Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
Our Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs are first dry brined and seasoned overnight to get the most flavor and crispiest skin possible.Then we smoke them at medium indirect heat on the Traeger pellet grill. They are optionally finished with a yummy bbq sauce glaze.
Servings 4 people
Calories 450kcal
Cost $25
Equipment
- Traeger Pellet Grill
- Wood Pellets preferably a fruitwood like apple or cherry; or oak
- Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
- Meat Carving Knife
- Paper Towels
- Instant Read and/or Leave in Probe Thermometer
- Basting brush
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Thighs skin on
- 4 tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 tablespoon Course Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Three Little Pigs BBQ Rub or your favorite BBQ rub for chicken or our "In a Pinch" Recipe Below
- ¼ Cup Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce
- ¼ Cup Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce
"In a Pinch" BBQ Rub
- 2 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
- ½ tablespoon Course Ground Black Pepper
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- ½ tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional
Instructions
Wash and Trim the Chicken Thighs
- Remove the chicken thighs from their packaging and rinse under cold running water. Pay dry with paper towels.8 Chicken Thighs
- Flip each chicken thigh upside down and carefully remove the excess skin on the bottom of each one with a good meat carving knife
Dry Brine Overnight
- Place the chicken thighs on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet.
- Mix together the 4 tablespoon Kosher salt and 1 tablespoon pepper, or use your favorite BBQ rub, 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.4 Tbsp Kosher Salt, 1 Tbsp Course Ground Black Pepper
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.
Remove the Next Day
- Take the chicken thighs out of the refrigerator and wipe off any excess salt still remaining on the outside with a damp paper towel.
- Mix the "In a Pinch" BBQ rub ingredients together and apply some to both sides of the chicken thighs. Or use sme more of your favorite BBQ rub for chicken.2 Tbsp Three Little Pigs BBQ Rub or your favorite BBQ rub for chicken, 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
Start the Traeger Pellet Grill
- Load the hopper of the Traeger with your chosen wood pellets.
- Turn on the Traeger and move the dial to the "Smoke" setting.
- Leave the lid open for 5-7 minutes until you start seeing white billowing smoke coming out of the grill. This means the initial pellets are igniting.
- Close the lid and turn the temperature dial to 300°F. Allow 10-15 minutes for the grill to come up to temperature.
- Clean the grill grates with a good grill brush and close the lid again.
Smoking the Chicken Thighs on the Traeger Pellet Grill
- Place the chicken thighs on the Traeger with the skin side UP. Flip and rotate as needed during the cook.
- Continue smoking the chicken thighs, rotating occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F internally. This may take 1.5-2 hours.
- Mix the two types of Blues Hog BBQ sauce together in a small bowl, and once the skin on the chicken thighs is crispy, gently baste the sauce on with a basting brush. Close the lid and continue cooking.¼ Cup Blues Hog Original BBQ Sauce, ¼ Cup Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ Sauce
- Once the internal temperature of the smoked chicken thighs reaches 175°F, remove them from the Traeger and place on a serving tray
- Serve immediately with extra sauce if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal