How to Smoke Chicken Thighs and Legs

I like to smoke foods, chicken is a favorite all around. Here are 2 recipes
to cook chicken thighs and legs.

If you like dark meat that is packed full of flavor, chicken thighs that are
hot off the smoker are an inexpensive way to feed  everyone. The
other nice thing about cooking just the thighs is they tend to cook faster
than smoking a whole bird, yet still provide adequate meat on the bone
versus smaller cuts like chicken wings.

Thighs are a popular cut to smoke due to their fattier content than white
meat and their relatively low time to smoke. Typically thighs can be smoked
in 3 hours or less compared to 4 for a breast and 5 for a whole bird.

Smoked Chicken Thigh Ingredients
6 chicken thighs with the skin on
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon black pepper

Smoked Chicken Thigh Directions
Light your smoker and allow it to come up to a temperature of 250-275 F
degrees.
Mix all dry rub seasoning ingredients thoroughly.
Rub olive oil to fully coat the chicken thighs.
Sprinkle the mixed seasonings all over the chicken thighs to ensure they are
fully coated with rub.
Lay your chicken thighs on the smoker rack and add smoker wood chips at the
same time you add the meat. Apple, pecan, or cherry wood is ideal for this
ecipe.
It is recommended to ensure there is enough wood every hour. Smoke your
chicken thighs for 2 hours and rotate them to ensure they cook evenly.
Total cooking time is 3 to 4 hours total depending on a variety of factors
such as size of the thighs, temperature of the grill and outside, how windy
it is, and how often you open the smoker lid which will let the heat out.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of
165 degrees.

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Smoked Chicken Legs

Kicked Up Drumstick Rub
1 Tablespoon dried garlic flakes
1 Tablespoon granulated onion
1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Each batch of legs rested at room temperature for 30 minutes before being
placed on the smoker.
I took both batches of legs to 170 F.  Chicken is “done” at 165 F but I prefer to cook
them a little more to make sure they are done and tender through.  I take smoked
chicken thighs up a little higher to 180 F but they have more fat and deal
with the higher heat better.

The legs smoked at 275 F took 2 hours 30 minutes to reach 170 F. 
The big point here is to always use a digital
thermometer to measure internal temperatures and do not rely solely upon
time and temperature guides.

The legs got dressed with a little barbecue sauce and were plenty tasty
for such a simple technique. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes
before placing it on your smoker

Smoked Chicken Legs
All it takes is a simple brine to create the
best smoked legs your guests have ever tried.

Brine for Chicken Legs
Using a brine on these drumsticks has two benefits.  The chicken will be
even juicier and you can cook it to a higher temperature without it drying
out.  The higher final temperature will make the meat even more tender.

Smoked Chicken Leg Brine Recipe

1 quart water
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
Mix the ingredients and allow the chicken to brine in the refrigerator for
3-4 hours.

Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse with cold water and then pat dry
with paper towels.

Place the legs on your smoker set at 275 F and cook them for an hour to give
the rub time to set up and form a crust.

After 2 hours, brush the meaty section of the drumsticks with
barbecue sauce.  Return the drumsticks to the smoker and allow them to smoke
another 30-45 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 185 F.
Once the legs hit 185
F remove them from the smoker, let cool a bit before
serving.

I put my chicken in a lined pan during bbq sauce time to keep the smoker cleaner