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How to Make Smoked Chicken Thighs with BBQ Sauce - A Step-by-Step Guide

There's nothing quite like the taste of juicy, tender smoked chicken thighs coated in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. This classic dish is a staple at backyard barbecues and family gatherings, and for good reason – it's downright delicious. Whether you're firing up the smoker for a special occasion or just want to treat yourself to a mouthwatering meal, smoked chicken thighs with BBQ sauce are sure to satisfy.

One of the great things about this recipe is that it's incredibly versatile. Y...

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 lemons, juiced
  • 12 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
  • 30 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup Sriracha sauce
  • 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Information

  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hrs 25 mins
  • Additional Time: 7 hrs
  • Total Time: 10 hrs 10 mins
  • Servings: 30
  • Yield: 30 chicken thighs

  • Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and jalapeno peppers in a bowl for a marinade. Allow to rest for at least 1 hour.
  • Place the chicken thighs in a large, shallow container and cover with the marinade. Chill and marinate for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.
  • Combine ketchup, water, cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, Sriracha, brown sugar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, 1/2 tablespoon black pepper, and onion powder in a medium saucepan. Simmer for 25 minutes.
  • Remove the skin from each chicken thigh, one at a time. Trim excess fat from the edges of each thigh; if there are any veins on the bottom of the thigh, trim away as well. Scrape the fat off from the bottom side of the chicken's skin using a sharp knife until the skin is essentially transparent.
  • Re-wrap the trimmed thighs with the skin. Liberally coat with sea salt and pepper.
  • Place chicken thighs, unstacked, onto wire racks. Place the racks into the smoker. Add pecan wood chips according to manufacturer's directions and heat to 265 to 285 degrees F (129 to 140 degrees C).
  • Smoke until chicken thighs are no longer pink in the centers, about 2 hours. During the final 45 minutes of cooking, liberally apply the BBQ sauce 2 to 3 times. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone of a thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

    • Nutrition

    356 cal.

    • Total Fat: 27g
    • Saturated Fat: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 71mg
    • Sodium: 357mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 9g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 6g
    • Protein: 20g
    • Vitamin C: 13mg
    • Calcium: 26mg
    • Iron: 2mg
    • Potassium: 271mg

    Categories

    Main recipes
    Bbq recipes
    Grilled recipes
    Smoked recipes
    Chicken recipes