This Traeger chicken thigh recipe is low in carbs, easy to prepare, and tastes absolutely amazing. The smoked chicken thighs are moist and tender with a perfect smoky flavor. Have Traeger smoked potatoes or smoked corn on the cob on the side.
This Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs Recipe is my new go-to recipe for smoking chicken thighs. Follow these easy recipe steps and you’re guaranteed to have the best smoked chicken thighs you’ve ever had. Can you believe that juicy, tender smoked chicken is ready in less than an hour?
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😍 Why you’ll love this recipe
If you like crispy chicken skin, I have you! During the last 5 minutes of smoking the chicken thighs over high heat, the chicken thighs are grilled from the inside out to make the skin crispy.
The simple marinade is also great for marinating chicken breasts, chicken wings, and boneless skinless chicken thighs.
If you prefer to salt the thighs first, check out Michelle from Greedy Gourmet’s recipe for salted chicken thighs.
Leftover chicken thighs make a great high-protein on-the-go snack with 19 grams of protein and just 2 grams of carbohydrates. You don’t even need to reheat it. That’s right, I said, I eat it cold like I eat leftover pizza!
🛒 Contents of this recipe
🔖 Materials and Substitutes
Chicken: This recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on. If you substitute boneless chicken thighs, you will need to reduce the cooking time. Oil: Olive oil, avocado oil, and vegetable oil can all be used in marinades. Lemon juice: If you don’t have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice instead. Garlic: I like to add crushed garlic. If desired, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Spices: I thought of using my dry rub recipe. Because it makes everything taste great. I thought about using a store-bought spice rub, but decided to keep it simple and use common spices like chipotle pepper and cayenne. I also added dried rosemary (fresh rosemary is best), sea salt, and black pepper. Orange Juice: You will notice that there is no orange juice in the photo. Because it was a last minute decision. I wanted to increase the amount of marinade to add sweetness without adding brown sugar. I thought about adding it as an option, but it really brings out the flavor of the smoked chicken, so please add it!
🍗 How to make Traeger smoked chicken thighs
Step 1: Add oil, lemon juice and zest, orange juice, crushed garlic, rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl and whisk to combine flavors.
Step 2: Dip each chicken thigh into the marinade and transfer to a large gallon-sized bag. Pour the remaining marinade into the bag. Let the air out of the bag, seal it, and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate the chicken.
Step 3: Preheat your Traeger or wood pellet grill to 200 F for 15 minutes. Place the seasoned chicken thighs directly on the grill, skin side up, and smoke for 20 minutes in Super Smoke. Reserve the remaining marinade for the final basting at the last stage.
Step 4: Next, increase the temperature to 375 F and smoke the chicken for another 30 minutes.
Step 5: Finally, increase the temperature to 400°F. Brown the skin of the chicken in the remaining marinade, turning the chicken skin-side down. Smoke for 5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165-180°F.
🍽 More chicken recipes
Looking for other great chicken recipes? Check out this chicken broccoli rice casserole recipe or this crispy smoked chicken wing recipe. It is slowly cooked at a low temperature and has a delicious smoky flavor.
🫔 What to do with leftover smoked chicken?
Wondering what you can make with leftover smoked chicken? Why not try Nicole’s Smoked Chicken Salad at orwhateveryoudo.com? It’s quick, easy, and delicious. Or try making this amazing chicken croissant sandwich. You can also mix shredded chicken with green chili salsa and use it as a filling for Instant Pot tamales.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQ
Fruitwood is always the best choice when smoking chicken. Apples, peaches, and cherries are all great options when smoking chicken. However, you can’t go wrong with a signature blend of pecan, hickory, and Traeger.
Chicken thighs can be smoked for 45 minutes or for several hours. It really depends on your personal preference and the recipe you follow. If you decide to smoke your chicken at 225 degrees, it will take anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours.
However, it is best to cook the chicken at a high temperature for a short time to prevent the skin from becoming rubbery.
To enjoy juicy chicken thighs and crispy skin, turn the chicken thighs over and sear them. To do this, raise the temperature of your smoker to 400 degrees during the last 5-10 minutes of smoking with your thigh skin side down.
While smoking the chicken thighs, flip them only at the end to get crispy skin. This process is called reverse firing.
🥗 Side dishes that go well with smoked chicken thighs
There are many side dish options you can serve with these Traeger smoked chicken thighs. Here are some possibilities.
One downside to smoking chicken instead of grilling it is that the gravy won’t drip into the pan. Luckily, you can make this mouth-watering chicken gravy without dripping.
🥩 More smoker recipes
If you’re looking for other smoked recipe ideas, you’re in luck! Try my Juicy Smoked Burgers or some of our readers’ favorites.
👩🏼🍳Pro Tips
If your smoker doesn’t come with a probe, use a meat thermometer instead. If you don’t have a pellet smoker, you can still try this marinade. Just grill the chicken thighs on the barbecue grill or bake them in the oven. Leftover smoked chicken thighs can be added to California burritos, quesadillas, or chicken sandwiches. You can also make smoked chicken salad by mincing chicken thighs! Eating chicken thighs with a salad is perfect for a low-carb or keto diet.
🍖 More chicken recipes
If you like this smoked chicken thighs recipe, check out these related recipes.
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📖Recipes
Traeger smoked chicken thighs
In less than an hour, you can have juicy, tender smoked chicken thighs with crispy skin.
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Quantity: 6 people
calorie: 519kcal
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the oil, lemon juice and zest, orange juice, crushed garlic, rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine.
Dip each chicken thigh into the marinade and transfer to a large gallon-sized bag. Pour the remaining marinade into the bag. Let the air out of the bag, seal it, and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate the chicken.
Preheat a Traeger or wood pellet grill to 200 F for 15 minutes. Place the seasoned chicken thighs directly on the grill, skin side up, and smoke for 20 minutes in Super Smoke. Reserve the remaining marinade for the final step.
Then increase the temperature to 375°F and smoke the chicken for another 30 minutes.
Finally, increase the temperature to 400°F. Brown the skin of the chicken in the remaining marinade, turning the chicken skin-side down. Smoke for 5 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165-180°F.
Precautions
If your smoker doesn’t come with a probe, use a meat thermometer instead. If you don’t have a pellet smoker, you can still try this marinade. Just grill the chicken thighs on the barbecue grill or bake them in the oven. Leftover smoked chicken thighs can be added to California burritos, quesadillas, or chicken sandwiches. You can also make smoked chicken salad by mincing chicken thighs! Eating chicken thighs with a salad is perfect for a low-carb or keto diet.
nutrition
Provided by: 2pieces | calorie: 519kcal | carbohydrates: 4g | protein: 37g | fat: 41g | Saturated fat: 11g | cholesterol: 186mg | sodium: 1352mg | fiber: 1g | sugar: 1g
