Are you looking for a recipe for Pit Boss chicken legs? This is one of my go-to recipes that I make regularly. These smoked chicken legs turn out juicy and tender with good crispy skin.
The smoky flavor from the Pit Boss is different from regular grilled chicken and tastes really good. I’ll show you how to smoke chicken drumsticks on a Pit Boss. It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it.
Don’t worry if this seems like a lot at first – I’ll walk you through everything you need to know.
Table of contents
Easy Smoked Chicken Legs On A Pellet Grill
Your Pit Boss can produce the tastiest smoked chicken legs you have ever tried. The best part is that it is so simple: All you need to do is pick out your favorite rub, set the smoker, and wait.
This recipe is perfect for hosting a backyard BBQ or wanting a simple weeknight meal. Who doesn’t love a juicy chicken drumstick? This makes it ideal for adults and kids.
What You’ll Need For Smoked Chicken Legs
Here is a list of everything you’ll need for smoking chicken legs:
- Chicken Legs or Chicken Quarters.
- BBQ Rub
- Olive Oil
How To Smoke Chicken Legs On Pitboss
1. How to Prep Chicken Legs for Smoking
Remove the chicken legs from their packaging and place them onto a clean cutting board.
Next, grab some paper towels and pat the surface of the meat dry before you season it.
Step 2: How to Season Smoked Chicken
You can either make a dry rub for chicken at home or purchase an all-purpose chicken dry rub from the shops. Season the drumsticks with the rub.
But here’s an easy DIY rub that we recommend you try
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Step 3: Smoke The Chicken Legs
Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks in your preheated smoker and smoke for 1 ½ hours. Spray the chicken every 30 minutes.
Flip the drumsticks halfway through the smoking session to cook both sides evenly.
Check the chicken’s internal temperature. When your meat thermometer reaches 165°F, it’s time to take it off the heat. You can also keep them until the temperature reaches 180°F
Step 4: Rest The Chicken
Remove from the grill, rest on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes, and enjoy!
What Temperature to Smoke Chicken Legs At?
You want to smoke legs at 250°F —275°F, so make sure the smoker is preheating. If you’re using a Pit Boss pellet smoker, leave the P-Setting at P-4.
What Wood Goes Well With Smoked Chicken Legs?
The best types of wood for chicken are apple, cherry, and maple wood. All these types of wood provide a light flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the chicken.
See some more suggestions below.
- Applewood
- Maple wood
- Cherry wood
- Pecan
- Hickory
Should You Flip The Chicken Halfway Through The Cook?
Flip the drumsticks halfway through the smoking session to cook both sides evenly. This will also ensure that both sides of the chicken legs have crispy skin.
Should You Spritz The Chicken?
Yes, you should spritz the chicken every 30 minutes. See the types of liquids you can use to spritz chicken here.
What Internal Temperature Should Smoked Chicken Be?
When your meat thermometer reaches 165°F, the chicken is done. The cooking process should take around an hour and a half.
How Much Chicken Do You Need Per Person?
Allow half a pound of chicken per person. However, if the chicken pieces are cheaper than usual, I recommend buying more than you’ll need.
Should You Wash Chicken Legs?
While washing the meat before patting your chicken legs dry seems smart, you shouldn’t. This removes most of the meat’s flavor and can also increase the bacteria count on the meat’s surface.
Since white meat must be properly cooked through before it can be eaten, you won’t have to worry about trying to get rid of any bacteria during the preparation phase. So long as the chicken achieves an internal meat temperature of 165 ℉.
This is an excellent cost-saving tip. You can always freeze the leftover chicken drumsticks and have a quick meal ready to go when you don’t have time to cook.
What Sides Go With Smoked Chicken?
Smoked Cornbread
Baked Queso Dip
Smoked Garlic Bread
Click here to see more side dishes for BBQ chicken
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Smoked Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 12 whole Chicken Legs
- 3 tbsp BBQ seasoning
- ½ tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your grill smoker to 250 ℉ – 275 ℉. If you’re using a legitimate Pit Boss pellet smoker then leave the P-Setting at P-4.
- Remove chicken legs from the packaging and place them onto a clean cutting board.
- Pat the surface of the meat with a paper towel so that it’s dry before you season it.
- Season the drumsticks with a BBQ rub
- Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks into your preheated smoker and smoke for 1 ½ hour. The exact time will depend on drumsticks size.
- Flip the drumsticks about halfway into the smoking session so that both sides are cooked evenly.
- Check the chicken’s internal temperature. When your meat thermometer reaches 165 F, it’s time to take it off the heat. You can also keep them until the temperature reaches 180 F. Drumsticks don’t dry out when you overcook them, so you don’t have to worry about leaving them in the smoker for too long.
- Remove from grill, rest for 5-10 minutes on a cooling rack and enjoy!
Smoke On!
Charlie
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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