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Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs on a plate with a side of BBQ sauce.
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Boneless Chicken Thighs (Easy Traeger Recipe)

These smoked boneless chicken thighs are cooked at 275°F on a Traeger with a tangy BBQ-lime marinade, smoky dry rub, and sticky BBQ finish. They take about 80–90 minutes and are great for meal prep, easy dinners, or summer cookouts.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Marinating Time30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Servings: 6
Calories: 443kcal
Author: Nadia

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Coconut Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon Sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Chili powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Lime juice of 1 lime
  • 1 cup BBQ Sauce divided

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Add them to a large bowl and drizzle them with avocado oil. Sprinkle on the coconut sugar, onion powder, mustard powder, sea salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, and black pepper. Toss well to evenly coat the chicken.
    2 pounds Chicken Thighs, 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil, 1 teaspoon Coconut Sugar, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, 1 teaspoon Mustard powder, 1 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, ½ teaspoon Chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
  • Squeeze in the lime juice and ½ cup of BBQ sauce, and toss again until everything is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
    1 Lime, 1 cup BBQ Sauce
  • Preheat your smoker to 275°F. I use a Traeger pellet grill, but any pellet smoker works great. Remove the chicken from the fridge while the smoker preheats. Once the pellet grill reaches 275°F, place the boneless skinless chicken thighs directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke for 60 minutes.
  • After 60 minutes, flip the chicken thighs and brush them with the remaining BBQ sauce. Continue smoking for another 20–30 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
    1 cup BBQ Sauce

Notes

Nadia's Expert Tips And Notes
 
    • Give the marinade at least 30 minutes. I’ve found that 30 minutes gives the chicken plenty of flavor, but if you have the time, let it sit for up to 2 hours for a deeper BBQ-lime flavor.
    • Stick with 275°F for this method. This is the temperature I use for these boneless chicken thighs because it gives them enough time to pick up smoke flavor without turning the recipe into an all-day cook.
    • Use a meat thermometer, not just the clock. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can vary quite a bit in thickness. Check the thickest piece and cook until it reaches 165°F rather than assuming every batch will finish at the exact same minute.
    • Save the final BBQ sauce for the end. Brush the thighs during the last 20 to 30 minutes so the sauce has time to warm, thicken, and get sticky without spending the entire cook on the grill.
    • Choose pellets based on how smoky you want the chicken. Hickory gives these Traeger chicken thighs a deeper smoke flavor, while cherry is a little sweeter. Those are the two I reach for most often with this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1048mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
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