Smoked Chicken Legs

Smoked Chicken Legs Recipe

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When it comes to backyard BBQs, smoked chicken legs are a must-have dish. They are simple to prepare, versatile, and a crowd-pleaser for both kids and adults. The smoky flavor, juicy meat, and crispy skin make them the perfect addition to any outdoor gathering.

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Whether you’re hosting a summertime cookout, tailgating, or just having a family picnic, smoked chicken legs are a classic dish that everyone will enjoy. To get started, you’ll need some essential equipment, such as a pellet smoker, a BBQ knife, and a meat thermometer.

A pellet smoker is an ideal choice for smoking chicken legs as it allows for precise temperature control. Plus, the wood pellets provide a rich and smoky flavors. A BBQ knife is also a useful tool for preparing chicken legs, and a meat thermometer ensures that you reach the perfect internal temperature for perfectly cooked meat.

In this smoked chicken legs recipe, you’ll learn how to smoke chicken legs or chicken drumsticks on a pellet smoker and achieve that mouth-watering smoky flavor smoked chicken drumsticks.

We’ll walk you through the steps, from preheating the smoker to brushing on your favorite BBQ sauce.

Whether you prefer a classic, tangy sauce or something a little sweeter, this recipe allows you to customize your chicken legs to your liking even though with sweet rub.

Get ready to impress your friends and family with your newfound BBQ skills.

This recipe is simple, delicious, and perfect for any outdoor gathering. So, fire up your pellet smoker, and let’s get smoking!

How To Make Smoked Chicken Legs

Preheat the Pellet Smoker to 275°F

Before starting this recipe, it is essential to preheat the pellet smoker to the desired temperature. This helps to ensure that they are cooked evenly and thoroughly. It also prevents leathery skin from developing. The smoker should be preheated to 275 degrees F, which is the temperature that will be used throughout the cooking process for smoked chicken legs.

Clean and Pat Dry the Chicken Legs

To ensure that the chicken legs are flavorful and juicy, it is important to start with clean and dry. Rinse the chicken legs under running water and then pat them dry with paper towels. This will help to remove any excess moisture and ensure that the seasonings and oils stick to the chicken legs during the smoking process.

Drizzle Olive Oil and Rub with Seasonings of Choice

Next, drizzle a light layer of olive oil over the chicken legs and rub them with your choice of seasonings. This can be a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, or a more complex BBQ rub including brown sugar. The seasonings will add flavor and help to create a crispy chicken skin as well.

Smoke the Chicken Legs

Place the chicken legs on the pellet smoker, making sure that they are spaced apart to allow for even cooking. Smoke chicken legs for approximately 1.5 hours or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. The temperature can be checked using a meat thermometer for smoked chicken legs.

Brush with BBQ Sauce of Choice

Once the chicken legs reach 165°F, remove from the smoker and brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce. This will add a delicious sweetness and smoky flavor to the chicken legs.

Place Back Into The Smoker

Once the chicken legs have been brushed with BBQ sauce, place them back on the smoker until they reach a final internal temperature of 175°F. This step helps to ensure that they are fully cooked and the BBQ sauce has caramelized on the surface.

Let Chicken Legs Rest Before Serving

Finally, remove the from the smoker and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and results in juicy, tender smoked chicken legs. Serve the smoked chicken legs hot and enjoy! Here required fields are marked or explained step by step so that you can easily start your cooking following our recipe.

Smoked Chicken Leg Quick Tips

Choose the Right Wood Pellets: Different types of wood pellets will provide different flavors, so choose the type of wood that best complements your BBQ sauce or seasonings. Popular options include hickory, mesquite, apple, and cherry.

Experiment with Seasonings: This recipe allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to seasonings, so feel free to experiment and try different blends to find your perfect combination.

You can use a simple dry rub blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, or try a commercial BBQ rub.

Keep an Eye on the Cooking Time: To ensure that the chicken legs are cooked to perfection, keep an eye on the cooking time. The chicken legs should smoke for 1.5 hours, but you may need to adjust this time depending on the size and thickness of your chicken legs.

Let the Chicken Legs Rest: After removing the smoked chicken legs from the smoker, let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy, tender smoked chicken legs.

Leftover chicken legs can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Best Beer Pairing For Smoked Chicken Legs

American Pale Ale: American Pale Ales are light, crisp, and refreshing beers that work great with the bold flavors of a smoked chicken leg recipe.

The hoppy and citrus notes of a pale ale help to balance the smoky and savory flavors of the chicken.

Brown Ale: Brown Ales are nutty and malty beers that pair well with the caramelized sweetness of the BBQ sauce.

The rich and toasty flavors of a brown ale also work well with the smoky flavors of the chicken legs.

Stout: If you’re looking for a bold and robust beer to pair with your smoked chicken legs, a stout is the way to go.

The rich, dark flavors of a stout work well with the smoky and savory flavors of the chicken.

Additionally, the sweetness of the stout helps to balance out the spicy notes in the BBQ sauce, making for a well-rounded and delicious pairing.

Smoked Chicken Legs

Smoked Chicken Legs

Delicious Smoked Chicken Legs you an try at home.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds chicken legs
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp chicken rub

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the pellet smoker to 275°F
  • Clean and pat dry chicken legs
  • Drizzle olive oil over chicken legs and rub with seasonings of choice
  • Remove the legs from the smoker. Let them rest for a few minutes and enjoy!
  • Take the chicken legs out of the smoker and brush them with the BBQ sauce of choice
  • Place the chicken legs back into the smoker until they reach a final internal temperature of 175°F
  • Remove the chicken legs from the smoker and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Smoked Chicken Legs FAQs

What is a pellet smoker?

A pellet smoker is a type of smoker that uses wood pellets as fuel to smoke and cook food. The wood pellets provide a unique and intense smoky flavor to the food.

What temperature should I smoke chicken legs at?

Should be smoked at a temperature of 275°F for 1.5 hours or until they reach a final internal temperature of 175°F.

How do I know when the chicken legs are fully cooked?

The chicken legs are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 175°F. It is important to use a meat thermometer to accurately measure the temperature of the chicken legs.

What type of wood pellets should I use in the pellet smoker?

Different types of wood pellets will provide different flavors, so choose the type of wood that best complements your BBQ sauce or seasonings. Popular options include hickory, mesquite, apple, and cherry.

Can I use other seasonings besides the ones listed in the recipe?

Yes, this recipe allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to seasonings, so feel free to experiment and try different blends to find your perfect combination. You can use a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, or try a commercial BBQ rub.

How long should I let chicken legs rest after smoking?

After removing the chicken legs from the smoker, let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicy, tender smoked chicken legs.

Can I use this recipe for other types of poultry besides chicken legs?

Yes, this recipe allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to seasonings, so feel free to experiment and try different blends to find your perfect combination. You can use a simple blend of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, or try a commercial BBQ rub.

Can I use this recipe on a gas smoker instead of a pellet smoker?

Yes, you can use this recipe on a gas smoker, but the smoky flavors will not be as intense as it would be on a pellet smoker.
To compensate for the lack of smoky flavors, you may want to use a smoker tube in the gas smoker.

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