Chicken Thighs and Wings on the Smoker

[zupanj]

I have never cooked chicken on my smoker and wanted to give it a try for this weekend. Not sure about a few things. What temp should I use and how long might it take. I am thinking about not using a rub but finishing with a light glaze of bbq sauce. I would use bone-in, skin-on thighs and wings. I may do some ribs at the same time and I am sure they will go much longer than the chicken.

[DaveD]

Low and slow is not good for poultry, those skins will be rubbery. I'd run at 300/150 to 350/175, and the thighs won't take more than about an hour and a half. I do these on the SnS kettle 2-zone style, with a chunk of wood on the coals on the hot side, and the flavor is really good. Even just 2-zone on the gasser comes out great. I don't make wings, so I got nothin' on those. Good luck!

[dpearce]

I've done both, on the Pit Barrel, and on the Weber 22 charcoal grill. Two zone will be fine, and as DaveD mentioned, don't do a true low & slow, unless you plan on using high heat at the end to crisp up the skin. Otherwise, you will end up with chewy skin. I've used both the vortex and just regular two-zone on the Weber. Vortex is nice paired with the Weber for chicken. Wings were especially nice using the vortex as well. The Pit Barrel, even though it's a little hotter than say and offset smoker, the chicken still needed a little crisping up to get it to where I liked it.

If you're smoker doesn't really allow for high heat, you might think about a quick pan fry at the end for that crispness. A cast iron pan over a lit Weber chimney would give you plenty of high heat for that.

[Purc]

I have smoked chicken on both the OKJ Bronco and Weber Kettle. Smoking at 325+ on both with vents wide open. I have hung chicken and laid it flat in the Bronco. Indirect with the SnS or Vortex in the Kettle. Your choice of wood for smoking. I wouldn't go low n slow 225 to 250 on chicken. I do spritz with 50/50 ACV/Apple juice just because.

BTW, I dry brine the uncovered chicken on a raised wire rack in the refrigerator to help dry out the skin before smoking. Crispy skin for the win.

As always, YMMV

[LA Pork Butt]

It really isn’t smoking, but I cook wings at 375. As dpearce mentioned the Vortex does a great job. On my BGE they take about 1 hour and on my pellet smoker about 40 minutes.

[captainlee]

I cook mine in the Yoder pizza oven insert in a cast iron roasting shallow pan per Chef Tom. They come out fantastic, the only way that I do them now.

[Oak Smoke]

I only really smoke whole chickens. I like to use Troutman Italian dressing method on thighs and wings, just grilling them. Great flavor and skin too.