Go Back
–+ servings
smoked chicken thighs on a silver tray
Print Recipe
4.90 from 56 votes

Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs

Succulent and tender smoked chicken thighs with crispy skin in under an hour.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Marinating time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Hilda Sterner

Equipment

  • Smoker

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs (12 pieces)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 large lemon, juiced, and zested (3 tbsp)
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 6 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tablespoon dried or fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 2 tsps black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper (or smoked paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Add oil, lemon juice and zest, orange juice, crushed garlic, rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle pepper, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl and whisk to incorporate the flavors.
  • Dip the chicken thighs, one at a time, into the marinade and transfer them to a large gallon-sized bag. Pour any remaining marinade into the bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag, then seal and place in the fridge for at least a few hours to marinate the chicken. 
  • Preheat your Traeger or wood pellet grill to 200 F for 15 minutes. Place the seasoned chicken thighs directly on the grate (skin-side up) and smoke for 20 minutes using super smoke. Retain the remaining marinade for final basting in the last step.
  • Next, turn up the temperature to 375 F and smoke the chicken for an additional 30 minutes.
  • Finally, increase the temperature to 400 F. Baste the chicken skin with the remaining marinade and flip the chicken skin-side down. Smoke for 5 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165-180 degrees F.

Notes

  • If your smoker does not come with a probe, use a meat thermometer instead.
  • If you don't own a pellet smoker, you can still try this marinade. Just grill the chicken thighs on your barbecue grill or bake the chicken in the oven.
  • Smoked chicken thigh leftovers can be added to burritos, quesadillas, or in a chicken sandwich. You can also chop up the chicken thighs to make smoked chicken salad!
  • Serve the chicken thighs with a salad for a great low carb or keto option!

Nutrition

Serving: 2pieces | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 1352mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg