crispy.
    6 Tbsp Your Favorite BBQ rub or our "In a Pinch BBQ Rub" below, ¼ tsp Baking Powder, 2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar, 2 Tbsp Paprika, 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt, ½ Tbsp Course Ground Black Pepper, ½ Tbsp Chili Powder, ½ Tbsp Garlic Powder, 1 Tsp Onion Powder, ¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
    seasonings for smoked whole chicken along qith cornstarch to dry the skin
  • Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.
    chicken thighs dry brining in a refrigerator before smoking

Remove the Next Day

  • Take the chicken thighs out of the refrigerator the next day and get the smoker started.
  • You can leave the dry brined chicken on the counter for up to an hour while you are getting the smoker ready.

Start the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker

  • Open up the electric smoker door and make sure the racks are all cleaned off and in their proper place. Spray some canola oil on the racks to keep the chicken from sticking.
  • Do not fill the water pan. You can place an empty aluminum foil pan on the bottom shelf to make clean up easier later. Close the door.
  • Plug in and turn on the electric smoker and set the temperature to 275°F.
    a masterbuilt electric smoker set to 275 degrees
  • Once the electric smoker is up to temperature, load your wood chips in the chip loading tray. There is no need to soak the wood chips in water.
    wood chips being loaded into a masterbuilt electric smoker

Smoking the Chicken Thighs in the Electric Smoker

  • Once smoke is being produced, place your seasoned chicken thighs on the grates with the skin side up.
    chicken thighs smoking in a masterbuilt electric smoker
  • Place an internal temperature probe if you have one into the center of one of the largest thighs.
  • Close the door.
  • You can add another load of wood chips when the smoke has subsided but we wouldn't recommend any more than the two loads total. Keep the vents completely OPEN for maximum airflow to keep the skin crispy.
    smoke coming out the top vent of a masterbuilt electric smoker

Sauce the Smoked Chicken Thighs

  • Warm up some of your favorite barbecue sauce in a microwave safe bowl and set aside.
    Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce such as Blues Hog Original or Tennessee Red.
  • When the internal temperature of the thighs has reached 165°F and the skin is crispy, baste some of the barbecue sauce on the tops of each of the smoked chicken thighs. Do not flip or you may ruin your fragile skin on the tops. Then close the door.
    brushing bbq sauce on electric smoker smoked chicken thighs

Remove and Serve

  • Once the smoked chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 175°F as measured on an instant read thermometer, remove them from the electric smoker and transfer to a cutting board or plate. Do not cover with foil or anything else.
    smoked chicken thighs in an electric smoker
  • Plate and serve immediately with some extra BBQ sauce on the side!
    electric smoker smoked chicken thighs on a cutting board

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal