How to Make Award Winning BBQ Chicken Thighs at Home

This is our official KCBS competition chicken recipe—the exact method we use to get a perfect bite and win over judges. We're showing you how to cook competition chicken thighs from start to finish, including our detailed trimming process, injection secrets, and how to build a winning BBQ turn-in box. Learn why our BBQ competition chicken is cooked to 208°F and how our butter bath, strategic rub layering, and unique sauce combo create incredibly juicy and flavorful chicken. If you want the complete guide on how to cook competition chicken that stands out, this is it. 💬 JOIN THE ELITE BBQ COMMUNITY: Are you competing this year? Drop your team name in the comments below! 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more BBQ recipes & behind-the-scenes content! 🔥 RECIPE & TECHNIQUE HIGHLIGHTS: Protein: 16 Springer Mountain Farms Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs Injection/Brine: Triple 9 Brine & Kosmos Q Moisture Magic Rubs: Layered Triple 9 "What The Cluck," Executioner "Sweet Heat," & Fred Vegas "Low Country Yard Pimp" Sauce: Triple 9, Yes Dear BBQ & Blues Hog Raspberry Chipotle Method: Smoked at 300°F on a Gateway Drum with Royal Oak Lump Target Temp: 208°F in a butter bath for maximum moisture Finish: Dipped in warm sauce for a perfect glaze 📖 Full written recipe & extra tips coming soon: https://elitebbqsmokers.com ⏱️ TIMELINE: 00:00 – Our Winning Competition Chicken Strategy 00:15 – Prepping the Chicken Thighs 02:12 – The Injection That Makes Chicken Juicy 02:54 – How to Properly Inject Chicken 03:38 – Brining for Maximum Flavor 04:28 – Layering Rubs for the Perfect Bark 07:50 – Getting the Chicken on the Smoker 08:10 – Preparing the Butter Bath 08:56 – Our Go-To Competition BBQ Sauce Mix 09:37 – Cooking the Chicken in the Butter Bath 10:45 – How to Dip Chicken for a Perfect Glaze 11:54 – The Final Bite & Tenderness Test 12:42 – Blessing the Food 🔗 GEAR & PARTNERS MENTIONED: (A clean, scannable list works best) Snake River Farms (10% Off Code: ELITEBBQ10): https://snakeriverfarms.pxf.io/EliteB... The BBQ Superstore (Triple 9 Bundle): https://www.thebbqsuperstore.com/Trip... Waxhaw Wood - https://www.waxhawwood.com Our Amazon Store: https://amzn.to/3UNXKOR Royal Oak Charcoal: https://www.royaloak.com/ Connect with Us! 💬 Drop a comment below if you're grilling for Father’s Day! 📲 Tag @EliteBBQSmokers and show off your results on Instagram or Facebook! 👍 Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe & Share if you love real-deal BBQ content. Watch More Videos 🎆 Elite BBQ Smokers – Latest Videos: [Watch Now »](link to your latest videos playlist) 🧂 Let’s Get to Prepping So We Can Get to Cooking. 📍 For more recipes and information: elitebbqsmokers.com THANK YOU FOR WATCHING — SEE YOU NEXT TIME! Disclaimer: Some links in the description are affiliate or sponsor links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. #bbq #Grilling #BBQChickenRecipe #CompetitionChicken #KCBS #BBQ #HowToBBQ #EliteBBQSmokers