• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
Fox Valley Foodie
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About the Fox Valley Foodie
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Smoking Grilling & BBQ

    Smoked Chicken Legs

    Published: Jun 9, 2022 by Fox Valley Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook9
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Crispy Smoked Chicken Legs Recipe

    These crispy smoked chicken legs have a deep smoky flavor penetrating the meat, all wrapped up in a shatteringly crisp chicken skin!

    Wait! Did I really just claim that smoked chicken legs will have crispy skin? Doesn't smoking meat low and slow always result in rubbery half-soggy skin? Well, yes BUT... I have a secret! The secret is in the two-step cooking process that results in deliciously smoky meat and then a separate step to crisp the skin to perfection. It is truly the best of both worlds!

    Crispy Smoked Chicken Legs.

    What is it?

    I love the deep flavor of smoked chicken, particularly the juicy delectableness of dark meat, but I don’t particularly care for the rubbery sogginess of the low temp baked chicken skin that ends up sliding off the leg after the first bite like a tarp coated in Crisco. So I came up with a plan.  The best way is going to be a two-part cooking operation. I would smoke the chicken legs to temperature and then finish them under the broiler to get that crunchy skin I crave.

    The end result is deep smokey flavor penetrating the juicy meat; all wrapped up in a tight crispy crust that hung fast and flaked away with each bite. One bite and you will quickly discover why this is my favorite way to make chicken. A little extra effort results in the best smoked chicken legs recipe you'll find!

    If you don't care for crispy skin, you may want to use my smoked chicken quarters recipe instead.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Chicken legs - This recipe works with other cuts of chicken, even white meat chicken breast. Also, if you just have drumsticks or chicken thighs you would rather use than whole legs, that is fine too!
    • Olive Oil - Any other vegetable oil is fine too.
    • BBQ Dry Rub - You can use the easy dry rub recipe I linked, or buy your favorite spice rub from the grocery store. I may be biased, but the brown sugar blended with cayenne pepper and seasonings in my simple dry rub makes it perfect for smoking juicy chicken.
    Smoked chicken legs on cutting board.

    How to Smoke Chicken Legs

    Prepare your smoked chicken legs by placing the legs in a large plastic bag with olive oil and the BBQ dry rub. Add a generous amount of rub so it fully coats the chicken, then work it all together with your hands to evenly coat.

    Needless to say, you will need a smoker for smoking chicken legs, along with your favorite wood chips for smoking. I own, and enthusiastically recommend Weber's Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker. It has a fantastic capacity, and it is dead simple to maintain a consistent temperature, which is the key to great BBQ! I also have an electric smoker that I love to use when I don't want to fuss with anything. Charcoal smokers have the best flavor, but electric smokers are the most hassle-free. Choose what fits you best.

    Set the smoker temperature at 250 degrees, but if you have a hard time getting the temperature to stay consistent anywhere between 225 - 275 degrees is OK. Once your wood is smoking nicely, set the chicken on the smoker rack and smoke the meat for approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours. At this point, the chicken is full of smoke flavor, but the skin is still soft.

    How Do You Get Crispy Chicken Skin

    You don't get crispy chicken skin by cooking it in a smoker for a couple of hours. It is impossible to crisp skin at lower temperatures without drying out the meat into jerky. To get crispy chicken skin you need to hit the skin with high heat. The higher temperatures will essentially expel the moisture from the skin and fry it into a crisp. Perfect.

    Since we cannot do this in a smoker I recommend finishing smoked chicken legs under your oven's broiler for a couple of minutes. The nice thing about this simple recipe is you can either do this immediately after smoking or stop cooking and store the chicken legs in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat and then fire up the broiler.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to store leftover smoked chicken legs?

    It is important to store leftover chicken legs in an airtight container in your refrigerator. The strong smoke smell will quickly penetrate everything in the fridge if left open. Leftover chicken should be enjoyed within five days.

    How to reheat smoked chicken legs?

    Baking your chicken legs at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes will bring it back to temperature while keeping the skin crispy.

    How long should chicken legs be smoked?

    I recommend smoking chicken legs for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours at 250 degrees. You need to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken meat reaches 165 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer.

    What to serve with smoked chicken?

    If you are having a BBQ, any of these classic side dishes would pair perfectly with smoked chicken legs.

    • Smoked corn on the cob
    • Classic Macaroni Salad
    • Smoked baked beans
    • Grilled corn salad
    • Favorite BBQ sauce
    Crispy Smoked Chicken Legs

    Smoked Chicken Legs Recipe

    These crispy smoked chicken legs have a deep smoky flavor penetrating the meat, all wrapped up in a shatteringly crisp chicken skin!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 339kcal
    Author: Fox Valley Foodie

    Equipment

    • Smoker

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds chicken legs
    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 3-6 tablespoons BBQ Dry Rub

    Instructions

    • Prepare the chicken by separating the drumsticks if desired and place all pieces in a clean plastic storage bag.
    • Pour olive oil into the bag along with a generous amount of dry rub seasoning and use your hands to evenly coat all the pieces of chicken. Ensure there is adequate seasoning to thoroughly coat each chicken piece and add more oil and seasoning as needed. Then let it sit for at least an hour.
    • Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees.
    • Smoke chicken for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when testing the thickest part of the drumstick with a meat thermometer. (If broiling right away you can take them out slightly earlier and let them finish coming to temp under the broiler)
    • *At this point the recipe can be paused if you wish to prep these to eat another day. Just store in the fridge until you wish to continue with the next step.*
    • Preheat your broiler to high and place chicken in the center of the oven, skin side up (placing the chicken too close to the broiler will prevent some skin from getting crispy before the top blackens). In a few minutes you will hear the crackling of the fat on the skin and baking sheet, at this point the chicken is just about done. Take it out just before the skin starts to burn.

    Notes

    If you paused the recipe by storing the chicken in the refrigerator prior to broiling you may want to bring the chicken back up to temperature in the oven before you broil or the meat may still be cold after the broiling has finished. Baking it at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes should be sufficient.
    The chicken legs can be separated into thighs and drumsticks or left whole.

    Nutritional Information

    Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 262mg | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @FoxValleyFoodie or tag #foxvalleyfoodie!

    This recipe was originally published June 18, 2013 on FoxValleyFoodie.com.

    Get My FREE eCookbook

    mailer

    Subscribe to FoxValleyFoodie.com and get each tantalizing new post sent directly to your inbox, along with my complementary eCookbook just for signing up!

    « Dill Pickled Eggs
    Pickled Sausage »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gary B.

      April 29, 2016 at 11:35 pm

      I have an old Char-Griller horizontal smoker, and the way I crisp the skin is to smoke the chicken, then dump a chimney full of hot coals in at the end and finish the chicken over the hot coals....

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        April 30, 2016 at 7:19 am

        Sounds like that should work great!

        Reply
    2. Keith @ How's it Lookin?

      April 21, 2016 at 1:55 pm

      They look so good. I love the smoked flavor, thanks a lot

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        April 21, 2016 at 2:07 pm

        I'm glad you like it! You can never go wrong with smoked meat!

        Reply
        • RICHARD CURWIN

          October 13, 2018 at 4:13 pm

          I'm going to smoke chicken legs for two hours and then pass over them with propane torch to see if that gets the skin crisply. I may try just a few as an experiment. I'll let you know.

          Reply
    3. slumper1973

      April 20, 2016 at 7:59 pm

      Chipotle pasta salad sounds great. Do use the canned chili's in the Adobe sauce, or do make it from scratch? and what type of pasta is your preference.

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        April 20, 2016 at 8:03 pm

        Yes I do use canned chilies in adobo sauce, and I typically use rotini pasta for the salad.

        Reply
        • slumper1973

          April 20, 2016 at 9:05 pm

          Thanks for replying so quickly. Always looking for great ideas for leftovers. I'll throw on a few extra chicken quarters just for the salad. I'm sure my guests will like the new twist's on my meals. I'll give you all the credit. Looking forward for a great season of outdoor cooking.

          Reply
          • Fox Valley Foodie

            April 20, 2016 at 9:08 pm

            Hope it turns out great! I may try to pencil down a recipe for it this summer.

            Reply
    4. slumper1973

      April 20, 2016 at 6:02 pm

      Brilliant idea! I never thought of finishing off my smoked chicken quarters under the broiler. 10lbs chicken quarters at local market $4.90 super deal. I'm trying your idea tomorrow. Thanks. Can't wait. Oh I use the leftover smoked chicken to make chicken&dumpling soup.

      Reply
      • Fox Valley Foodie

        April 20, 2016 at 6:05 pm

        10lbs for $4.90!? Time to stock up! That chicken & dumpling soup would be amazing. I like making a chipotle pasta salad with my leftovers!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe

    15834

    Get each tantalizing new recipe

    sent directly to your inbox.

    AND GET MY eCOOKBOOK FREE!

    Search for your favorite post!

    Popular Recipes

    Homemade mozzarella sticks with string cheese

    Homemade Mozzarella Sticks with String Cheese

    How to make paprika

    How to Make Paprika

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf with Secret Ingredient

    Brown Sugar Meatloaf - With a Secret Ingredient

    Venison Meatloaf Recipe

    Venison Meatloaf

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs - Bone In

    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

    Fried chicken gizzards recipe.

    Fried Chicken Gizzards

    Big Mac Sauce Copycat Recipe

    McDonald's Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

    Close up Sloppy Joes

    Homemade Manwich (Sloppy Joes)

    As featured in yahoo, buzzfeed, oprah, msn and more!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Fox Valley Foodie, LLC

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.