After a couple of years of competition under my belt, this post has been updated to include two successful smoking techniques and a chicken trim video.
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Table of Contents
As a Kansas City Barbeque Society judge, I’ve seen and tasted some of the best competition chicken out there, especially when I judged the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue.
Most competitors prepare chicken thighs because the dark meat has more flavor and is juicier than the breast. But I have the utmost respect for any cook who turns in a well-cooked leg or breast because I love the variety after so many thighs.
Even though the thigh meat can be forgiving, they are not easy to prepare.
In addition to being a judge, I’m also the pitmaster for team Girls Can Grill. Chicken thighs used to be my least favorite competition meat to smoke because of all of the prep work involved, but now I find the process rather therapeutic.
But if you take your time and do it right, the results are so delicious and rewarding.
Let’s Break Down the Steps
Selecting Your Chicken
In all competitions, you want to buy the best meat you can afford. If you put junk in the smoker, you’re gonna get junk out.
It’s important to look for evenly sized thighs. Always have your turn-in box in mind. If you have a runt or two, you may get docked in your appearance score.
Buy extra thighs. You’re required to turn in six pieces in KCBS competitions. It’s always better to have extra for the oh-crap moments. I usually cook 10-12.
Trimming Your Chicken
This is the time-consuming part, but it really matters in the end when the judge takes that single bite, so don’t skip this step.
Chicken thighs have pretty fatty skins and some extra pockets of fat and gunk near the bone. When you cook the meat slow and low, that fat doesn’t render, so if not treated properly, the judge will get a rubbery bite.
That will get you docked in tenderness points.
To avoid this, you want to peel the skin from the thigh, leaving it connected on one side. While you have the thigh sitting bone-side down, go ahead and scrape off the excess fat connected to the meat. This isn’t a good bite.
Flip the thigh over. The bone will have a knuckle on it. Using garden shears, snip this off.
I’ve found that if I leave it, the meat shrinks around it, leaving the bone sticking out.
For a backyard BBQ, that’s fine, but for a turn-in box, judges have become accustomed to perfect little chicken pillows.
There are a few other things you’ll want to trim out. There is a fat pocket near the bone, a vein and other random fatty pieces. Use your boning knife or kitchen shears to get rid of this junk. Also, use your knife to square up the edges.
Flip the thigh back over and roll it up. If you see any scraggly pieces, trim them off, as well.
Fold the skin back over. Using a sharp boning knife at a 45-degree angle, gently scrape off some of the fat from the underside. Be very careful that you don’t puncture the outer skin. Otherwise, your appearance score will drop.
PRO TIP: Save the scraped fat and any punctured skins to make chicken schmaltz and gribenes. The rendered chicken fat can be used like cooking oil to add flavor to foods and the gribenes are crispy fried chicken skin snacks.
Then, lay the meat on top of the scraped skin, and trim the skin so there isn’t too much excess. Roll it up with the skin on top. How does it look? Pretty?
After all those steps, it should. Now, keep on trimming, you have 11 more to go.
The good news is you can do all of this in advance. KCBS rules allow you to trim your meat before competitions. You just can’t brine or season it until it’s inspected at the comp.
Cooking Your Competition Chicken Thighs
Appearance is one part of your score. The rest comes down to taste and tenderness.
I can’t really tell you which rub to use. Judges in different areas of the country have different preferences. Heck, judges in the same area of the country have different preferences.
My recommendation is that you make it memorable, but not overpowering. I enjoy a balance of salt, sweet, pepper and umami.
Rub your competition chicken thighs on both sides and on top and under the skin.
Fold it back together into that pretty chicken pillow.
I have two methods for smoking chicken
Mini Loaf Pan Method
I know you’re thinking this is a BBQ competition not a baking championship.
Trust me, this pitmaster technique using a mini loaf pan is what separates the oblong thighs from the picture perfect uniform soldiers.
Put a little moisture in each cavity. I’m happy with chicken broth and butter, but I’ve seen people use Dale’s, soy sauce and other concoctions.
Place your seasoned thighs in the pan skin-side down, and top each with a thin pat of butter. This allows that skin to really soften so there is no tug when the judge takes a bite.
Smoke it in the pan at 275-300F degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
It’s time to flip the birds, so they’re skin-side up to help firm up the skin. You don’t want to ruin all of that hard work you did making these so darn pretty, so be gentle about it.
I use seafood forks to lift the thighs because they’re delicate.
Sprinkle with a little more rub or salt and continue smoking for about 45 minutes.
Regular Loaf Pan Method
Lately, I’ve transitioned to this method, and it has earned me a few first-place calls.
Instead of a mini-loaf pan, you’ll use multiple two-pound aluminum loaf pans.
Season the thighs the same way. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of marinade in the pan with a couple pats or ribbons of butter. To create the ribbons, use a butter mill.
Place 3-4 thighs in each pan skin side up, and place a thin slice of butter on top.
Smoke at 275F degrees for 45 minutes. Then, cover with foil and cook for 20 more minutes.
The reason I use a loaf pan, instead of a regular 13×9 aluminum pan is because I find that the thinner pan helps maintain the shape of the thighs better.
Final Prep
No matter which method you use above, When you have about 45 minutes before turn-in, remove the thighs from the pan(s) and place them on a baking rack
Combine your favorite sauce in a bowl. I add a little bit of the broth to the sauce with some extra flavor secrets. (Sorry can’t tell you everything.)
Using those seafood forks, dunk each thigh into the sauce, coating them all over. Place them back on the baking rack.
Place the rack on the smoker, and smoke for 10 minutes to let the sauce set.
Select your best six competition chicken thighs (or 8 if you want to be generous), and arrange them in your box on top of your leafy greens (if you’re using garnish).
Clean up your box to remove any sauce smears. Don’t forget to take a photo and tag #GirlsCanGrill when you post it. Then, gently deliver it to the judges, and pray to the BBQ gods.
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Competition Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 9 chicken thighs, skin on
- 1/4 cup Christie Vanover's Chicken Rub
- 1/3 cup chicken broth, for mini method
- 1/2 cup Moore's Marinade, for regular method
- 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- kosher salt
Instructions
Trim The Thighs
- Peel the skin from the top of the thigh, leaving part of it attached. Scrape off any fat that is still stuck on the top of the thigh.
- Flip the thigh over. Using shears, cut off the knuckle. Square up the ends with a knife.
- Using scissors and a knife, trim out the fat pocket and vein near the bone, and trim off any extra fat.
- Using a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, gently scrape the fat from the underside of the skin.
- Fold the skin back on top of the thigh. It should wrap around the meat like a present. If there is excess skin, trim it off.
Season
- Season the chicken on all sides with Chicken Rub, both under and on top of the skin.
- Fold the skin back around the meat, focusing on appearance.
Mini Loaf Pan Method
- Heat your smoker to 275-300F degrees.
- Place two teaspoons of chicken broth into each cavity of the mini loaf pan. Add a thin sliver of butter (about 1 teaspoon) to each cavity.
- Place the seasoned chicken in the molds, skin-side down. Top with another thin slice of butter.
- Smoke over indirect heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cook.
- Using seafood forks, carefully flip the thighs over. Place them in the pan skin-side up. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Smoke 45 minutes, rotating halfway through.
Regular Loaf Pan Method
- Place 1-2 tablespoons marinade and 2 pats of butter in a 2-pound aluminum loaf pan. Add 3-4 chicken thighs to each pan, skin side up. Repeat with 3-4 pans.
- Smoke at 275F for 45 minutes.
- Cover with aluminum foil, and cook for 20 more minutes.
Setting the Sauce
- Remove the thighs from the pan and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the pan juices with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and a pinch of salt.
- Dunk each thigh into the sauce, and place on a baking rack.
- Return to the smoker for 10 minutes to set the sauce.
- Dunk in the sauce again. Box and turn-in.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I really like this technique. I have always brined the chicken but no more.
Hello Christie,
Great article. Just one question, does the skin come out crispy? Can’t wait to try this.
No. It doesn’t come out crispy, but it does come out tender enough to bite through.
The process is good. The times are not good. Mine keep burning and the meat is dry. Keep lowering it. Soon I will have a good time.
I’ve used this technique for quite some time and have to say it’s worked great for us, chicken is our strongest category in competition!
So great to hear! Thanks for the feedback. Best of luck on all your comps.
Amazing recipe, thank you so much for sharing. We have made these three times so far and have been very pleased. They don’t last long so make a bunch!
Thanks Eric :)
Christie,
I’m a Master KCBS judge. I found your article about three weeks ago and decided to use your method, except for your baking trays. I’ve never been able to smoke, let alone grill chicken. Tasting the thighs at a contest is a whole lot fun, and the size of each thigh is perfect for family, especially the kids.
I did have trouble scraping off the fat from the skin. I did purchase a Victornix boning knife, but still had trouble. I used Tyson thighs and thought maybe its the skin. I have access to organic amish chicken, so I’ll try those next time. Smaller and less fat.
Anyway, I cooked at 275 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Checked temp, 150, and cooked for 30 minutes more. I’m trying for 160. Temp spiked to 175-180. Pulled them off, sauced them, and set in smoker for 10 minutes more. Chicken temp still held at 175-180. However, they were a tiny bit dry. They were really good though, and my best effort ever!!
Now after trying your method I will play with temp and time, BUT……I’m leaving the real cooking to the pro teams where I can enjoy the best chicken thighs and que.
Thank you Christie, and good luck on your future contest dates.
Christie,
I never scrape my skins anymore. After doing it once I compared scraping skins to tanning an animal hide. And you know what leather is like. Not fun to eat. Google ‘cleaning chicken skin flaying the fat’. I clean the skin now with a super sharp flay knife. Mine cost me $8 @ Sports Academy and came with a cutting board. SO it’s cheap. But as I do the skins, I resharpen slightly between each 1 or two skins. You also get a better feel of accomplishment and it does a better job. Once in a while I do scrape in some problem areas. I do this at competitions and people come up and go, ‘What the heck are you doing, I have never seen that before”. I have started a following.
I did this over the 4th. The skin was non-existent when biting. That is good. I think the chicken cooked too long. I might drorp the first part to 1 hours. I would rather not skip the 45 minute one as it set the skin up for the next stage. I also went with my own BBQ sauce mixture rather than mic store brought bottles. This way I have control over all the ingredients. I used a Pig Tail to manage the movement and dunking. Thanks. Next competition is July 27. Will post the result.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Best of luck in your upcoming comp.
Christie,
The link on this page points you to petite muffun pan. Is that the size you used. I ordered them but feel the Mini may be the size you used> I would send the petite ones back and order the mini.
The link should go to a mini loaf pan, not a muffin pan. The difference is that the shape of the cavities is rectangular (abut 3 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches).
Hey all – Checking in – especially since Christie is SOO helpful.
*THIS* is the recipe to use – especially if you’re new to competition style cooking. I did this in a small charity tournament that was following KCBS rules (not KCBS sanctioned though). We took first place with this method – beating out a couple teams that actually compete in sanctioned events.
Thanks Christie!
I did this two nights in a row practicing for an upcoming competition and this worked really well for me – I was sold on the mini loaf pans…..genius! I do have a question though. I typically brine my chicken for competition – do you think it’s necessary? I always hear mixed reviews but this chicken without a brine was fantastic in my opinion.
Hi Jake,
I don’t brine my thighs. I only use brine on white meat since its leaner. I’m so glad you liked the method. Good luck in your next comp.
Hi Christie. I tried your method over the weekend with pretty good results. Been having a heck of a time getting the skin to stay on the thigh (shrunk) so i never got to the bite through stage. I found your post through a search and although i have tried the muffin pan trick i never tried it with the skin DOWN. That did the trick; skin stayed on and it was perfect bite through. My temps were around 285-300 and after an hour i temped them and i was already at 192ish which I’m ok with but I had to skip the 45 minute step. Do you recall what your internal temp was at this step? I went ahead and did my sauce dunk and then back to the cooker to set for about 25 extra minutes. Skin and color was perfect so I dont think I missed out on that 45 minutes. The meat is essentially simmering in the butter/broth mixture so it helps the moisture. Just wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks!
So glad it all worked out for you. I don’t recall what my internal temp usually is at the midpoint. You made the right call skipping the 45 minutes step. If the birds get too hot, they’ll dry out. Next time, try dropping your grill temp about 25 degrees.
Thank you for your post. I am going to try it this weekend. I have been watching TV BBQ shows and reading various recipes and directions for competition chicken thighs. My one question is what do you dip your thighs in? Every show and directions have a thin sauce but all the KC BBQ sauce recipes are thick. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.
If you heat your BBQ sauce up, it will thin out. You can also add other things to thin it like a rib glaze, honey, syrup, pineapple juice or a little bit of water. But even if you add those, heat your sauce before dipping.
So you only clip the one knuckle, leaving the other end untouched correct?
For the most part. I cut the knuckle with the shears. If the other one juts out, I trim it a bit with a knife to even up the edges.
Hi Christie – so no brines or injections? How well do you usually place?
Regardless – thanks for the tips!
Hi Kris,
Correct. No brines or injections on my thighs. I placed 4th at my last comp with a 177.
Thanks yall. Practicing this method tonight for a competition in MAY
Best of luck. Let me know if you run into any questions.
have you Used Boneless skinless before? How do you think this process would work?
I have not. I prefer cooking with the bone and skin because they both give the meat more flavor.
Super excited to try this recipe tomorrow for some neighbors. I will be using a kettle grill with the snake method, so curious if you could share target temps in lieu of times? It is not quite as exact as a smoker. Thanks!
Christie
Last year we did ok with chicken but if we want to really step it up and win. I found your site and will be practicing with your directions. I do have one question. Do you cover the pans with foil for the last 45 mins??
Hi Tony. No, I don’t cover the pans. Because I cook them upside down first, that’s when they get all the moisture they need. Best of luck.
These look amazing and delicious.
Thanks so much Lance.