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    Home » Recipes » Smoked Recipes

    Smoked Chicken Legs

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Smoked Chicken Legs are easy to make, tender, and delicious! Full of flavor and some of the moistest, fall off the bone chicken you will ever have!

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    smoked chicken legs close up
    Perfectly cooked, tender, and moist!
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    I love my smoked chicken- a while ago I shared my smoked chicken quarters and today, I am bringing you this smoked chicken leg recipe. It should be no surprise that they are very similar.

    Why I love this recipe:


    • Smoking them is easy and you can smoke a bunch at once!
    • They can be bought in 5-10lbs bags which means you can feed a crowd!
    • Smoking them is easy and you can smoke a bunch at once!
    holding a smoked chicken leg
    These chicken legs are so good!

    It’s my favorite way to smoke chicken and I just can’t wait to share it with you!

    What you need for smoked drumsticks:

    Brine

    • Brown Sugar
    • Salt
    • Water

    Rub

    • Garlic Powder
    • Chipotle Powder
    • Paprika
    • Onion Powder
    • Pepper
    • Red Pepper Flakes

    Chicken Legs

    Olive Oil

    Smoker- I used my Camp Chef Vault with wood chips but you can also use your favorite pellet smoker!

    Smoker Thermometer- Highly recommend a Thermoworks!

    • adding probe to chicken leg
    • smoker thermometer

    How to prep your smoker?

    Preheat your smoker to 225°F. I like to get my smoker really hot so it get the wood chips smoking really nice- which is in the 300°F, then I turn down the heat when I put the chicken on.

    Also, when you open the smoker it will drop the temperature really fast so you don’t need to worry about it being at 300°F.

    If you are using a pellet smoker just get it smoking really nicely and set it to 225°F.

    smoked chicken legs on cutting boarded
    The seasoning is a little sweet a nd a little spicy- perfect for this chicken!

    What type of chips or pellets?

    I used hickory chips because that’s what I had on hand, but a competition blend or an apple or pecan would be delicious.

    How to brine the chicken legs?

    In a medium sized pot heat water, brown sugar and salt until dissolved. Then allow that mixture to cool.

    Once cool pour over chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is preferred.

    • mixing up the brine in pot
    • chicken in brine
    • chicken after being brined

    How to make the spice rub?

    Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. That easy!

    • Seasoning for the rub
    • Smoked Chicken Dry Rub

    How to smoke chicken legs?

    • Remove chicken legs from brine and pat dry.
    • Brush both sides with olive oil then sprinkle with dry rub.
    • Place chicken legs in smoker and smoke until you reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
    • How can I get a crispier skin?
    • Remove your chicken drumsticks from the smoker at 155°. Place in a preheated oven ( at 400°F) until your chicken reaches 165°F.
    • patting chicken leg dry
    • adding olive oil to chicken legs
    • chicken legs with dry rub on them
    • adding chicken legs to smoker
    • removing smoked chicken leg from smoker

    How much chicken does this recipe make?

    This recipe is for 5lbs of chicken drumsticks. If I have leftover chicken I will typically use if for tacos or enchiladas (my husband’s favorite!)

    smoked chicken on fork
    This chicken will have that beautiful smoke ring!

    Can you freeze leftover smoked chicken drumsticks?

    Yep! I like to remove the chicken form the bone then stick in a freezer Ziploc baggie.  I do try to eat it within a few months but that is never hard!

    Serve these up with some tasty smoked deviled eggs, broccoli slaw, and fresh limeade! It's a party waiting to happen!

    smoked chicken legs pin
    Don't forget to pin this recipe!

    Watch how to make this recipe!

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    smoked chicken legs featured image

    Smoked Chicken Legs

    Author: Lisa
    Smoked Chicken Legs are easy to make, tender, and delicious! Full of flavor and some of the moistest, fall off the bone chicken you will ever have!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 2 hrs 40 mins
    Brine Time 2 hrs
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 13

    Equipment

    • Smoker
    • Wood Chips/Pellets
    • Smoker Thermometer

    Ingredients
      

    Brine

    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup salt
    • 6 Cups Water*

    Dry Rub

    • 1 tbs garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Additional Ingredients

    • 5 lbs chicken legs
    • ½ cup olive oil

    Instructions
     

    Brine the chicken

    • Combine brown sugar, salt, and 6 cups water in a bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved
      1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup salt, 6 Cups Water*
    • In a large resealable bag (or several) or a large bowl (or several), add your raw chicken legs and then divide the brine between the containers. Add additional water to the bowls or bags until the chicken is mostly covered by water.
      5 lbs chicken legs
      chicken after being brined
    • Allow the chicken to sit in the brine for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.

    Prepare the dry rub

    • Combine all the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
      1 tbs garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
      Seasoning for the rub

    Prepare the chicken and your smoker

    • Once the chicken has sat in the brine for 2 hours, remove it from the liquid and pat dry.
      patting chicken leg dry
    • Pour the olive oil over the chicken and then rub with your dry rub mixture. I like to separate the skin from the meat just a little and get oil and seasoning in-between the two, as well as over every side.
      ½ cup olive oil
      chicken legs with dry rub on them
    • Get your smoker started smoking/heating up. I tend to use dry hickory wood chips, but you use whatever wood chips you like.
    • Once your smoker is hot, place the chicken legs on the racks and allow them to cook for 2-3 hours.
      adding chicken legs to smoker
    • The chicken legs need to get to an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. Once the chicken reaches 155°F I will usually remove them from the smoker and put them in a preheated 400°F oven for 5-10 minutes- or until it reaches 165-170°F. This allows the chicken skin to crisp up nicely wile reaching the final temperature.
      removing smoked chicken leg from smoker
    • Enjoy!
      smoked chicken legs on cutting board with parsley

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    • *The nutrition info doesn't include calories for the brine since I am not sure how much that changes the chicken's nutrition info.
    • Leftovers- If you have a bunch of leftovers either use them in tacos or enchiladas, or freeze them.
    • Freeze- I like to remove the chicken from the bone then place in a freezer safe Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to a few months! 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 16gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 225IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword smoked chicken legs, smoked drumsticks
    Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram at @atablefullofjoy

    More Smoked Recipes

    • Smoked Chicken Breast
    • Tri Tip Marinade
    • Smoked Tri Tip
    • Smoked Cream Cheese

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