Smoked Teriyaki Chicken

It has been a bit since I shared a smoker recipe. It is not because I have fallen out of love with my smoker by any means. Quiet the contrary, it is just that I have been making a few things on repeat as we have been in this state of transition for a few months. And one of those things is this Smoked Teriyaki Chicken. A simple marinade of bone in chicken (I use drumsticks, but you can use thighs too – just adjust the cook time to add more to be sure it’s cooked through) and then slow smoked before grilling a glazing for a sticky delicious teriyaki chicken.

Once thing I have learned about Smoker Recipes, is that it very much depends on the type of smoker you have to determine the exact cook time. The specifics temperatures and cook times of this recipe are for my unit – a Traeger – but can be easily adjusted to your own smoker. I will say chicken cannot take on tooooo much smoke, as it has such a mild flavor on its own. The marinade does help to counter that, but it’s the marriage of the two that really makes this a winning chicken recipe.

The last few times I’ve made this – Egg Fried Rice has been the desired go to. You can also do the Simple Chow Mein. Another really go variation to use this chicken is to cook it as directed, then remove the chicken from the bone. Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the shredded chicken. Then serve on a toasted brioche bun with a Crunchy Asian Slaw, or wrap it all up in a tortilla!

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Smoked Teriyaki Chicken

Marinated chicken slow cooked on a smoker for a sweet and smoky flavor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Chicken, chicken drumsticks, Chicken Recipes, pellet grill, pellet grill recipes, smoked chicken, smoker recipes, teriyaki, traeger recipes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Marinating Time 4 hours hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 10-12 Chicken Drumsticks

For the Teriyaki

• 2 cup Soy Sauce or tamari
• 1 cup Orange Juice
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cup Toasted Sesame Oil
• ¼ cup Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Ginger Powder
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce, whisking thoroughly.
• Add chicken to a gallon sized zippered bag and pour sauce contents over the top. Seal the bog (pressing out as much air as you can. Squidge sauce all over the chicken and then place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours (up to 24hours).
• Based on your smokers own methods, prepare it to smoke at a temperature of 250degF.
• Remove chicken from zippered bag and place in the smoker. Pour remaining sauce into a small sauce pan and place on stove over medium low heat and let simmer.
• Allow chicken to smoke for 90 minutes. Then increase heat to 400degF. Baste each piece of chicken with simmered teriyaki sauce, then let cook for 15 minutes.
• Turn each piece of chicken and baste again with sauce, let cook for 15 minutes more (or until center has achieved 165degF in the thickest part of the meat.
• Baste the chicken on last time (on all sides) with sauce and then serve.