Pellet Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipes

SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat a smoker to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C).
• Combine salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and oregano in a bowl. Apply to chicken thighs as a dry rub.
• Smoke thighs using cherry wood for 1 hour. Rotate and flip thighs and continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour more.

MARINATED BONELESS, SKINLESS SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, hot honey, shallot, garlic, and chili powder in a medium bowl. Combine hot honey mixture and chicken thighs in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and gently massage to work marinade into thighs. Chill in a refrigerator, at least 2 hours, or up to 8 hours.
• Prepare a smoker according to manufacturer's instructions, bringing internal temperature to 225 to 250 degrees F (107 to 120 degrees C); maintain temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken thighs from marinade, and pat dry with paper towels; do not discard marinade.
• Stir together cornstarch and water in a small metal bowl until combined.
• Strain marinade through a fine-mesh strainer into a small saucepan; whisk in cornstarch mixture. Bring marinade mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Set sauce aside to cool at room temperature.
• Sprinkle chicken thighs evenly with salt and pepper.
• Smoke chicken thighs, maintaining temperature inside smoker, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, brushing chicken thighs with reserved sauce every 15 minutes after the first hour of smoking. Transfer chicken thighs to a plate or platter and serve immediately.

PELLET SMOKER SMOKED CHICKEN THIGHS (CUPCAKE CHICKEN THIGHS)

Steps:

• Using your hands, carefully peel away skin from chicken thighs. Lay skins flat on a cutting board, and use the back of a knife to gently scrape away excess fat from skins. Discard fat, and set scraped skins aside. Carefully remove and discard bones from thighs.
• Whisk together smoked paprika, 3 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
• Sprinkle paprika mixture evenly and liberally over chicken thighs. Fold each chicken thigh in half crosswise and wrap chicken thigh with one skin. Smooth the skin with your hands to remove any wrinkles or folds.
• Fill a pellet container with hardwood pellets according to manufacturer's instructions. Set temperature to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C), close lid, and let preheat for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Use a wooden dowel or thick skewer to poke 1/4-inch holes in the center of each cup of the disposable muffin pan. Spray each muffin cup lightly with cooking spray. Place one thigh, skin-side down, into each muffin cup.
• Pour chicken broth into the disposable aluminum baking pan, then place the muffin tin with the chicken into the baking pan.
• Place the baking pan in the preheated smoker. Smoke, maintaining temperature inside smoker at 300 degrees F (149 degrees C), for 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove pan from smoker, pour off chicken broth, and sprinkle chicken thighs with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Flip chicken thighs in each muffin cup so they are skin-side up and return pan to smoker. Continue smoking chicken thighs until skins start to turn golden brown, about 30 minutes. Brush chicken thighs with barbeque sauce and continue smoking until sauce starts to caramelize and a thermometer inserted into each thigh registers 175 degrees F (80 degrees C), 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove baking pan from smoker. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing thighs from muffin cups and serving.