And if you’re looking for a top grilling contender, Traeger grills have earned their well deserved reputation, and they really shine cooking BBC (BBQ) Chicken, especially chicken thighs. They keep it under wraps but this is about having the perfect temperature control and wood pellet technology, things the traditional grill really can’t pull off. Traeger grills maintain consistent heat, which guarantees buyer’s chicken thighs out evenly with juicy tender results. Traeger is ridiculously versatile; whether you want a mellow hickory smoke, a delicate smoke flavor, or the bold taste of mesquite, Traeger lets you do it.
Crowd favorite for good reason, BBQ Chicken Thighs are a winner. Rich, dark meat cooks forgivingly, and their meat remains moist even while cooking. With the natural fat content, bites are succulent and go great with sweet and tangy BBQ sauces or dry rubs. Thighs are sweeter and ok to leave out, they stay great flavorful and juicy and also are ok to leave out, and unlike breasts they don’t dry out so quickly.
With those undeniable taste and no fluff BBQ chicken thighs combined with the best of outdoor grilling, you have more than a dish…you have a sporting event.
ingridiants
Best Traeger BBQ Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 6-8 chicken thighs bone-in or boneless, skin-on preferred
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp paprika smoked paprika for extra flavor
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand or homemade
Instructions
Directions:
Preheat the Traeger Grill:
- Set your Traeger to 350°F and allow it to preheat for about 10-15 minutes. Use wood pellets like hickory, mesquite, or apple for a rich, smoky flavor.
- Prepare the Chicken Thighs:
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure crispy skin. Place them in a large bowl and coat evenly with olive oil.
- Season the Chicken:
- In a small bowl, mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and brown sugar. Rub this spice mixture generously over both sides of the chicken thighs.
- Place on the Grill:
- Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs skin-side up on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook for 25-30 minutes.
- Flip and Baste:
- Flip the chicken thighs and brush them with BBQ sauce. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, flipping and basting every 5-7 minutes to build a caramelized glaze.
- Check Internal Temperature:
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
- Rest the Chicken:
- Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Plate the chicken thighs with your favorite sides, like coleslaw, cornbread, or grilled vegetables. Enjoy the smoky, tender perfection of BBQ Chicken thighs cooked on your Traeger grill!
Notes
Selecting the Right Chicken Thighs
When it comes to BBQ Chicken, the choice between bone-in and boneless thighs can make a significant difference. What’s more comforting than bone in thighs, the rich flavor coming from the marrow in the meat cooking it? And, they also are better at retaining moisture so they are great for grilling on a Traeger. The downside? And it’s takes a bit longer to cook and needs to be watched so it’s not over done on one side and under done on the other. However, boneless thighs are convenient and are able to be eaten easily, so they are great for gatherings. They are versatile enough to take on marinades well, which means each bite gets a flash of flavour.
Making sure you choose fresh, high quality chicken will make your results exceptional. Appearing for thighs with even, smooth skin that looks faintly pink. Packages with extra liquid or an off odor of any kind are a sign of declining freshness. When you can, go organic or free range for good flavor and texture.
Part of doing things the right way is prepping chicken thighs. Pat the meat dry and trim off excess fat so that seasoning will stick easier. Flip meat over and rub or marinade at least 30 minutes prior to grilling to give them extra flavor. Preparation on a Traeger ensures the spicy, juicy, flavorful, BBQ chicken is cooked to perfection.
The Art of Seasoning
A great BBQ Chicken begins with a flavor packed rub or marinade. Going with the homemade classic BBQ rub, you typically have brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder ad a little cayenne pepper to provide the balance of sweetness, smokiness and heat. Marinades that include soy sauce, honey, garlic and a little apple cider vinegar add the deeper flavor to the meat for those who like it deeper. Adding these to the smoke from the rich smoke of a Traeger grill really adds to the flavor.
Different flavor profiles allow you to mix and match different barbeque chicken flavors as you please. Maple or honey sweet rubs marvelously sweeten on the grill and spicy blends with chili powder or hot sauce add a fiery push. A good source of smoky essence is to add liquid smoke or smoked paprika to your rub and marinade. The profiles can be mixed and matched to make the most unique combinations to impress each and every palate.
Marinating chicken thighs is timing and technique. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight for best results as the flavors will penetrate your meat. Marinate refrigerated, and always refrigerate. Juicy, flavorful and unforgettable BBQ chicken cooked on a Traeger, these techniques guarantee.
Mastering the Traeger Grill
The secret to perfect BBQ Chicken is mastering your Traeger grill. It’s important to know what temperature you’re at, and what your smoke levels are, to get that rich smoky flavor. If you’re grilling for chicken thighs, use a temperature of 350°F for crispy skin and juicy meat. If you’d like deeper smoke flavor, cook first at a lower temperature, say at about 225°F, and then crank it up to finish. A Traeger consistently heats, with precise controls that all make it easy to achieve restaurant quality results.
A big step is preheating your Traeger. Don’t cook the chicken until the grill reaches the desired temp. Not only will the meat cook even but it will also prevent the meat from sticking. Just as important as maintaining consistent heat (so that the smoke doesn’t burn off), don’t open the lid so much that you’re lifting it unnecessarily and the heat doesn’t stay consistent.
The right wood pellets make your BBQ chicken taste great. Bold smoky profile of hickory pellets goes well with strong rubs or sauces. Others love mesquite and its intense earthy flavor perfect for a Texas style BBQ. Apple wood pellets are milder, slightly sweet smelling and perfect for a milder scent. With these pellet types paired with Traeger’s versatility a barbecue your memory will never forget will ensue.
Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
It’s not easy to achieve a perfectly crispy skin on BBQ Chicken thighs, but the combination is worth it. Start off by patting the skin dry with paper towels, as that will make it hard to crisp. To cook on a Traeger set the temperature to 350°F to slather on direct heat that renders fat and crisps skin without burning. And to really enhance the flavor, after oiling or melting butter on, brush the thighs thanks to a gentle layer of oil or butter. This step also browns and favors the ability of seasonings to cling.
Flipping and basting are also important for even cooking and the greatest flavor. In order to maintain the integrity of the chicken skin, keep them flipped only once while grilling. Basting with a barbecue sauce or marinade in the last 15 minutes of cooking gives you a caramelized glaze, but go easy on that early, the sugars can burn. You need to monitor the internal temperature, so use that handy meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is safe at 165°F and still juicy.
Of course, you don’t want to make common errors like overcrowding the grill so that food cooks unevenly or constantly lifting the lid causing fluctuation to your heat and smoke level. The precision of the Traeger makes these missteps easy to avoid and you get to give that crispy, flavorful BBQ chicken thighs every time.
Side Dishes to Pair with Traeger BBQ Chicken Thighs
BBQ Chicken feast can enjoy the company of food that will complement it well to make it more palatable and and a completed meal. Spicy, smoky chicken is the classic BBQ side’s nemesis: coleslaw, cornbread, potato salad, et cetera. Tender pieces of chicken drips tan, rich with the crunch from coleslaw tangy dressing and the grill of a Traeger. Soft cornbread provides a sweet buttery contrast, while creamy potato salad makes it a heartiness, ease and comfort for the plate.
Healthy options include grilled vegetables, or fresh salads for a lighter, twist. When you have zucchini, bell peppers and asparagus on hand, season your chicken on the Traeger for a smoky depth. A crisp garden salad made with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette serves as a relaxing splash of fresh against the rich meat.
From mac and cheese to spicy rice pilaf, these special pairings are indulgent, bold flavors. Falling between smoky, charred chicken and a creamy mac and cheese sat both a spiced rice pilaf with cumin, paprika and chili. You can either choose to use BBQ Chicken combination of them or enjoy your meal with the BBQ Chicken combination for a casual gathering meal and ingle with the BBQ Chicken combination to create a memorable experience for a special occasion.
Tips for Serving and Storing
Resting your BBQ chicken is an important step for juiciest BBQ chicken. Once you’ve taken the chicken thighs off your Traeger, let them sit there for 5 to 10 minutes. The juicing deep into the meat is why there’s this resting period to keep the meat from opening up with juices slurring out when you slice it. Foil loosely over the chicken will help retain heat without sogginess to the skin. This step is often skipped, and it is for a good reason: dry chicken regardless of how perfectly the chicken was cooked.
When slicing and cutting BBQ Chicken thighs, you don’t want low quality cut to give you messy parts. When you cut against the bone you are removing that bone for easy, serving. Versatile presentations include strips or diced into wraps, salads, etc. When the pieces are ready, lay them out on a platter and arrange them so the crispy skin is top side down and you see their golden brown perfection.
As with any food, proper storage and reheating will help retain its flavour but with our leftovers. Cooled chicken should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator no more than 3 days. To keep the moisture in you’d better do this: Reheat with a low oven temperature or keep it in a skillet, gently warming the meat. Indirect heat allows the smokiness to stay, with the natural moisture keeping the meat from overcooking when reheated for your Traeger.
Conclusion
Traeger BBQ Chicken thighs are the ultimate grill go to recipe: loaded with easy, flavor and versatility. Chicken thighs are not only chicken thighs, but showered in its own natural goodness that makes them forgiving on the grill and perfect for soaking up smoky, rich flavors. Traeger grill’s precise temperature control and wood fire liven up these simple cuts to gilded, crunchy skin and juicy, flavorful meat every time.
This recipe is super adaptable as to what you actually put into it. And regular chicken thighs really go well with sweet, spicy, or tangy flavors, whether you like that or not. Trying spicing this out, with smoky paprika, citrusy coriander, or spicy cayenne, will create endless flavor profiles. Enjoy your BBQ Chicken thighs with a potato salad and cornbread, but don’t stop there – pair them with grilled peaches or spicy rice pilaf.
Simply put, there’s great joy in cooking Traeger BBQ Chicken thighs in, and your ability to get creative. Each batch you can refine your techniques, pair new flavors and come up with flavors that will suit any occasion. While this recipe is much more than a meal, it’s also an invitation to explore, experiment, and grilling as an art form.
