Smoked Chicken Thighs are stuffed with cream cheese-filled jalapeños, wrapped in thick-cut bacon, and slow-smoked until tender and juicy. A smoky seasoning blend and BBQ sauce add even more flavor for an easy smoker recipe that’s anything but ordinary.
These chicken thighs are perfect when I want to make something a little different on the smoker. Stuffing the chicken with jalapeño and cream cheese and wrapping each piece in bacon keeps every bite packed with flavor, while the BBQ sauce adds a sticky finish at the end.
Why I Love Smoked Chicken Thighs
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are easy to roll around the filling and stay juicy while smoking.
- Jalapeños: Each jalapeño half is stuffed with cream cheese before being rolled inside the chicken. Removing the seeds helps keep the heat more manageable.
- Thick-Cut Bacon: Wraps around each stuffed chicken thigh, helping hold everything together while adding smoky bacon flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Creates the creamy filling inside the jalapeños.
- Salted Butter: Melts over the chicken as it smokes, adding richness and helping keep the thighs moist.
- Paprika: Adds color and a mild smoky flavor to the seasoning.
- Garlic Powder: Adds savory garlic flavor without adding extra moisture.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Season the chicken and balance all the rich flavors.
- BBQ Sauce: Brushed over the chicken near the end of smoking for a sticky, flavorful finish. Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Preheat your smoker to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the butter into tablespoon-sized squares and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Set the seasoning mixture aside.
- Fill each jalapeno half with a tablespoon of cream cheese.
- Place the chicken thighs flat, smooth side down. Put a jalapeno half in the center of each thigh, widthwise.
- Sprinkle half of the dry rub mixture inside each thigh and over the jalapenos.
- Roll each chicken thigh tightly, similar to rolling a fruit roll-up. Wrap a slice of bacon around each rolled thigh and place it, seam side down, into a cavity in a loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture over the top of the chicken thighs. Place one square of butter on top of each thigh.
- Smoke the thighs in the smoker for 45 minutes, then cover the pan with tin foil.
- Continue smoking for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the loaf pan and place them on a rack over a baking sheet, giving them some space between each other.
- Use a basting brush to coat each thigh with your favorite BBQ sauce, applying as much as desired.
- Return the smoked boneless chicken thighs to the smoker and continue smoking for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the thighs from the smoker and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips I Found Helpful 💙
- Use boneless, skinless thighs: They’re much easier to wrap around the stuffed jalapeños and stay juicy while smoking.
- Soften the cream cheese: Softened cream cheese is much easier to spread inside the jalapeño halves.
- Wrap the bacon snugly: A tight bacon wrap helps hold the chicken and jalapeño filling together while they cook.
- Use a meat thermometer: Smoke until the thickest part of the chicken reaches at least 175°F, making sure the thermometer is measuring the chicken and not the filling.
- Add BBQ sauce near the end: Brushing it on toward the end gives you a sticky glaze without letting the sugars in the sauce burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smoked Chicken Thighs
Yield:
6
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 50 minutes
Smoked Chicken Thighs stuffed with cream cheese jalapeños, wrapped in bacon, and finished with BBQ sauce.
No Ratings
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 medium jalapenos, sliced in half lengthwise with stems removed
- 6 slices of thick-cut bacon
- 6 tablespoons of cream cheese
- 6 tablespoons of salted butter
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper
- Your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the butter into tablespoon-sized squares and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Set the seasoning mixture aside.
- Fill each jalapeno half with a tablespoon of cream cheese.
- Place the chicken thighs flat, smooth side down. Put a jalapeno half in the center of each thigh, widthwise.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture inside each thigh and over the jalapenos.
- Roll each chicken thigh tightly, similar to rolling a fruit roll-up. Wrap a slice of bacon around each rolled thigh and place it, seam side down, into a cavity in a loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture over the top of the chicken thighs. Place one square of butter on top of each thigh.
- Smoke the thighs in the smoker for 45 minutes, then cover the pan with tin foil.
- Continue smoking for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the loaf pan and place them on a rack over a baking sheet, giving them some space between each other.
- Use a basting brush to coat each thigh with your favorite BBQ sauce, applying as much as desired.
- Return the thighs to the smoker and continue smoking for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove the thighs from the smoker and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Roll the chicken tightly around the stuffed jalapeños and wrap each thigh snugly with bacon. Add the BBQ sauce near the end of cooking and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
