This easy recipe for Traeger grilled chicken thighs is the best for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Use it for any wood pellet grill.
This year, I’ve been really testing out different recipes to see what works on my wood pellet grill. Of course, you can smoke meat on your wood pellet grilled but you can also grill and make these Traeger grilled chicken thighs.
SO many people love these smoked chicken thighs…and for good reason! They’re juicy, flavorful and super tender. But, when I’m craving a fast meal, sometimes smoking meat for a long time doesn’t quite fit into my schedule.
I love grilling on my Traeger because I can keep the temperature really steady. My Pro 575 goes up over 450F when it’s really hot, which is about equivalent to medium-high on a gas or charcoal grill.
Important things to know when grilling chicken thighs
There are a few important things to know when you’re grilling chicken thighs that are bone-in and skin-on that are really important, no matter what grill you’re using.
I call these the holy grail of grilled chicken thighs:
A marinade is important
While chicken thighs are much more flavorful than chicken breasts, they can get boring. So, a good marinade is important. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or complicated. Some olive oil, acid, spices, and seasoning will do the trick. Get my recipe for the Traeger grilled chicken thighs ultimate marinade in the printout below.
Cook them skin side down first, for at least 15 minutes
When I’m putting my thighs on the grill, I cook them skin side down first and for longer than I cook the other side. There’s nothing like crispy skin with a kiss of smoke and char.
Don’t over cook them
I use a digital read thermometer to make sure I’m cooking meat perfectly. For these Traeger grilled chicken thighs, they’re done when the middle of the thickest part of the chicken next to the bone reaches 165F. Once you hit that, immediately remove them from the grill.
Let them rest before serving
Once the chicken is cooked, let it rest before serving for about 10 minutes. This helps the juices to draw back into the meat, giving you more flavor and moisture!
Love grilling & smoking? Check out my Traeger Beer Can Chicken recipe! It’s a great recipe for the summer!
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Traeger Grilled Chicken Thighs (bone in)
This easy recipe for Traeger grilled chicken thighs is the best for bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Use it for any wood pellet grill.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes + 1 hour marinade
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes + 1 hour marinade
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Grill/Wood Pellet Grill
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. paprika (I love smoked paprika)
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a zip-top bag or bowl with a lid.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients to make the marinade.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- When you’re ready to grill, pull the chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes while you preheat the grill. This is safe to do and ensures even cooking.
- Preheat your Traeger or wood pellet grill to 450F.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it skin side down on the grill. Don’t rinse or wipe off the marinade.
- Grill for about 20 minutes skin side down before flipping the chicken and cooking for an additional 10+/- minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165F at the thickest part of the thigh.
- Rest the thighs for about 10 minutes before serving!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh
- Calories: 324
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 958 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
Keywords: chicken, grilled chicken, traeger, smoker, wood pellet grill, chicken thigh
Oil the heck out of the grill,,,, everything stuck
Recipe is great the grill kinda not so much
That’s interesting! Things don’t usually ever stick to my Traeger! I would contact their customer service!
Try rubbing an onion cut in half
Tried this recipe today and it was spot on! Best chicken I’ve cooked on my traeger since I got it 6 years ago! Thanks!
★★★★★
Wow, I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks, Bary!
Awesome, simple recipe.I did mine using below recipe and a cast-iron skillet in the trigger. Awesome taste
★★★★★
Yum! Great idea!
Loved it! Was easy to make and I did marinade overnight (scheduling issue) so was concerned I’d over-marinaded it, but was delicious. Didn’t stick to my Traeger grill at all (nothing has ever stuck). It’s going to be a “go to” recipe for friends!
★★★★★
Awesome! Glad it worked for you overnight, good to know!
Hey there! Any tips to not start a fire at 450? I do clean as well as I can, but seems like anytime I crank the heat way up, I get some real flames going. Thanks!
Oh interesting! I don’t think I’ve ever had a big flame with my Traeger. Do you clean out your fire pot regularly? I like to just use a shop vac on the inside once the rack and drip tray are out. Also, Traeger makes a drip tray liner that may help oil from dripping down.
Have done this recipe a handful of times now. Comes out perfect every time. Some of the best grilled chicken I’ve ever tasted. Thanks for the tips!
★★★★★