Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs on the smoker or Traeger pellet grill are not only budget friendly, they are also one of our favorites, and this recipe for Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs is extra delicious!
Brining the chicken thighs brings sooooo much flavor.
If you prefer more of a crispy skin, skip the brine and use the Blackstone Tequila Lime seasoning, but use this Traeger 0 to 400 Method instead.
How to make Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs
First put 3 cups of hot water into a large container.
Add a cup of tequila, 1/4 each kosher salt and brown sugar, some Tequila Lime seasoning, and the juice of one lime with the wedges.
Stir until combined and the salt and sugar are dissolved.
Then add 12 chicken thighs, cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
Remove the thighs, discard the brine, and pat the thighs dry with paper towels.
Season them lightly with more of the Tequila Lime seasoning.
Then place on the Traeger or smoker set to 250 degrees.
They will cook for about 3 hours total, flipping them a few times.
Just be sure they have an internal temperature of 165 degrees before serving.
I can’t wait for you to try these Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs 🙂
I made these with Garlic Ranch Green Beans and crescent rolls for the perfect, complete meal.
If you like Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs, you might also like these recipes…
Smoked Maple Sausage Breakfast Sliders
Another must-try are these Smoked Cherry Bourbon Chicken Thighs
Smoked Pineapple Sriracha Jalapeno Poppers
Top 10 Most Popular Traeger Recipes
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Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Traeger/Pellet Grill
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 3 cups hot water
- 1 cup tequila
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Blackstone Tequila Lime seasoning (or similar seasoning blend) plus more to sprinkle over top
- 1 lime cut into 6 wedges
- 12 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
Instructions
- Put hot water, tequila, kosher salt, brown sugar, tequila lime seasoning in a large container. Stir for a few minutes until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Squeeze the juice from each lime wedge into the brine and put the wedges into the brine along with the chicken thighs. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
- Remove thighs and discard brine. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season lightly with more tequila lime seasoning.
- Set your smoker or pellet grill to 250 degrees. Place thighs on the grill grate for 3 hours, flipping a few times. Make sure the internal temperature is above 165 before serving.
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