Chicken thighs are naturally fattier and more flavorful than chicken breasts and lend themselves well to long cooks on the smoker. The fat brings flavor and allows for a longer cook time to break down the connective tissue and render the fat into the meat. Gochujang is spicy, funky, salty, and deeply savory Korean sauce that has made its way into the American culinary lexicon. These Asian-inspired smoked chicken thighs are unique for sure, but familiar enough to be a winner at the dinner table and the cookout! This recipe is spicy, but not overwhelming and you can adjust the heat as needed. Let us know what you think!
Those Florida Guys seasonings used in this recipe:
Yields: 4 Servings | Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 12 Hours
Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs, bone-in
Spicy Italian dressing
Soy sauce
Those Florida Guys FL Fin & Fowl
Those Florida Guys FL Errthang
¼ c. of gochujang
3 tbs. honey
1 tsp. sesame oil
Green onion, sliced
Process:
1 | Pat dry the chicken thighs.
2 | Trim off excess skin or thin meat around the edges of the bone.
3 | Add the chicken thighs to a zip top bag and add 2-parts Italian dressing plus 1-part soy sauce.
**no need to be overly precise, just eyeball the measurements.**
4 | Marinate the chicken thighs in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hours.
5 | In a covered container, mix the gochujang, honey, and sesame oil to be used as the finishing glaze. Store in the refrigerator.
6 | Bring the smoker up to 275 degrees.
7 | Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and pat off excess marinade.
8 | Season liberally both sides of each chicken thigh with FL Fin & Fowl.
9 | Place the chicken on the smoker skin side up, evenly spaced apart.
10 | Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
**This takes 45-60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs.**
11 | When the meat reaches 140 degrees internal, bring the smoker up to 350 degrees to get crispy skin.
12 | Pour the gochujang glaze into a heat safe container and place in the smoker on indirect heat.
13 | Once the internal temperature reaches 175-180 degrees, begin glazing with the gochujang mixture for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce if firm, but slightly sticky.
14 | Remove from the smoker and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes on the counter.
15 | Garnish with green onion and FL Errthang.
16 | Serve and enjoy!