Jack & Coke Chicken Thighs Recipe
It’s almost time for us to pack up and head to Lynchburg for the 28th Annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. It’s always an honor getting to cook at the Jack, and we’re hoping this is our year to win it all! This week I want to share with you a Jack Daniel’s inspired recipe I have for chicken thighs. I call it my Jack & Coke Chicken and this is one you’ll want to try at home. I start with a fresh pack of Bone-In Skin-on chicken thighs. Remove them from the package spread out skin side down on a cutting board. If there’s any excess fat, I’ll go ahead and trim it off but these are eating thighs, so I don’t get aggressive at all.
Season the bone side with a little Killer Hogs AP Rub and repeat on the skin side. Place each thigh into a large 2.5 gallon zip top bag.
This is where the “Coke” part of the recipe comes into play. Pour in a 16oz bottle of coke and also add ¼ cup of Soy Sauce. Close the bag and squeeze as much air out as possible. Place the bag into a large bowl or shallow pan just in case there are any leaks. The thighs need to brine for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Take the thighs out of the brine and allow the excess liquid to drip off. They’ll need a little reasoning, so hit each side with additional Killer Hogs AP Rub.
Arrange the thighs in a half-size aluminum food service pan. Pull the skin down tight and place them in the pan as close together as possible to help hold their shape during cooking. Slice a stick of unsalted butter into small pats. Place each pat around the edges and in between the thighs.
Today I’m cooking these thighs on my Gateway Drum Smoker but any pit can be used. When I’m doing chicken (especially skin on) I want the cooking temp to be around 300⁰. It may seem a little high but trust me the skin needs this temp to get tender.
Once the smoker is up to temp, throw on a couple chunks of cherry wood for smoke and place the pan of thighs directly on the cooking grate. Cook them for 1 hour in the butter pan. While they’re cooking it’s a good time to put together the Jack Daniel’s glaze.
Jack Daniel’s BBQ Glaze Recipe
- 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
- 1 Cup Killer Hogs BBQ Sauce
- 2/3 Cup Water
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce (divided)
- 2oz Teriyaki Sauce
- 4-5 Cloves Roasted Garlic
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 2oz Jack Daniels Whiskey
- ¼ cup Pineapple Preserves
- ¼ cup Killer Hogs AP Rub
After the chicken has smoked for 1 hour, remove each thigh from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Dip each thigh into the glaze and place back on the rack. The excess glaze will drip off, so have a foil lined baking sheet underneath it.
Take the whole rack back to the pit and cook for 10 minutes. Apply a second coat of the glaze using a silicon brush and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes or until an instant read thermometer hits 175⁰ internal.
At this point the thighs are done. Remove the whole rack from the smoker (be sure to wear heat resistant gloves – It will be VERY HOT). Transfer the thighs to a serving platter and top with a little fresh chopped parsley for garnish.
These Jack & Coke Thighs turn out a pretty mahogany caramel color, and the flavor is just as good. Give them a try the next time you fire up the grill and wish us luck at the Jack this year!
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Jack & Coke Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 8–10 Bone-In Chicken Thighs Skin-On
- 16oz Coca Cola
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
- 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
- 1 Cup Killer Hogs BBQ Sauce
- 2/3 Cup Water
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce (divided)
- 2oz Teriyaki Sauce
- 4–5 Cloves Roasted Garlic
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 2oz Jack Daniels Whiskey
- ¼ cup Pineapple Preserves
- ¼ cup Killer Hogs The AP Rub
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with Killer Hogs AP Seasoning and place thighs in a large zip top bag. Pour Coke and ¼ cup of Soy Sauce over the chicken and seal the bag.
- Brine the thighs for 1-2 hours in refrigerator.
- Remove thighs from bag and shake off any excess brine. Apply light coat of AP season to both sides and place each thigh skin up tightly packed in an aluminum pan.
- Cut Butter into pats and place around the edges and between the thighs.
- Prepare a fire in the smoker and bring temperature to 300⁰ add a few chunks of Cherry wood for smoke.
- Place the pan of chicken directly on the cooking rack and smoke for 1 hour at 300⁰.
- In a small sauce pan over medium high heat add brown sugar, pineapple juice, water, teriyaki sauce, and remaining soy sauce. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer stirring occasionally.
- Mash the roasted garlic with a fork and add to the pot along with the lemon juice, pineapple preserves, and Jack Daniel’s. Continue to reduce for 10 minutes.
- Add the Killer Hogs BBQ Sauce and reduce for 10 more minutes or until mixture begins to thicken slightly.
- Dunk each thigh in the glaze and place on a wire rack.
- Place the rack directly on the cooking grate and cook for 10 minutes.
- Apply additional glaze to the thighs with a brush and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove thighs once internal temperature reaches 175⁰ and serve.
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Trying this on an egg today, should I use the heat deflector?
Cooked this for 42 people for Easter 2018. It turned out fantastic and juicy. Everyone loved it and I got compliments all around.
Malcolm Reed is not only a champion smoker but a great teacher of the art of smoking with his hands-on instructions and videos. Thank you
glad to hear it!
Thanks Malcolm I’ve learned so much from you in the past 3 years all my friends and family can’t wait for the call to let them know I’m using the smoker and your recipes. Just did a New York strip this week for the browns game Jack and Coke boneless skinless thigh. I just go ahead about 275 and spritz some in between with Coke. They cook faster so you have to keep an eye on thanks.
Can you prepare this the same way on a pellet smoker? This looked like direct heat.
oh yeah – you can cook this on your pellet smoker at 300. With the drum you are cooking indirect because there is so much space between the fire and the grate.
Ok so I’ve tried just about every one of your recipes Malcom, and you continue to amaze me. This one is a winner!!!
Could I try these in my Masterbuilt electric smoker?
sure! You can use any cooker
Doing thighs and legs on my Oklahoma Joe offset for the Eagles/ Seahawks playoff game tomorrow This will be my first time trying the Jack & Coke glaze. So far, so good. Looks awesome, smells even better! ??
Can I sub you vinegar sauce in this? I just ordered some of the regular. Didi not know I was out.
sure – you can make this recipe your own
Does it have to be chicken thighs only?
All your recipes are incredible and make me look like I know what I am doing. I appreciate what you do so very much and your willingness to share your skills is beyond kind.
Thank you
One question.
I have to make these at the house and then take them to a dinner at our church. How do you recommend I do this without ruining the chicken and keeping them warm?? Any ideas? Thank you !!!!
They’ll stay warm in a dry cooler for a couple hours. I suggest covering an aluminum pan with plastic wrap then foil, and place the pan down in a dry cooler (no ice). You can also place a few old towels in there to trap even more heat.
Hey Malcom, I made these thighs over the weekend and they were a hit, especially the glaze, thanks for another great recipe! I Have a question, would this recipe work with St Louis ribs, can the ribs be brine in the coke and soy sauce like the chicken, if so, any difference in the time they soak? Thanks, John M.
Great content as always Malcom.
Just wondering how can this be done without the use of a smoker as I don’t have one . Is it same process cooking in an oven or a gas bbq?
Regards
never tried it, but I’m sure you could recreate it on a gas grill
I would love to do this on a whole chicken. Have you done that? How do you recommend I go about doing that?
Thank you Malcom for helping this New Englander crank out awesome Q, this is my third season with a smoker and I look forward to another season of you great recipes.
Hello Malcolm,
I cooked this recipe yesterday.
The sauce was amazing.
However, the skin on my chicken was very rubbery and tough.
Everything else was over the top good.
Any ideas on why the skin was so tough?