Chicken thighs are one of my favorite parts of the chicken to cook because they are a dark meat and stay moist and juicy, and this cut is also super economical in comparison with a chicken breast.
I added a few simple ingredients such as orange zest, oregano, smoked sea salt, smoked black pepper and smoked paprika to make an out-of-the-ordinary smoked chicken cooked over wood planks.
When thinking of cooking over planks, many people think of “Cedar planked Salmon”, and that is a great way to cook fish. But let’s not limit ourselves only to fish- as everything tastes better kissed with the smoke from wood grill planks! Plus, it makes for an awesome presentation at the table.
Add lemon wedges and a sprig of oregano for a pop of color. Use the planks as a plate for rustic presentation.
For my planks, Outdoor Gourmet’s Maple Grill Planks. For those of you who read my blog, you know that I am a big fan of Outdoor Gourmet as they produce sustainably sourced Wood Grilling Planks. I include them in my holiday gift guide every year.
In this dish, the orange zest paired with fresh oregano over maple smokiness makes for a fragrant, melt in your mouth (yet simple) entree to make that would be suitable for a nice dinner party with guests, or even a weeknight meal.
Orange Oregano Maple Smoked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- (2) Maple Grill Planks – soak for 30 minutes before use
- 4 chicken thighs
Seasoning paste:
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 large bunch of oregano, leaves removed from stems
- 2 heaping teaspoons fresh ground black pepper (I used smoked pepper)
- 2 heaping teaspoons sea salt (I used smoked sea salt)
- 2 heaping teaspoons smoked paprika (if you don’t have smoked paprika you can use regular paprika but Smoked paprika makes a huge difference)
- 1. 5 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 350 degrees and create a direct and indirect cooking zone. Make sure to soak your grilling planks for at least 30 minutes before using them. Next, rinse your chicken and then pat it dry.
- Combine the ingredients for the seasoning paste in a small bowl. Next, slide your finger under the chicken skin (I know this is not fun but it will seal in all the spices and extra moisture!)
- Coat the chicken under and over the skin, working the paste onto all 4 pieces of chicken. Place 2 thighs on each maple grilling plank (if you can’t find maple, I think cherry, hickory or other woods would work too).
- Place the planks on indirect heat of a medium/hot grill and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until an interal read thermometer (like the ThermaPen, my favorite) reads 170 degrees (a few degrees under is okay).
- Let rest under foil for 10 minutes, and serve with your favorite side.
I served mine with garlic kale and it was delish! What are you planking these days, let me know!
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