Crispy Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs Bone-In (2024)

These Traeger Smoked Bone-In Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and full of delicious smoke flavor. Covered in dry rub and topped with BBQ sauce, these thighs are cooked to perfection.

These smoked chicken thighs can be cooked on a Traeger pellet grill, Pit Boss pellet grill, or any pellet smoker.

This recipe won't work for an electric smoker if the temperature doesn't go up to 350°F.

Why You'll Love These Chicken Thighs In Traeger Smoker

1. Easy To Make. This is an easy recipe. Just season your chicken and let the pellet grill do its thing.
2. No Brining. This makes this chicken recipe really quick and easy.
3. Delicious. The crispy chicken skin covered in delicious spice rub and BBQ sauce is perfection.
4. Perfectly Cooked. Cooking at 350°F on the Traeger makes the chicken juicy on the inside with a nice bit of crisp on the outside.
5. Family Favorite. These smoked chicken thighs are perfect for a family dinner, and make great leftovers!

Reader Reviews

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken Thighs. Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. I do not recommend using skinless, boneless chicken thighs as the high heat will dry them out.
• Olive oil. This gives the spice rub something to stick to. You can also use avocado oil.
• Spice rub. I made a homemade rub out of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Feel free to use your favorite chicken rub, or for a sweeter rub, make my Dry Rub For Smoked Chicken.
• BBQ sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce or homemade BBQ sauce.

See the printable recipe card below for quantitiesand a full list of ingredients.

How To Make Crispy Smoked Chicken Thighs On A Traeger

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Fill your Traeger or other pellet grill with wood pellets and preheat to 350°F.

Step 2: Brush olive oil over the bone in chicken thighs; top, bottom, and sides.

Step 3: Combine the ingredients for the chicken rub in a small bowl or jar, and cover the thighs in the spice rub.

Step 4: Once the grill is preheated, place chicken thighs skin-side up directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke for 45 minutes.

Step 5: Flip the thighs over with tongs, close the lid, and smoke for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F. Brush BBQ sauce generously on the chicken thighs, close the lid, and smoke for 5 minutes.

Step 7: Flip the chicken thighs over again and brush with barbecue sauce again. Close the lid and smoke for 5 more minutes so the sauce gets nice and caramelized.

Step 8: Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Variations

• Spicy. Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the spice rub.
• Herb. Swap out the oregano for rosemary or thyme.
• Sticky Glaze. Instead of BBQ sauce, mix soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, and a touch of ginger and garlic for an Asian-inspired glaze.

Expert Tips

• Make sure to preheat your Traeger. Mine takes at least 15 minutes to preheat.
• Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature as all grills cook differently. My Pit Boss pellet grill cooks much faster than my Traeger grill. The chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
• Resist the temptation to open the lid to check on the chicken. This will lead to a longer cooking time. Use a temperature probe if you have one.

Recipe FAQs

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator: Store leftover smoked chicken thighs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheating: Reheat in a covered dish with a splash of water or chicken broth until hot.

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