The Best Pellet Grill Smoked Chicken Thighs (with Crispy Skin!)

By Todd Martin July 29, 2025 9 mins read 10 Views

Chicken thighs are one of my favorite cuts to smoke, especially on a pellet grill. The rich dark meat stays juicy, and the skin crisps beautifully with steady heat and clean smoke.

They’re naturally full of flavor, but a good marinade takes them to the next level. When I’m prepping thighs for competition, I always marinate them because it helps the smoke and seasoning soak deep into the meat, which can be the difference between a call-up and going home empty-handed.

Pellet grill Smoked Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are perfect for smoking thanks to their higher fat content and dark meat. This gives them more flavor and helps them stay juicy, even when cooked to 185–195°F. That makes them more forgiving than leaner cuts like chicken breast.

While this recipe comes together quickly, plan ahead to give the chicken enough time to marinate.

a cooked whole chicken thigh and a piece of thigh sitting on top showing the inside meat. a bowl of sauce on the side.

You can absolutely use this method with chicken breast, just monitor the internal temperature closely and aim for 160–165°F before resting. For a full guide, check out our Smoked Chicken Breast recipe.

Ingredients for Smoked Thighs

Chicken thighs – I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. While you can make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken, the bone-in chicken will have better flavor, and the crispy skin really brings the dish to the next level.
Italian dressing – I used a bottle of Italian dressing. This adds amazing flavor to the chicken from the inside out. If you’re not a fan of Italian dressing, you can use any vinegar-based salad dressing or chicken marinade.
Poultry seasoning – A simple blend of salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, dried mustard, and a touch of cayenne for spice. If you prefer, you can also use your favorite store-bought poultry seasoning.

the ingredients for smoked chicken thighs laid out on a tray

Testing this smoked chicken thighs recipe

This smoked chicken thighs recipe has evolved a bit over the years. Our original version used a dry brine and cornstarch to achieve extra crispy skin, which worked great but required planning ahead.

For this updated version, I tested a marinade using Italian dressing to simplify the prep and boost flavor. Even with just an hour in the fridge, the chicken came out juicy and flavorful, though overnight gave the best results.

I also compared a two-stage smoke at 225°F then 375°F versus a steady 300°F cook. The 300°F method delivered crisp skin and great smoke flavor without the extra steps, ideal for pellet grills.

Lastly, I tested saucing during the cook vs. serving it on the side. While basting adds a nice glaze, I found it softens the skin slightly, so I now recommend serving sauce on the side to keep things crispy.

What’s the best internal temperature for smoked chicken thighs?

We all know that chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, but when you are working with dark chicken meat, it’s important to let it cook a bit longer than you would cook a chicken breast. Dark meat is full of fat, so it will stay juicy even when cooked to higher temperatures.

You want to let the fat in the meat render, so let it cook to at least 185°F for the best flavor and texture. I’ve cooked chicken thighs all the way up to 200°F in the past with no issue, so don’t be afraid to let the chicken cook until the skin is perfectly crispy.

How to make smoked chicken thighs

1. Marinate the thighs

To marinate your chicken, all you need is a bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing. I like to use the Zesty Italian by Kraft, but any Italian dressing will work just fine.

chicken thighs being added to a bag of marinade

A gallon Ziploc bag is the perfect tool for marinating your chicken. It allows the chicken to stay fully coated in the marinade to lock in the most flavor. If you prefer, you can also marinate the chicken in a bowl or an airtight container, but be sure to find one that allows the chicken to be fully submerged in the marinade.

If you’re pressed for time, you can marinate your chicken for as little as one hour before cooking, but 8-12 hours is the best. Do not let your chicken marinate for longer than 24 hours. The acidity in the marinade will start to break down the meat, leaving you with chewy chicken once cooked.

2. Season the thighs

While you can substitute a store-bought poultry rub or seasoning, I’ve found that making a quick batch of seasoning yields the best and freshest flavor for chicken.

All you have to do is combine the salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, dried mustard, and a touch of cayenne for spice in a small bowl or seasoning shaker and give them a good mix until everything is evenly combined.

Pro tip – If you want to make a double (or triple) batch, the seasoning blend will keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and let any excess drip off. There’s no need to wipe them down. The marinade left on the surface will act as a binder for the seasoning, helping it stick evenly to the meat and skin.

The key to flavorful chicken is to season it well. Start by seasoning the non-skin side, then turn it over, peel back the skin, and season the meat.

Once you’ve seasoned under the skin, put the skin back in place, put your thighs on a wire rack, and sprinkle the remaining seasoning over the top.

raw seasoned chicken thighs being placed on a wire rack

You can put the thighs directly on the grates, but over the years, I’ve found that using a wire rack makes it much easier to get them on and off the grill.

3. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your smoker to 300°F.

For this recipe, I used my Traeger Woodridge Elite pellet grill with Bear Mountain Gourmet BBQ pellets. You can smoke chicken with just about any type of wood you like, but I’ve found that oak, pecan, and hickory provide the best flavor. I recommend avoiding harsh woods like mesquite, as the flavor can really overpower the flavor of the chicken.

traeger woodridge elite with pellets — I can’t stand rubbery chicken skin and I’ve found that lower temperatures just don’t allow the skin to crisp up properly.

Over the years, I’ve smoked chicken at just about every temperature you can imagine, and I’ve found that 300°F is the perfect temperature to get a nice smoke flavor in the meat while allowing the skin to get perfectly crispy.

Place the thighs on the smoker and let them smoke for around one hour; it can take up to 1-½ hours depending on their size. Your goal is to get to an internal temperature of around 185°F in the thickest part of the thigh, so an instant-read thermometer is the best way to keep an eye on the temp of your chicken.

raw seasoned chicken thighs in the smoker

You also want to keep an eye on the skin. The goal is to have juicy chicken inside and crispy skin outside, so don’t be afraid to let the chicken cook until that skin is perfectly crispy.

While it’s possible to overcook a chicken thigh, the internal temperature isn’t quite as important as it would be if you were working with white meat (like chicken breasts). I’ve had chicken thighs go all the way to 200°F internal and remain juicy inside just because of the fat content in dark meat chicken.

To sauce or not to sauce?

While I love a good barbecue sauce on my smoked chicken, I’ve found that saucing the chicken during the cooking process can compromise the crispy skin, so I prefer to serve the sauce on the side.

If you want to sauce your chicken while it’s still on the smoker, you can add your favorite barbecue sauce during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time. This will allow the sauce time to tack up on the chicken without running the risk of burning the sauce on the grill.

Here are some of my favorite homemade sauces to serve alongside smoked chicken:

Texas-style Barbecue Sauce – if you want that classic barbecue flavor with a little bit of Texas heat, look no further than a flavorful, homemade Texas-style barbecue sauce.
Alabama White Sauce – one of my favorite sauces to serve with smoked chicken is an Alabama White Sauce. It has a fiery kick of horseradish and cayenne that’s cooled down by a creamy, mayonnaise base and works fabulously with smoked chicken.
East Carolina Vinegar Sauce – if you want to add a vinegary twang to your chicken then serving up a classic East Carolina Vinegar sauce is the way to go.
Carolina Gold Sauce – if you’re a mustard fan then you’re going to love this sweet and tangy Carolina Gold Sauce. While it’s more commonly served with pork, it tastes great on chicken as well.

three pieces of cooked chicken thigh on a wooden board with a bowl of sauce

What to serve with smoked chicken thighs

Smoked chicken thighs are incredibly versatile, perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing feast. Serve them as they are with your favorite sides, shred the meat for tacos or sandwiches, or pile it high on a fresh salad for a smoky twist.

Smoked Beer Mustard Potatoes

Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Mexican Grilled Corn

dish of smoked mac and cheese with spoon scoping some out

The Best Smoked Mac And Cheese Ever

No matter how you serve them, they’re guaranteed to be a hit. If you cook these, be sure to leave a rating and let us know how they turn out