Smoking chicken thighs present a problem if you are cooking them at low heat. If you cook them over 350 F, the skin crisps up. Below that, the skin tends to get rubbery. What if your smoker won’t heat up to 350 F or you are cooking pulled pork at 250 F and want to do some chicken at the same time? Can you still make chicken with a crispy skin. Yes!
The trick is to begin cooking the chicken in some foil to soften the skin before smoking.
I started my chicken thighs by injecting some Cajun Injector Creole Butter. This is optional but does add a nice layer of flavour. Then, I sprinkled the chicken with Louisiana Grills Chicken Seasoning. You can use any seasoning blend or rub you like. I like this seasoning because it has a nice herb/spice blend for chicken.
I worked a finger under the skin of the chicken and rubbed more of the seasoning mix under it. Then I put the chicken in a roasting pan and put any left over marinade over them. I put a pat of butter on each thigh. I covered the pan with foil and put it in a 250 F smoker for 40 minutes.
I gave the thighs a brush with the juice from the pan and put them on the rack of the smoker and smoked for 30 minutes more. I flipped them and smoked for another 30 minutes.
Here is a video of the smoke if you would like to watch it.
The Verdict
This works very well. The chicken gets a nice touch of spice from the Creole Butter, a herb blend from the seasonings and the skin bites through nicely without coming off the chicken. I love it when a plan comes together!
The Old Fat Guy
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) Cajun Injection Creole Butter (optional)
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) Louisiana Grills Chicken Seasoning or a blend of your choice
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) butter
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250 F.
- If you are using the Creole butter, inject it into the chicken thighs.
- Sprinkle half the seasoning over the chicken.
- Work a finger under the skin of the thighs and rub the remaining seasoning under the skin.
- Put the chicken in a roasting pan and put any excess Creole Butter over it.
- Divide the butter into 4 pats and put one on each thigh.
- Cover the pan with foil and put it in the smoker for 40 minutes.
- Brush the thighs with the juice in the pan. Take them out of the pan and put them on the smoker rack. Smoke for 30 minutes.
- Turn the chicken and smoke for 30 minutes more.
- Make sure the internal temperature is over 170 F. Serve.
