Smoked Blueberry-Bacon BBQ Chicken Thighs

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Juicy smoked chicken thighs glazed with a unique blueberry and bacon-infused BBQ sauce, delivering a smoky-sweet flavor perfect for summer cookouts. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 180 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 165 min Serves 6 American cuisine 380 cal/serving

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Ingredients

6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup fresh Maine blueberries
4 slices bacon strips
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced

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Instructions

Step 1: Season 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs evenly with 1 tbsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over and rub to coat.
Step 2: Preheat smoker to 250°F and place the chicken thighs skin-side up on the grate. Smoke for 2 hours, maintaining steady smoke and temperature.
Step 3: While chicken smokes, cook 4 bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then chop finely. In the same skillet, add 1 cup fresh Maine blueberries, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until the blueberries burst and sauce thickens, then stir in the chopped bacon.
Step 4: Brush the blueberry-bacon BBQ sauce generously onto the chicken thighs and smoke for another 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the glaze is sticky.
Step 5: Remove chicken from smoker, let rest for 5 minutes, and serve topped with extra blueberry-bacon sauce.