Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

These smoked chicken leg quarters come out juicy and tender with crispy skin and rich, smoky flavor that highlights the best of dark meat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 10

Servings

Calories 889kcal

Author Breanna Stark

Ingredients

4 lbs chicken leg quarters about 5
¼ cup poultry seasoning see note 1
¼ cup BBQ sauce optional, see note 2

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 275°F.
Prep your chicken leg quarters by trimming off any excess skin from the sides.
Season liberally all over with the poultry seasoning.
Place the quarters on the smoker, skin side up.
Let the meat smoke for 1-½ to 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F. If saucing your chicken, add the sauce when the chicken hits around 170°F and let it smoke for 15-20 more minutes until tacky.

Notes

1. Poultry seasoning - This recipe is very versatile in the sense that you can use just about any seasoning blend you like. I used our homemade poultry rub, but store-bought or your favorite homemade blend will work great. I’ve also had good results with flavors like SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) and lemon pepper.

2. BBQ sauce - This is optional, but if you like your chicken saucy, you'll need BBQ sauce to finish it off. You can also use other sauce options like teriyaki for an Asian twist or hot sauce for a Mexican vibe.

Wood - I recommend using wood (or pellets) with a milder flavor profile. Oak, hickory, and pecan are some of my favorite options for smoking chicken, but fruit woods work well, too. Avoid harsher woods like mesquite when cooking in an enclosed smoker because the flavor can really overpower the chicken.

Cooked temp - I prefer to pull it around 180-185°F internal for the best texture. Dark meat can have an odd texture when it’s at 165°F, so I almost always take it a bit higher.

Nutrition