Get ready for a tasty dinner and learn how to smoke chicken quarters!

If you have been following me on Instagram then you probably know we had lots of meat smoking a few weeks ago.  Of course, our favorite smoked bologna was on the menu but we added a few too.

This time we added smoked chicken leg quarters along with some smoked brisket too.  I’ll be sharing the smoked brisket recipe with you on Friday, but first let’s talk about this chicken.

What are Chicken Quarters?

These are basically a quarter of the chicken, hence the name of course.  It’s the drumstick and the thigh and it’s a great serving size.  This makes them chicken leg quarters.

It gives each guest a large piece of chicken for their dinner.

How to Smoke Chicken Quarters?

Honestly, getting some chicken quarters to smoke is one of the most frugal cuts you can get, right along with that bologna.  They are on sale many times throughout the month and perfect to stock up on.

We decided to season ours with Head Country Seasoning, it has a great mix of flavors that really compliment it well.  It’s up to you though what seasoning you prefer.

Once we had the chicken seasoned, it was time to put them on the smoker.

We like to keep the smoker right around 240 degrees, that’s typically a good temperature for a variety of meats.

What wood chips should you use for Chicken Quarters?

The sky is the limit, for sure when it comes to picking the best wood chips for smoked meats.  A few of the wood chips are hickory, oak, maple, pecan, apple, and mesquite.  There are quite a few more as well.

We always tend to lean to hickory.  It’s very versatile, but I have to admit that maple or apple would be a good choice for these smoked chicken quarters, especially in the fall.

Tips for How to Smoke Chicken Quarters

The chicken needs to be at 165 degrees internally to be considered done, many times it’s best to take it off the smoker just a few degrees shy of that.

Why?

Because it’s going to continue to heat up once it’s off the smoker, so this way it doesn’t overcook.  Just check the temperature a few minutes after you remove it to be sure that it is the correct temperature inside.

These chicken quarters pair perfectly with this Homemade BBQ Sauce.

More Smoked Meat Recipes

Smoked Bologna

Smoked Turkey Legs

Enjoy!

Smoked Chicken Quarters

Created by: Kristy Still

Smoked Chicken Quarters

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Get ready for a fall cookout with these smoked chicken quarters!

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 Chicken Leg Quarters
• 2 Tbsp Head Country Seasoning or Your Choice
• BBQ Sauce

Instructions

• Add the seasoning to the chicken and let it soak in for about 30 minutes.
• Warm up the prepared smoker to 240 degrees.  Make sure you have the wood chips in before you do this part.
• Place the chicken on the smoker with some space in between.
• Smoke the chicken for around 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, checking the temperature to be sure they get up to 165 degrees internally.
• Remove from the smoker and serve with sauce.

Notes

Remember all smokers are different, so it's best to go by the internal temperature not just the amount of time the recipe calls for.  It's going to vary if the outside temp is more hot or cold as well.

Nutrition

Serving: 4Servings

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